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63-605: Justin Andrew Sorrell (born 1985) is an American politician who is the incumbent State Auditor of Alabama , serving since 2023. A member of the Republican Party , he previously served in the Alabama House of Representatives from 2018 to 2022, representing the 3rd district , which includes the northwestern counties of Colbert and Lawrence . Described as a "firebrand" by Yellowhammer News , Sorrell

126-639: A 0%, voting against every single amendment. In 2007, the Club also scored against House bills that increased the minimum wage, implemented card check, and sought caps on CEO pay. In the Senate, the Club scored against bills that increased the minimum wage, passage of the farm bill, and the SCHIP healthcare plan. In 2007, the Club for Growth opposed protectionist policies against China. Senators Chuck Schumer of New York and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina had proposed

189-411: A bill to apply large tariffs on Chinese imports if that country did not increase the value of its currency. In response, the Club sponsored a petition of 1,028 economists who stated their opposition to protectionist policies against China. The list of economists included Nobel Laureates Finn Kydland , Edward Prescott , Thomas Schelling , and Vernon Smith . The petition played off a similar petition that

252-579: A bill to outlaw medication abortions in Alabama. Sorrell was also instrumental in passing constitutional carry in Alabama. In 2019, he sponsored a bill from a previous legislator to end the permit requirement for concealed handguns in Alabama, though it only had "six to eight" co-sponsors at the time. Over his tenure, Sorrell built support for the bill before eventually attaining 38 co-sponsors by 2021. Sorrell worked with fellow representative Shane Stringer to pass House Bill 272 for constitutional carry; it

315-402: A bill to prohibit mask mandates in schools, saying that masking should be a decision made by parents, not the school system. Sorrell worked with a Huntsville -based group known as "Unmask our Kids" to build support for the legislation. Regarding the bill, Sorrell stated, "I do support the right of parents who disagree with me to mask their kids. That should be their choice. I believe in protecting

378-746: A co-founder of PayPal , who gave $ 2 million; Virginia James ($ 1.2 million); John W. Childs ($ 1.1 million), chairman and founder of the Boston-based private equity firm J.W. Childs Associates ; Robert D. Arnott ($ 750,000), the chairman and chief executive of California-based Research Affiliates; Robert Mercer , the co-chief executive of Renaissance Technologies and part-owner of Cambridge Analytica , gave $ 600,000; and hedge fund manager Paul Singer gave $ 100,000. The Club for Growth's super PAC, which historically has been most active in Republican primary elections, spent more in general elections in

441-448: A coalition of center-right groups in sending letters to Congress to support its position. The House passed the 527 Reform Act by a margin of 218–209, but the Senate did not consider the legislation. The Club for Growth supported various amendments to cut earmarks in the budget, such as "dairy education" and a "wine initiative." The Club included assessment of sponsorship of the card check bill in its scorecard. If lawmakers co-sponsored

504-623: A college instructor, took a job teaching Greek at a university. They resided in Wisconsin for six years before Sorrell's father was laid off. The family moved to Alabama so that Sorrell's father could take a position as a pastor at a church in Muscle Shoals, Alabama . Sorrell graduated from Muscle Shoals High School in 2004. At age 16, Sorrell co-founded a business partnership with his brother Matthew to re-sell college textbooks. Andrew and Matthew Sorrell became known as "the book guys" on

567-517: A conservative group that funds like-minded candidates for Congress, has turned the highway legislation into a bumper sticker for the GOP's fiscal failings. Keating said to the Chicago Sun-Times , "It is a pork-laden bill." The Christian Science Monitor reported Toomey saying, "This is a defining moment. The Republican Party came to power in 1995 by advocating limited government. But in

630-416: A free-market, free-trade, anti-regulation agenda." The Guardian described the group as "one of the biggest backers" of Republicans who voted to overturn the results of the 2020 United States presidential election , having spent around $ 20 million on their campaigns in 2018 and 2020. The Club for Growth was founded in 1999 by Stephen Moore , Thomas L. Rhodes , and Richard Gilder . Moore served as

