Karlapalem Slams Racist Attack, Demands Parker Moore and Alabama GOP Leadership to Disavow It

From the Karlapalem campaign

August 10

"I am a U.S. citizen — full stop, no asterisk. My record with the Limestone County NAACP speaks for itself. No one gets to demand that I disavow who I am to prove I belong here.” — Hanu Karlapalem

MADISON, Alabama - Hanu Karlapalem, Democratic nominee for Alabama State HouseDistrict 4, today slammed racist comments made by Tom Fredricks, a Priceville businessman and former NASA engineer whose store, Fredricks Outdoor, served as the official North Alabama headquarters for Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. Fredricks has run for state office three times and lost all three — twice to Rep. Parker Moore in the 2018 Republican primary for this same House seat, and again in a 2022 Republican primary for a different House district.

In a public social media post tagging Karlapalem, Fredricks invoked India's caste system to argue Karlapalem should "disavow" his heritage before discussing his civil rights record, questioned the legitimacy of his NAACP affiliation, and suggested his identity disqualifies him from the race. When Karlapalem responded directly, correcting the record and citing his documented civil rights history, Fredricks continued the exchange by tagging Karlapalem in a video clip mocking racial identity — an escalation, not a correction.

"When confronted directly, instead of correcting the record, he doubled down and mocked it," Karlapalem said. "That tells you everything you need to know."

Karlapalem noted the comments echo the same rhetoric behind SB21, legislation that would bar naturalized citizens from holding state office in Alabama — a bill that directly targets his own eligibility to serve. The language Fredricks quoted in his post is drawn directly from Karlapalem's own previously published op-ed on SB21, which also prompted a Decatur Daily editorial condemning the bill as creating "second-class citizens."

"Naturalized citizens already serve at the highest levels of American government, including within the Republican Party itself," Karlapalem said. "U.S. Senator Bernie Moreno of Ohio is a naturalized citizen. So is Lawrence County's own Sheriff Max Sanders. SB21 would end careers like theirs. This isn't a hypothetical. It's already happening to people serving their communities right now." Karlapalem said.

"As an U.S. Air Force veteran, a Life Member and former President of NAACP Alabama State Conference, and as Hanu’s Campaign Chair, I am very aware of his strong record of fighting for civil and human rights and equality for all people, and his record is solid," said Benard Simelton, Campaign Chairman. "Mr. Fredricks’ comments are a direct attack on what Hanu’s campaign is all about, and Mr. Fredricks should apologize for making such racist statements — unless that is really what he believes. Also, Rep. Parker Moore should repudiate the comments of Mr. Fredricks and go on record of supporting an Alabama for all the people."

"Parker Moore has said nothing about SB21, and now a prominent figure in his own party has attacked me in explicitly racist terms. Silence is a choice," Karlapalem said. "This isn't an isolated incident — it's part of a pattern from Alabama's Republican supermajority: dismiss constituents, dodge debates, and now attack a candidate's citizenship instead of his record. Alabama Republican leadership should be on notice: constituents are watching, and this kind of rhetoric from prominent party figures needs to stop."

Hanu Karlapalem is a Madison, Alabama resident of 26 years, small technology business owner, UAH M.S. graduate, and Life Member and former Second Vice President of the Limestone County NAACP.

He is the Democratic nominee for Alabama State House District 4 in the November 3, 2026, general election.

For more information: https://www.hanu4alabama.com