Alabama's Next Generation Emory Cox and David Matthews Are Leading the Republican Future

In radical times of political change the next generation steps forward not timidly, not apologetically, but with the confidence, vision, and toughness to carry the cause to new heights. In my lifetime, I've seen Alabama produce giants of the conservative movement, Senator Jeremiah Denton, Congressman Bill Dickinson, Governor Fob James, and most recently Senators Tommy Tuberville and Katie Britt. We are witnessing the early chapters of two new names that will join that storied list: Emory Cox and David Matthews.

On a recent trip to Washington, I had the great fortune to meet with both of these remarkable young leaders in person. What struck me was not just their command of the issues or their positions of influence, but the unmistakable Alabama grit and determination they bring to the nation's capital. In a city too often defined by half-measures and hollow words, these two are delivering real results for our state and for the America First movement.

Both are proud sons of Alabama. Both are deeply grounded in conservative values. Both are already operating at the highest levels of national power. They both have the same rare quality that defines real leadership, they are doers, not talkers. They are where the decisions are made, shaping outcomes rather than merely commenting on them.

When President Trump returned to the White House in January 2025, he surrounded himself with a small, trusted circle to drive his America First economic agenda. Among them, at an age when most are still finding their footing was Emory Cox, appointed Special Assistant to the President for International Economic Relations.

If you think this is a ceremonial role, think again. Emory is sitting at the nerve center of America's global economic strategy. He \ is helping decide how we negotiate trade deals, how we protect U.S. industries from foreign manipulation, and how we leverage economic strength to secure peace. His path here wasn't by accident.

Emory is a Pell City native who graduated summa cum laude from Washington and Lee University. He came up the hard way in politics, interning for Senator Jeff Sessions, working for Congressman Mike Rogers, and eventually serving as Senior Economic Advisor to Senator Tommy Tuberville. In the first Trump administration, he was part of the National Economic Council, contributing to landmark initiatives like student loan forgiveness for disabled veterans and key elements of COVID-19 relief.

He has what I like to call the "Alabama edge" intelligence without arrogance, toughness without bluster, and loyalty without compromise. In a White House where the pace is relentless and the stakes are global; Emory Cox is proving that the conservative movement's future is in capable hands.

While Emory is shaping America's economic relationships abroad, David Matthews isfighting for our communities here at home. As Director of State Operations for Rural Development at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, David oversees more than 70 programs designed to strengthen rural economies, expand infrastructure, and improve quality of life across all 50 states.

This is no small job, it's the nerve center for rural policy, touching everything from farm loans and small business financing to broadband expansion and water systems. And David does it with an understanding that only comes from living the life he's working to improve.

Born and raised in the Wiregrass, David graduated from the University of Alabama before entering public service. He has held multiple USDA roles and even served on the

Board for International Food and Agricultural Development under President Trump. He also knows the private sector, having worked in agricultural lending and SBA loan programs. He knows politics, helping turn key Pennsylvania counties for President Trump in 2016.

When it comes to delivering for rural America, David Matthews is the rare leader who combines deep policy knowledge with the real world know how to get it done. That's why farmers trust him. That's why rural communities rally behind him. And that's why I believe he is one of GOP's most valuable rising stars.

What makes these two men so important is not just their résumés-it's what they represent for the future of our party. Both are grounded in Alabama values: faith, family, hard work, respect for the Constitution, and an unshakable belief that government exists to serve the people, not rule over them.

They are loyal to President Trump's America First vision, not in a slogan-only sense, but in the way they actually do their jobs. Emory is ensuring that our economic policies benefit American workers first. David is making sure rural America isn't an afterthought in Washington decision-making.

In the 1980s, the Reagan Revolution brought in a wave of young conservatives who challenged the stale thinking of the Washington establishment. In the 1990s, Newt Gingrich brought the Contract with America reshaped the national debate and redefined what Republicans could accomplish when united by purpose. In the Trump era, we are once again called to fight entrenched bureaucracies, globalist elites, and a media culture hostile to our values.

Emory Cox and David Matthews stand in that tradition. They are to this moment what the Reagan Generation was to the Cold War a fresh, determined, and deeply capable force for renewal. They embody the Alabama spirit that has always punched above its weight in national affairs.

If you want to know whether the conservative movement's future is secure, look to these two men. They are not just the next chapter in Alabama's proud political history; they are already helping write the next chapter in America's bold new future.

Perry O. Hooper Jr. is a former state Representative, Chairman of the 2016 Trump Victory Fund, a member of the Alabama Republican State Executive Committee, and political commentator whose columns are published by the Alabama Gazette and other publications.

Opinions expressed are those of the writer alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Alabama Gazette staff or publishers.