693-600: A member of The State Board of Adjustment, The State Board of Appointment for Boards of Registrars, The State Board of Compromise, The Alabama Education Authority ( ex officio ), and The Penny Trust Fund. The state auditor is an elected post chosen in partisan elections. It is elected in the same cycle as the other constitutional officers of the U.S. state of Alabama , including the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, state treasurer, and secretary of state. State law prohibits any individual from being elected to more than two consecutive terms. Women have traditionally held

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756-627: A member of the Club's board. Former Indiana Congressman David McIntosh was named president in January 2015. On September 19, 2005, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) filed suit against the Club for Growth alleging violations of the Federal Election Campaign Act for failing to register as a political action committee in the 2000 , 2002 , and 2004 congressional elections. In September 2007,

819-608: A more conservative agenda, the Club is known for targeting "establishment" Republican candidates. In 2003, the original Club for Growth strongly opposed the Medicare prescription drug benefit proposal. The Club for Growth strongly supported the Bush tax cuts of 2003 and ran television ads against two Republicans who voiced opposition to the tax cuts. According to The New York Times , "Last spring, [Club for Growth president Steve] Moore attacked two Republican Senators who were resisting

882-417: A number of incumbent Republicans. The Club for Growth has established a vetting process for potential candidates that involves one or more interviews, research on the race and the candidate's record, and a poll conducted to establish whether the candidate has a viable chance for victory. Each election cycle, the Club's PAC endorses candidates and encourages donors to support the endorsed candidates. Promoting

945-501: A one-time tax rebate, Sorrell advocated for permanent tax cuts instead, stating that "we need to rein our spending in. And if we reined it in even a little bit we could provide massive tax cuts for the people of Alabama, and I think we'd really be a magnet for bringing other people to this state". In June 2019, Sorrell wrote an opinion article for AL.com in which he expressed both support for medical marijuana research and opposition towards government-run healthcare, saying, "I believe in

1008-514: A resolution in support of the president of the University of North Alabama's student government association. The student had previously made social media posts that were criticized by LGBT groups as homophobic, and was the subject of calls to resign. Sorrell also co-sponsored an anti-transgender " bathroom bill " in 2022, saying he did so because of the presence of a transgender student at Muscle Shoals High School. In February 2022, Sorrell authored

1071-670: A second store, named Gold, Guns, & Guitars, in April 2015. Sorrell's other business ventures include an expansion of Gold, Guns, & Guitars to Huntsville, Alabama , and a real estate investment company, Fast Track Investments Inc. Sorrell first became involved in politics by helping run local Republican campaigns with his brother Matthew, but found little success. The brothers attended classes in Washington, D.C. that taught campaign management, and returned to Alabama with more expertise that helped their campaigns win more elections. During

1134-419: A workplace-mandated COVID-19 vaccine . He also joined several other Republican officials in Alabama who criticized Governor Ivey's executive order opposing federal vaccine mandates, saying that it did not go far enough; he wrote on Facebook that, "although strong in rhetoric, the order had very little in actual substance". In July 2021, Sorrell, alongside representatives Lynn Greer and Phillip Pettus , signed

1197-536: Is a 501(c)(4) political organization active in the United States , with a fiscally conservative agenda focused on tax cuts and other economic policy issues. Club for Growth's largest funders are billionaires Jeff Yass and Richard Uihlein . The club has two political arms: Club for Growth PAC, a traditional political action committee , and Club for Growth Action , an independent-expenditure only committee or super-PAC . According to its website,

1260-543: Is something we need to be really, really vigilant about". In 2020, Sorrell served as chair of the Alabama Trump Delegation for the 2020 Republican National Convention , during which he cast Alabama's votes for Trump at the convention. After his election to the position of State Auditor, Sorrell was succeeded in the Alabama House of Representatives by fellow Republican Kerry "Bubba" Underwood in

1323-566: The 2016 Republican Party presidential primaries , Sorrell was an alternate delegate for Ted Cruz , and served as a manager for Cruz's state-level campaign in Alabama's 5th congressional district . Sorrell was first elected to the Alabama Republican Party State Executive Committee in 2010, and still serves as chairman of its bylaws committee, as of 2022. He unsuccessfully ran for vice chair of

