Bradley Byrne facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bradley Byrne
Official portrait, 2014
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Alabama's 1st district
In office January 8, 2014 – January 3, 2021
Preceded by	Jo Bonner
Succeeded by	Jerry Carl
Chancellor of the Alabama Community College System
In office May 2007 – August 31, 2009
Preceded by	Roy Johnson
Succeeded by	Freida Hill
Member of the Alabama Senate from the 32nd district
In office November 2002 – January 2007
Preceded by	Albert Lipscomb
Succeeded by	Trip Pittman
Member of the Alabama State Board of Education from the 1st district
In office January 3, 1995 – January 4, 2003
Preceded by	John Tyson
Succeeded by	Randy McKinney
Personal details
Born	Bradley Roberts Byrne (1955-02-16) February 16, 1955 (age 70) Mobile, Alabama, U.S.
Political party	Democratic (before 1997) Republican (1997–present)
Spouse	Rebecca Dukes ​ (m. 1982)​
Children	4
Education	Duke University (BA) University of Alabama (JD)

Bradley Roberts Byrne (born February 16, 1955) is an American lawyer and politician. He served in the United States House of Representatives for Alabama's 1st congressional district from 2014 to 2021. A member of the Republican Party since 1997, he previously served in the Alabama Senate and on the state Board of Education.

Byrne was also the chancellor of the Alabama Community College System. In 2013, he won a special election to represent Alabama in the U.S. House of Representatives. He did not run for reelection to the House in 2020, choosing instead to run for the U.S. Senate, but he was not successful in the primary election.

Early Life and Schooling

Bradley Byrne was born in Mobile, Alabama, in 1955. He grew up in nearby Baldwin County, Alabama. After graduating from high school in 1973, he went to Duke University. Later, he earned a law degree from the University of Alabama School of Law in 1980. After finishing school, he worked as a lawyer.

Start in Politics

Byrne's political career began in 1994. He was elected to the Alabama State Board of Education as a member of the Democratic Party.

One of his major decisions on the board was about the science curriculum. He supported a compromise that said ideas about the origin of life should be taught as theories, not facts. In 1997, Byrne switched his political party and became a Republican.

In 2002, Byrne was elected to the Alabama State Senate. He represented a district in Baldwin County and won with 91% of the vote.

Work with Community Colleges

In May 2007, Byrne became the chancellor of Alabama's Community College System. In this role, he oversaw all the community colleges in the state. He led an investigation into Bishop State Community College after problems were found with its finances and classes. Byrne worked to fix these issues and recover money that had been misused. He left the chancellor position in 2009 to run for governor.

Campaign for Governor

In 2010, Byrne ran for governor of Alabama. During the Republican primary, some opponents questioned his religious beliefs. Byrne stated that he was a Christian and believed that God created the world. He also said he supported teaching creationism in schools. He did not win the primary election.

U.S. House of Representatives

Bradley Byrne with Paul Ryan in 2018 on St. Patrick's Day.

In 2013, the U.S. Representative for Alabama's 1st district, Jo Bonner, resigned. A special election was held to fill the seat. Byrne won the Republican primary and then won the main election with 71% of the vote. He was reelected in 2014, 2016, and 2018.

Political Views and Actions

As a congressman, Byrne was known for his conservative views. He often voted in line with President Donald Trump and the Republican Party.

Health Care

Byrne was a strong opponent of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), a major health care law. In 2015, he sponsored a bill to repeal the ACA. He also voted for other Republican plans to replace the law.

Gun Laws

Byrne is a supporter of gun rights. He voted against a law that would require background checks for all gun sales. He also co-sponsored a bill in 2015 to allow people with a permit to carry a concealed weapon in any state.

Immigration

Byrne supported strong immigration policies. He voted for funds to build a wall on the border with Mexico. He also supported President Trump's 2017 order that temporarily stopped people from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S.

Taxes and the Economy

In 2017, Byrne voted for a major Republican tax bill that lowered taxes for many people and businesses. He believed this would help the economy grow and create more jobs. He also voted against raising the national minimum wage to $15 per hour.

Support for Donald Trump

Bradley Byrne with Donald Trump in the Oval Office, December 2019.

Byrne was a strong supporter of President Donald Trump. During the impeachment inquiry against Trump in 2019, Byrne voted against the process. He also voted against the articles of impeachment, which accused the president of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.

In December 2020, Byrne was one of many Republicans in the House who supported a lawsuit that tried to challenge the results of the 2020 presidential election. The Supreme Court did not hear the case.

2020 U.S. Senate Campaign

In 2019, Byrne announced he would run for the U.S. Senate seat held by Democrat Doug Jones. He ran in the Republican primary but did not get enough votes to advance to the runoff election. The nomination was eventually won by Tommy Tuberville.

Life After Congress

After leaving Congress in 2021, Byrne returned to practicing law. In 2022, he became the president and CEO of the Mobile Chamber of Commerce, an organization that works to help businesses in the Mobile, Alabama, area.

Personal Life

Byrne and his wife, Rebecca, have four children. His family owns a farm in Baldwin County. He is a fan of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team. Byrne is an Episcopalian.

His brother, Dale Byrne, served in the Alabama National Guard in Iraq. He passed away in 2013.

Electoral history