Matt Gentry addresses Etowah County Republicans

July 25, 2025 – RAINBOW CITY, AL – Cullman County Sheriff Matt Gentry spoke to the Etowah County Republican breakfast about his campaign for Public Service Commission. Gentry is retiring from law enforcement and is seeking a new challenge.

"I am a Marine veteran and three-time Sheriff," said Gentry. "I am running for the Public Service Commission Place 1."

Gentry has been married to his wife Suzie for 22 years.

"Our deputies were involved in a shooting this morning," said Gentry. "I would ask you for your prayers. I have worked 27 years in law enforcement."

The deputy has since been cleared of any wrongdoing in the incident and will not be charged.

Gentry graduated from Good Hope High School and then went to the University of North Alabama to play football.

"After a year I went to the Marines," said Gentry. "I did go back at 32 and finished my degree."

"Every citizen is affected by the Public Service Commission," said Gentry. "My Grandfather was a farmer. He raised sweet potatoes and cattle."

"The biggest animal in the room is Alabama Power," said Gentry. "The PSC also regulates trucking companies, the railroads, and natural gas. Everything they do is related to infrastructure and economic development."

"If you allow woke regulation to come in it hurts everyone," said Gentry. "The office of Sheriff does not belong to me It doesn't belong to the deputies. It belongs to the people of Cullman County."

Gentry said that when he first became sheriff the food bill for the prisoners in the jail was a personal account of the sheriff.

"Me and Suzie ran the food bill personally," said Gentry. "We put it on the ballot to turn our food bill from a private account to a public account."

Gentry said that he was the only sheriff to speak in favor of constitutional carry of hanguns.

"I had my reasons why I believed in it," said Gentry. "I was the only sheriff to go down to Montgomery and speak in favor of it.

"I am in an area covered by TVA with a Coop," said Gentry – while Alabamians in the bottom two thirds of the state get their power either from the Alabama Power Company or a cooperative that buys most of its electricity from Alabama Power.

Gentry said that the regulations you pass on to the power generators "have a negative effect on coops as well."

"The biggest issue I see in government is when we forget that we are servants of the people," said Gentry.

The Alabama Gazette asked about the issue of coal ash ponds. Should they be left in place at the site or dug up and the remaining coal materials sent to a secure underground storage facility like the on at Emelle.

"We have runoff ponds in Arkadelphia," said Gentry. With new technology "People are remining the coal ash ponds to continue to create energy. I am 100% pro coal"

The Trump administration has delayed Biden era rules demanding that power generators dig up and remove the runoff ponds; while they reconsider the rules.

"President Trump is very pro energy," said Gentry.

Gentry promised to bring more transparency to the PSC if elected.

"For me, if you are an elected officials any decision you make is public," said Gentry.

"In 2017 I got sued by two liberal attorneys in Cullman," said Gentry. "I won. The Southern Poverty Law Center sued me federally over bond. We fought it for five years. It went to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court. If we had lost that it would have changed how bonds are done across the US. It was a bigger issue that I realized at the time."

Alabama currently charges any customer who has solar panels a fee for the power they are not using. Georgia Power – also a Southern Company owned company – does not charge that fee.

"That is an issue I have talked with my famers," said Gentry. "I am for solar panels on your hourse or your chicken house."

Gentry said that the PSC also regulates the Port of Mobile.

Gentry said that he is concerned about "Foreign entities coming into Alabama and buying up properties" and acknowledged that they are, "Using shell companies to buy up these lands," to avoid public scrutiny.

Gentry said that he would fight against the onerous regulatory structure that has been adopted by the State of California.

"You cannot allow those woke regulations in California to come into our state," Gentry warned.

Gentry is facing incumbent PSC Commissioner Jeremy Oden in the Republican primary on May 19th.

St. Clair Young Republican Chairman Aaron Lornegan said that the St. Clair Yrs are holding their next meeting on August 13 at JR Ice Cream in Pell City. Congressional candidate Teri LaPoint and Ashville mayoral candidate Johnathon Van Pelt will be the speakers. The SCYR is seeking sponsors.

Glenda Jackson announced that she is running for Alabama Secretary of State.

"I have a master's degree at UAB, and a Phd at UAB," said Jackson. "Jim Zeigler appointed me to be on the Board of Registrars."

"I know that this is what God would have me to do," Jackson said. She is a career education provider and serves on the Alabama Republican state executive campaign.

Rep. Mark Gidley (R-Glencoe) announced "I am currently in office and will be seeking a second term."

Amy Minton and Jessie Battles were both there promoting their candidacies for Alabama Senate. They are challenging two term incumbent Senator Andrew Jones (R-Centre) in the May 19 Republican primary.

The Etowah Republican breakfast meets on the third Saturday of each month at 8:00 a.m. at the Western Sizzlin in Rainbow City.

To make a question or comment email Brandonmreporter@gmail.com