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1386-500: The Democratic Party , decided to retire after 28 years. Sorrell initially attempted to convince his father to run for the seat, but stood for election himself after his father declined. He raised over $ 180,000 during the campaign. Sorrell defeated Humphrey Lee in the Republican primary with 76% of the vote, and faced Democratic nominee Chad Young in the general election. AL.com described the third district's election as one of

1449-480: The Republican Party itself. The group has opposed government action to curb greenhouse gas emissions and called on President Trump to exit the Paris Climate Agreement. The Club for Growth PAC endorses and raises money for candidates who meet its standards for fiscal conservatism. According to Politico , "The Club for Growth is the pre-eminent institution promoting Republican adherence to

1512-551: The "top political races to watch in north Alabama" in 2018. Sorrell defeated Young in the general election with 53% of the vote. During his tenure, Sorrell was consistently named in media reports and by the Club for Growth as one of the most conservative members of the state legislature. He received the 2020 Conservative Policy Warrior Award from the Alabama Policy Institute for his votes to lower taxes and reduce

1575-464: The 2007 settlement agreement." In 2010, the Club's political arms spent about $ 8.6 million directly on candidates and bundled another $ 6 million from Club members, directing those funds to candidates. In 2012, according to OpenSecrets , Club members donated at least $ 4 million, and the Club's political arms spent nearly $ 18 million on elections. In 2013, the Club for Growth super PAC's donors included Peter Thiel , an early backer of Facebook and

1638-553: The 2018 cycle than it ever had before. This trend was expected to continue into 2020. Club for Growth president David McIntosh described the Club's evolution, saying "We want to be the political arm of the conservative movement—inside the Republican Party." In June 2020, The Hill wrote that the Club was "flexing its financial muscle this year, doling out millions of dollars to conservative congressional candidates and outspending most other outside groups as it looks to help

1701-584: The Affordable Care Act. In 2010, more than 400 federal lawmakers and candidates signed the Repeal It! pledge, including more than 40 of the incoming freshman class of congressmen and senators. The Club for Growth advocated the discharge petition, a proposal that would have forced a House vote on repealing the Affordable Care Act. At the time, Keith Olbermann said: "The petition, which would need 218 signatures to force House Speaker Pelosi to put

1764-629: The Alabama Republican Party in 2021, being defeated by John Skipper, who had 53% of the vote to Sorrell's 47%. Sorrell ran for election to the third district of the Alabama House of Representatives in the 2018 election cycle . At the time of his announcement in June 2017, the Alabama Political Reporter described Sorrell as a "well-known local anti-tax activist". The incumbent representative, Marcel Black of

1827-537: The Citizens Club for Growth (the Club for Growth changed its name) and the FEC agreed to settle the lawsuit. According to their joint filing, Citizens Club for Growth said "that it operated under the good faith belief that it had not triggered political committee status ... [and] [f]or the purposes of this settlement, and in order to avoid protracted litigation costs, without admitting or denying each specific basis for

1890-444: The Club for Growth's policy goals include cutting income tax rates, repealing the estate tax , supporting limited government and a balanced budget amendment , entitlement reform (including Social Security reform , Medicare and Medicaid reform), tort reform , school choice , and deregulation . In 2003 through 2004, the Club for Growth was the largest single funder for Republican House and Senate candidates, outside of

1953-509: The Club gained an appropriations amendment by Scott Garrett to prohibit funds in the bill from being used to enforce the Court's decision. The amendment passed, 231–189. The Club for Growth PAC highlighted this vote when it targeted Joe Schwarz , a House Republican who it helped defeat in 2006, claiming he was too liberal. In the spring of 2006, the Club opposed the 527 Reform Act, which curtailed spending by such political organizations. It led

