Showing Up Is the First Duty of Leadership
Alabama voters deserve leaders who show up, answer questions, and face the people they serve, not statements read in their absence—Guest Opinion by Kaycee Cavender
Guest Opinion by Kaycee Cavender
Last week we saw something troubling: candidates and elected officials choosing not to show up when the people they represent gather to ask questions.
Public forums, town halls, and community events exist for a reason. They are one of the few places where citizens can look their elected officials in the eye and ask them directly about the decisions being made in Montgomery that affect their families, their businesses, and their communities.
District 40's current State Representative Chad Robertson (representing Cleburne and portions of Calhoun Counties) and Lt. Governor candidate Wes Allen each failed to attend public discussions with voters. When candidates avoid these opportunities, it raises an uncomfortable question for voters: if someone will not face the public while asking for their vote, how accountable will they be once they hold office?
Meanwhile, the voters of District 40 were gathered together with an empty chair at the table for State Representative Robertson and the Huntsville Republican Women an empty chair for Lt. Governor candidate Wes Allen.
The issue here goes beyond these two forums. It speaks to a larger concern many Alabamians share about the culture of politics today. Too often, public service has been replaced by political theater - statements instead of conversations, press releases instead of accountability.
But representative government only works when representatives are willing to stand before the people they serve.
Showing up matters.Answering questions matters.
Listening to constituents matters.Alabamians deserve responsiveness and accountability. We deserve leaders who are willing to stand before their constituents and answer hard questions.
Showing up should not be controversial. It should be the basic expectation of anyone who asks the public for the privilege of representing them.Because representation was never meant to happen from a distance.
Kaycee Cavender is a candidate for Alabama House District 40, which includes all of Cleburne County plus parts of Calhoun County, covering areas such as Jacksonville, White Plains, Oxford, and others. The District is currently represented by Rep. Chad Robertson (R-Heflin), who is seeking reelection to the seat. He and Cavendar will face off in the May 19 Republican primary, with the general election set for November 3, 2026.
For more information, visit www.votecavender.com or follow Cavender on Facebook.
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