This Thursday, Oct. 18, during Compact Discourse’s normal 2 p.m. time slot, WEGL will be airing the previously-recorded interviews with each candidate, one after the other. The show will be podcasted on weglfm.com.
With an expected turnout of around 200,000 voters, Auburn’s voting-age student body of over twenty-one thousand has the potential to make a sizeable impact. This local election will also give many young people in the area a chance to make a difference towards the local issues on which both candidates are campaigning.
Compact Discourse aims to provide both local and national news and commentary to our listeners in both an objective and entertaining fashion, and this election special hopes to live up to all of those expectations. This hour-long special will feature interviews with both candidates separately, as this will not be a debate-style show. The purpose of this special is to help voters be more informed about their candidates. The hosts will be asking the candidates about their platforms in a setting free from outside interference. Neither WEGL nor the candidates are receiving any monetary compensation from this event.
The Democratic candidate for Alabama’s third congressional district is Mallory Hagan, former Miss America, Auburn student, and Opelika native. As Miss America, Hagan participated in philanthropic work and communicated with government officials to promote her platform.
Hagan, 29, is looking to be the first Democratic representative of East Alabama since 1996. You can visit Hagan’s campaign website here.
Hagan has received endorsements from the Alabama New South Alliance, the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, End Citizens United, and Lilly Ledbetter. Among other issues, Hagan will be questioned on her stances on healthcare, education, and campaign finance contributions. Could Hagan be the one to flip this ruby-red district for the first time in over twenty years?
The Republican, incumbent candidate for the congressional seat is Mike Rogers, Jacksonville State alumnus, career politician, and representative of East Alabama since 2002. As representative of Alabama’s third district, Mike Rogers sits on the House Armed Services Committee, House Committee on Homeland Security, and House Agriculture Committee.
Rogers, 60, is seeking his ninth straight two-year term as East Alabama’s representative. You can visit Rogers’s campaign website here.
For this campaign, Rogers has secured endorsements from State Representative Lesley Vance, the Alabama Farmers Federation, and the local American Federation of Government Employees. Rogers will be asked about his involvement in house committees, stances on legislation he helped push through the house, and his opinions on ongoing government programs such as the recent major tax bill and proposed Space Force. Will Rogers retain his seat for the tenth consecutive term?
The Compact Discourse Alabama Third Congressional District Election Special will air live on WEGL 91.1 FM on Thursday, Oct. 18 at 2 p.m. Central Time. If you miss the first airing, the special will re-air periodically on the air until the election. Additionally, the special will be uploaded on Thursday afternoon to WEGL’s website and SoundCloud page where it can be streamed on-demand. This special gives an amazing opportunity for East Alabama voters to get their candidates’ takes on the issues in an honest and objective way, and promotes the main theme of Compact Discourse: a well informed public participation in civil discussion.
Election day is Tuesday, Nov. 6. Any resident of District 3 that is eligible to vote may participate in this election. To find out in which congressional district you live, visit house.gov and type in your zip code. The deadline to register to vote in Alabama is Oct. 22. Go to vote.org to register to vote, check your eligibility, apply for an absentee ballot, or find your polling location. Participate in democracy and help contribute to an all-around compact discourse.