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2016-472: The GOP keep control of the Senate and improve Republican chances in the House." The Club for Growth raised $ 55 million in 2020, "making 2020 its most lucrative cycle yet." The Club, which said it planned to spend at least $ 35 million in the 2020 election cycle, outspent most other groups not affiliated with presidential candidates. According to a Guardian analysis, the organization was one of the biggest backers of

2079-547: The GOPers in office. This was a classic 'throw the bums out' election, rather than an embrace of the policy views of those who will replace them." In 2009, the Club produced another "RePORK Card". This time there were 22 House members with a 100% score: 1 Democrat and 21 Republicans. At the bottom, 211 House members received a 0% score: 202 Democrats and 9 Republicans. The Club for Growth launched its Repeal It! campaign in 2010 in an attempt to help build public support for undoing

2142-573: The Republican lawmakers who tried to overturn the 2020 US election results. It spent $ 20m to support its campaigns in 2018 and 2020. One of the largest donors was Jeffrey Yass who in 2020 donated $ 20.7m to the Club. Founder Stephen Moore has said, "We want to be seen as the tax cut enforcer in the [Republican] party." Unlike many other political action committees, the Club for Growth's PAC regularly participates in funding candidates for primary elections. The Club focuses more on open seats than on challenging sitting Republicans, but it has helped to unseat

2205-473: The Republican primary for the board's District 7 seat, with Sorrell helping raise money after Long's "last-minute" entry into the race. Sorrell is married to his wife Hannah Sorrell, a real estate agent who was also a delegate to the 2020 Republican National Convention; they have one daughter together and reside in Muscle Shoals, Alabama . Sorrell is a private pilot and an advanced scuba diver . State Auditor of Alabama The state auditor also serves as

2268-506: The Republican primary: Stan Cooke, a pastor and professional counselor, and Rusty Glover , a former state senator. During the campaign, Sorrell expressed support for making the state Examiner of Public Accounts report to the State Auditor, rather than a legislative board. He compared Alabama's auditing functions at the time to "a fox guarding the hen house". Sorrell had previously sponsored legislation as state representative to transfer

2331-629: The Washington, DC area. According to Roll Call , "Former Rep. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), president of the Club for Growth, a CAFTA supporter, said his group continued running advertisements before the Congressional vote." The Club opposed the 2005 highway bill. President Bush threatened to veto the bill but did sign it. The Christian Science Monitor quoted David Keating saying, "For fiscal conservatives, it's frustrating to watch ... He's beginning to lose all credibility with these veto threats." According to The Washington Post , "The Club for Growth,

2394-472: The [FEC's] conclusions," Citizens Club for Growth no longer contested the alleged violations and agreed to pay $ 350,000 in civil penalties. According to the Associated Press, the settlement was one of "a series of actions by the FEC to penalize independent political groups that spent money to influence elections but did not register as political committees. The groups, called 527 organizations for

2457-406: The bill, they were docked points in the rating system. The Club for Growth issued a new scorecard in 2007 that highlighted how House members voted on several amendments that defunded earmarks. Sixteen congressmen scored a perfect 100% on the so-called "RePORK Card", voting for all 50 anti-pork amendments. They were all Republicans. Conversely, 105 congressmen (81 Democrats and 24 Republicans) scored

2520-475: The campus of the University of North Alabama , which they both attended. They grew their company, Infinity College Textbooks, to forty employees and over a million dollars in revenue before selling it. Sorrell eventually graduated and attained a business management degree from the University of North Alabama. After graduation, Sorrell opened a pawn shop for firearms. He later restructured the business and opened

2583-566: The first president of the Club from 1999 until December 2004, when board members voted to remove Moore as president. In 2003 through 2004, the Club for Growth was the largest single fundraiser for Republican House and Senate candidates, outside of the Republican Party itself, raising nearly $ 22 million. Future Pennsylvania United States Senator Pat Toomey served as president from 2005 until his resignation in April 2009. Former Indiana Congressman Chris Chocola succeeded Toomey. Chocola served as president through December 2014. He remains

