Alabama voters elect out gay Democrat as sheriff, unseating 2-term Republican

Alabama voters have elected the state’s first openly gay sheriff, ousting a two-term Republican in Madison County.

Democrat Brett Jones defeated incumbent Sheriff Kevin Turner on Tuesday after campaigning on jail reform and ending the sheriff’s office’s contracts for Flock license plate reader cameras. His victory was reported by 1819 News.

Jones received the endorsement of the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, which identified him as the first out gay person who would hold the office in Alabama.

Related: Meet Brett Jones, a Gay Navy SEAL

A former Navy SEAL, CIA contractor, and police officer, Jones emphasized public safety, transparency, and accountability throughout his campaign. His proposals included independent, public reviews of every death in custody, higher training standards for deputies and expanded support for people leaving the county jail, according to the SPLC Action Fund, which also endorsed him.

Jones also opposed the sheriff’s office’s use of Flock cameras, arguing that access to people’s movements raises privacy concerns. He pledged to end the office’s Flock contracts and require warrants for the use of license plate readers he could not remove.

His campaign website says his SEAL team deployed two weeks after the September 11, 2001 terror attacks. He later worked with the CIA’s Global Response Staff, providing protection overseas.

Related: CIA Head Vows Swift Action in Gay Contractor's Harassment Case

That work previously brought Jones national attention under far different circumstances. In 2015, he filed an Equal Employment Opportunity complaint alleging antigay harassment during a deployment to Afghanistan that he said left him fearing for his life.

Months later, Jones told ABC News that the agency issues had been settled. “All the issues have been resolved to our mutual satisfaction,” he said.

ABC reported at the time that Jones said he had spent 13 years contracting with the CIA after nearly a decade in the Navy.

As a candidate for sheriff, Jones framed his ambitions around the community he would serve. “My goal is simple: help make Madison County one of the safest counties in America,” he wrote on his campaign website.

His victory came in the same election that sent Republican U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville to the governor’s office, according to The Associated Press. Tuberville has repeatedly attacked transgender people, including calling them “deranged” during a September Senate floor speech.

But Madison County also delivered another breakthrough for LGBTQ+ representation. Democrat Allison Montgomery defeated Republican incumbent Phillip Rigsby in House District 25, becoming the first out transgender person elected to the Alabama Legislature.