Southern Baldwin County GOP primary heads to runoff

Voters in Baldwin County will choose between incumbent Rep. Frances Holk-Jones, R-Orange Beach, and investment adviser Joe Freeman in the Republican primary runoff election for House District 95 on June 16. 

In the May 19 primary, Holk-Jones got 3,225 votes (42.4%), and Freeman got 2,933 (38.6%), according to unofficial returns. A third candidate, Elijah Davidson got 1,446 votes, (19%). 

The district covers southern Baldwin County, including Orange Beach, Gulf Shores, Foley and Perdido Beach. Holk-Jones in 2022 got 85% of votes over then-Democratic nominee Richard Brackner, according to election results. The seat was held by Republican Steve McMillan from 1980 until his death in 2022, with the last Democratic challenger in 2006. 

No Democratic candidate qualified for the race, making the winner of the primary runoff the presumptive representative. 

Multiple messages seeking comment with Freeman were left Thursday and Friday.

The candidates

Holk-Jones, 70, is seeking her second term, and hopes to continue to use her passion for mental health through her positions on the Oversight Commission on Opioid Settlement Funds and House Health Committee, she said in a phone interview Friday. In 1997, Holk-Jones’ daughter died by suicide. In 2000, her husband also died by suicide at their daughter’s graveside.

She describes herself as pro-life, but “that doesn’t stop at the womb.” She wants to see more mental health professionals in schools so that children can get help when their parents are not around.

“Life is tough, so we have to help our young people. It’s just not about suicide, it’s mental health and making those quality decisions, but also not making life-changing decisions that causes them to take their own life,” she said. “To be able to know who to talk to, that trained professional. Unfortunately a situation might happen at school at 10 o’clock in the morning, and they don’t see their parents to talk to them until — in a perfect world 3 o’clock in the afternoon — but possibly 7 or 8 o’clock in the evening.”

Right now, Holk-Jones said she is focused on getting reelected, and it has been a “tough” campaign. In 2025, the State Farm insurance agent asked questions about a health plan pushed by the Alabama Farmers Federation (ALFA). She said the Federation did not like how many questions she asked, although she eventually voted for the law. She said Friday that she still did not understand why a health plan should not be administered by the Alabama Department of Insurance. 

“ALFA Farmers Federation cannot control certain elected officials, whether they be senators or House members, I am one of those,” Holk-Jones said.

Holk-Jones said that after she extensively questioned and attempted to amend the now-law, a member of the federation told her “payback would be held, and it has been.”

The fundraising arm of ALFA, FarmPAC, has since endorsed Freeman and contributed over $50,000 to his campaign, about 45% of his total fundraising, according to campaign finance records. 

In a statement Friday afternoon, Jeff Helms, director of communications for ALFA, did not confirm or deny Holk-Jones’ claim. He said Alabama FarmPAC endorsements are not based on single issues, but on recommendations by “grassroots members of the counties represented.” 

Holk-Jones supports a ballot referendum for a lottery — which failed in the Legislature 2024 and has yet to reemerge — and still believes voters should get the final say in gaming.

“It’s been a tough campaign, full of lies regarding the gaming bill. I have always been in favor of letting the people vote, letting the people decide. There were entities, ALFA was one of them, that did not even want the people to be allowed to vote, so I voted in favor of the bill that allowed the people to make their own decision,” she said. “Because I chose a decision, because I asked too many questions regarding insurance … payback has been held.”

FarmPAC’s endorsements have been successful, on average, in the primaries in unseating incumbents. Five of the eight incumbent lawmakers that lost in the May 19 primary lost to candidates endorsed by FarmPAC.

According to Freeman’s website, he is “firmly against” expanding gaming in Alabama because of the possibility of addiction. 

“Expanding legalized gambling fuels the growth of government programs that rely on the exploitation of vulnerable citizens — particularly the poor, the elderly, and those struggling with addiction. Rather than promoting economic opportunity, it encourages a system where the government profits from personal loss and desperation,” his website states.

Freeman also describes himself as pro-life and supports a parent’s right to choose their child’s education, according to his website.

“I am committed to protecting children from ideological indoctrination in schools and other institutions — especially on sensitive topics such as gender and sexuality,” his website states.

Campaign fundraising

As of Friday, Holk-Jones has raised almost $631,000 in cash since early 2023. About 79% of her contributions come from political action committees (PACs) — including the Poarch Creek Indian, Alabama Hospital, and Forestry PACs. About 12.4% of her contributions come from individuals, and about 8.5% come from businesses or corporations, according to campaign finance records.

As of Friday, Freeman has raised a little over $113,000, including about $29,000 in loans from himself. About 60.8% of his contributions have come from PACs, most of which came from Alabama FarmPAC. About 2.6% of his contributions have come from businesses and corporations, and about 1.4% have come from individuals, according to campaign finance records.

How to vote

District 95 voters can choose between Freeman or Holk-Jones for the Republican nomination on June 16. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Polling locations can be found here. The winner will be the presumptive representative for the district because no Democratic candidate qualified in the race. 

Meet the Candidates

Joe Freeman

Residence: Gulf Shores

Occupation: Investment adviser

Education: University of South Alabama; Faulkner University

Party: Republican

Previous political experience: First-time candidate

Campaign fundraising: Raised $113,000 and spent $65,000 as of June 5

Multiple messages seeking comment from Freeman were left Thursday and Friday.

Frances Holk-Jones

Age: 70

Residence: Orange Beach

Occupation: State Farm insurance agent

Education: B.S. Marketing, Auburn University, 1978

Party: Republican

Previous political experience: Elected to Alabama House of Representatives in 2022

Campaign fundraising: Raised $631,000 and spent $476,000 as of June 5