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2646-579: The former Trump Delegation Chairman from 2020 is now endorsing DeSantis in 2024, but I didn't make this decision lightly". After DeSantis dropped out of the race, Sorrell switched his endorsement to Trump in February 2024, saying that he was "not a Nikki Haley fan". Sorrell was also a strong supporter of Allen Long, a candidate for the Alabama State Board of Education , in 2024. 1819 News described Sorrell as having pushed Long to victory in

2709-536: The freedom of each individual to make medical decisions that best suit them and their loved ones". However, in May 2021, Sorrell voted against the bill that eventually became law permitting medical marijuana in Alabama. During the COVID-19 pandemic , Sorrell opposed lockdowns, saying during an appearance on The Jeff Poor Show that citizens should be concerned about constitutional violations. In August 2021, Sorrell drafted

2772-437: The gas tax during a telephone poll. He voted against it when it was first passed in 2019, and co-sponsored a 2022 bill to pause the increase. Sorrell also targeted Alabama's grocery tax in February 2020 with a bill that aimed to phase out the tax by 2040. In September 2020, Sorrell was one of two dissenting votes opposing an anti- price gouging bill targeting repair fraud in the wake of Hurricane Sally . Sorrell told AL.com that

2835-562: The last four to five years, there has been no evidence that the Republican officials in the federal government have any remaining commitment to this vital principle." During the debate on the highway bill, the Club supported an amendment by Tom Coburn that would defund the noted Gravina Island Bridge , from Ketchikan to the island in Southeast Alaska. Following the Supreme Court's Kelo v. City of New London decision,

2898-474: The latest tax cut: George Voinovich of Ohio and Olympia Snowe of Maine. He ran ads in each of their states in which he compared them with the French president, Jacques Chirac . Karl Rove , President Bush's political advisor, stated that the ads were "stupid" and "counterproductive". In 2005, Pat Toomey became president and the Club for Growth created a congressional scorecard. The Club's first key vote alert

2961-428: The office for most of the past sixty years. Nine women have held the post starting with the election of Agnes Baggett in 1954. The current state auditor is Andrew Sorrell , who took office on January 16, 2023. He was previously a Republican member of the Alabama House of Representatives from the 3rd district. His predecessor as auditor was Jim Zeigler , a fellow Republican who held the office from 2015 to 2023. He

3024-468: The office of State Auditor. In March 2023, Sorrell announced that a bill would be introduced in the next legislative session with the aim of expanding the state auditor's powers to further investigate the state government. Sorrell endorsed Ron DeSantis in the Republican primary for the 2024 U.S. presidential election . Regarding his endorsement, Sorrell said, "I know it will raise some eyebrows that

3087-424: The public examiners' department to the office of State Auditor. In the May 24 primary, Sorrell finished with 39.5% of the vote, ahead of Cooke and Glover, but not enough to avoid a runoff. Sorrell faced Cooke in the June 21 runoff; the day before the election, Sorrell announced that he had more than doubled the fundraising record for a State Auditor election in Alabama. Sorrell won the runoff against Cooke with 57% of

3150-404: The rationale for his vote was that he believed such bills often had the opposite desired effect, adding "I think we should let the free market handle this stuff". In both 2020 and 2021, Sorrell was the sole representative to vote against the state's general fund budgets. He also voted against a 2% pay raise for teachers and state employees in 2021. In October 2022, after Governor Kay Ivey announced

3213-414: The repeal bill up for a vote, went largely ignored. As Talking Points Memo reports, on Monday it had only 30 signatures. That is until the right wing group Club For Growth e-mailed its members, explaining Mr. [Steve] King's discharge petition will be considered as a key vote on the club's annual Congressional scorecard. That scorecard is considered one of the gold standards of conservative rankings. That and

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3276-499: The results of a poll commissioned by the Club: "A poll commissioned by the Club for Growth in 12 swing congressional districts over the past weekend shows that the voters who made the difference in this election still prefer less government—lower taxes, less spending and less regulation—to Obama's economic liberalism. Turns out, Americans didn't vote for Dems because they support their redistributionist agenda, but because they are fed up with

