Alabama Surgeon Dale Deas Enters Senate Race on Reform Platform

Dr. Dale Shelton Deas Jr., a cardiac surgeon and whistleblower, has officially launched his campaign for the U.S. Senate. Deas, the only physician on the ballot in Alabama’s Senate race, is pledging to restore trust in government, overhaul healthcare and ease everyday costs for Alabama families.

Born and raised in Mobile, Deas moved to Birmingham nearly two years ago after 19 years on the Gulf Coast. His professional journey began with engineering studies in Nashville, followed by medical school in Birmingham and seven years of surgical training in Atlanta. His career, he says, has been shaped by efforts to strengthen transparency and accountability in the healthcare system.

“My family’s faith and values shape my belief that real leadership puts people, not profits or politics, first,” Deas said. His wife of eight years and their five-year-old son are central to his message of service.

Deas’ platform reflects a mix of economic and healthcare priorities. He is calling for the elimination of Alabama’s grocery sales tax — a measure he says would save families $600 to $900 annually — and would cap insulin costs at $35 per month. He also supports Space Command at Redstone Arsenal and he has refused corporate PAC contributions.

On education, Deas proposes tripling Title I funding, offering $10,000 federal tax credits for teachers, expanding loan forgiveness and advocating federal support for a $70,000 minimum teaching salary by 2028. He frames these moves as conservative, achievable improvements.

In healthcare policy, he champions the Nurse Empowerment and Protection Act (NEPA), which aims to ban mandatory overtime, set safe staffing ratios and create a Nurse Safeguard Hotline staffed to respond within 24 hours to safety complaints. He wants to tie Medicare and Medicaid incentives to compliance with what he calls a “Nurse Bill of Rights.”

Deas also vows to press the Department of Justice on antitrust enforcement against food monopolies and hospital consolidation. He argues that competition saves lives and lowers costs, citing opposition to mergers like HH-Crestwood in Huntsville.

On malpractice reform, Deas says he will work with State lawmakers to reassess liability caps set in the 1980s to ensure they fairly protect patients in today’s healthcare climate.

“The quiet takeover of healthcare by Wall Street interests and the failures of federal regulators have eroded trust,” he said. Deas says his candidacy is a direct response to those documented problems.

Deas joins a crowded Republican primary field that includes Steve Marshall, Barry Moore, Jared Hudson, Morgan Murphy, Rodney Walker and Seth Burton.

For more information, follow Dr. Deas’ campaign on Facebook.