3339-462: The right of parents to mask their children in school just as much as I believe in protecting the right of parents to not mask their children in school". However, these proposals never came to a vote during legislative sessions on the House floor. In the fall of 2021, Sorrell said he would continue to support efforts towards medical freedom in Alabama, and sponsored a bill that would allow workers to file lawsuit against employers for any adverse reaction to

3402-494: The section of the IRS code ... , played a significant role in the 2004 congressional and presidential elections by raising unlimited amounts of money from labor groups, corporations and wealthy individuals." On June 25, 2012, U.S. District Court Judge Robert L. Wilkins issued an order stating that the FEC "is FORMALLY REPRIMANDED as a sanction for violating explicitly clear orders" (emphasis in original text) regarding confidentiality in

3465-656: The size of government. In 2021, the American Conservative Union 's Center for Legislative Accountability gave Sorrell a 100% conservative rating, making him among the most conservative state legislators in the United States. Sorrell served on the legislative committees for Ethics and Campaign Finance, Technology and Research, and Financial Services. As state representative, Sorrell was an "outspoken opponent" of Alabama's gas tax increase. According to Sorrell, 90% of constituents in his district opposed

3528-415: The third district. Sorrell was the first person to declare candidacy in the 2022 election for State Auditor of Alabama , seeking the Republican nomination. His campaign was announced in June 2021, with Sorrell stating "I want to make sure that every penny of property belonging to the citizens of Alabama is properly accounted for." The incumbent, Jim Zeigler , was term-limited. Sorrell faced two opponents in

3591-544: The vote. He faced Libertarian nominee Leigh Lachine in the general election; no Democratic candidate qualified in the auditor race. Sorrell won the general election with 85% of the vote and was inaugurated as State Auditor in January 2023. After his election, Sorrell announced plans to expand the office and regain duties that had been transferred to the Examiner of Public Accounts. He also indicated support for creating government accountability and investigative divisions for

3654-722: Was also signed by 1,028 economists in 1930 that opposed the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act . In 2008 and 2009, the Club for Growth opposed the $ 787 billion stimulus bill , Cash for Clunkers , cap and trade legislation , the Wall Street bailout , the auto bailout , the Affordable Care Act and the bailout of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac . After Barack Obama was elected president in November 2008, Club President Pat Toomey penned an op-ed that included

3717-519: Was an amendment sponsored by a Democrat. Representative Earl Blumenauer offered an amendment to an agricultural appropriations bill that would have reduced the sugar program by 6 percent. The Club for Growth supported the amendment, which failed, 146–280. The Club fought to support the Dominican Republic–Central America Free Trade Agreement in 2005, running print advertisements in local Beltway publications in

3780-523: Was constitutionally ineligible to seek a third term and unsuccessfully ran for Secretary of State of Alabama instead. Sorrell won the Republican primary and general election to succeed Zeigler in 2022. Listed below are the state auditors for the past several terms: Candidates Cooke and Sorrell squared off in a debate at the Gardendale Civic Center just more than a week ahead of the Republican primary runoff on June 13, 2022. The debate

3843-488: Was cosponsored by WYDE-FM and 1819 News. No primary was held for the Libertarian Party , and the party instead nominated candidates. Club for Growth Defunct Newspapers Journals TV channels Websites Other Economics Gun rights Identity politics Nativist Religion Watchdog groups Youth/student groups Miscellaneous Other The Club for Growth

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3906-557: Was first elected in 2018 ; he was annually named as one of the "most conservative " representatives in the Alabama Legislature , as well as among the most conservative state legislators in the United States. He was elected as state auditor in the 2022 election cycle after defeating pastor Stan Cooke in a runoff. Sorrell was born in California; his family moved to Wisconsin when he was six weeks old. Sorrell's father,

3969-488: Was signed into law by Governor Ivey in March 2022. Sorrell retrospectively called his contributions to constitutional carry one of his "greatest legislative accomplishments". Sorrell's other pro-gun efforts in the legislature included a 2020 bill that would prevent the state of Alabama from enforcing any federal red flag law ; Sorrell said in a radio interview, "I don't think that red flag laws are going to pass in Alabama, but it

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