Lee Busby (born 1956 or 1957)[1] is an American retired military officer, politician, businessman and sculptor. He has served on the city council of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, since 2019. He was previously a write-in candidate for the 2017 special election for U.S. Senate in Alabama.
Military career
Busby was born and raised in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.[2] He graduated from the University of Alabama and served in the United States Marine Corps.[3] He served in Iraq and was vice chief of staff to General John F. Kelly, among other posts.[1] In 2007, Busby was awarded the Legion of Merit in recognition of his work as deputy chief of staff for the Marine Corps Forces Europe, in Europe and Africa.[4]
Busby retired in 2013 with the grade of colonel.[3] As a defense contractor, he trained soldiers in Afghanistan.[1]
Sculpting
Before pursuing politics and after his retirement from the military, Busby took on a career in sculpting. He specializes in clay portraits of American soldiers killed in war.[3][5][6] In 2021, Busby and Mark Davis co-founded the Alabama Fallen Warriors Project, a nonprofit organization with the aim of raising money to sculpt busts of every American military service member killed in active duty since the September 11 attacks.[7]
Political career
U.S. Senate write-in candidacy
On November 27, 2017, Busby announced a write-in candidacy for the 2017 United States Senate special election in Alabama, fifteen days prior to Election Day. Busby lost the election to Democrat Doug Jones. Busby and several other write-in candidates together received a total of 1.7% of votes.[8]
Tuscaloosa city council
In October 2019, Busby was elected to the 4th district's seat on the city council of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, during a special election necessitated by a vacancy.[2] He successfully ran for re-election unopposed in 2021. Busby described four areas of focus in his political career: "fiscal responsibility, safety [and] security, historical preservation and economic growth through new businesses."[9] As of 2021, he serves as the chairman of the Finance Committee of Tuscaloosa.[10]
In May 2021, Busby made a public call for ideas to resolve safety issues in Tuscaloosa's entertainment areas,[11] which his district includes much of, in addition to the University of Alabama campus. In January 2022, Busby supported alcohol sales at Coleman Coliseum, citing potential tax revenue;[12] the plan was later approved in a 6-1 decision.[13] During city redistricting procedures that same year, Busby expressed hope that "we let go of the notion that people vote based on the color of their skin" the next time redistricting occurs.[14]
Political positions
Busby is a registered Republican[15] and described his political leanings as centrist. He opposes legal abortion under most circumstances, supports Republican tax proposals and repealing Obamacare, and voted for Donald Trump in the 2016 elections.[1]
Personal life
Busby is divorced and has four children.[1]
Electoral history
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Lee Busby | 197 | 60.7% | |
| Nonpartisan | Frank Fleming | 110 | 33.8% | |
| Nonpartisan | John Earl | 18 | 5.5% | |
| Total votes | 325 | 100.0% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Doug Jones | 673,896 | 50.0% | |
| Republican | Roy Moore | 651,972 | 48.3% | |
| Write-In | Write-ins (includes Busby) | 22,852 | 1.7% | |
| Total votes | 1,348,720 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic gain from Republican | ||||
References
- ^ a b c d e Scherer, Michael (November 27, 2017). "Retired Marine colonel to launch Senate write-in campaign in Alabama". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 27, 2017.
- ^ a b Schepis, Grace (October 8, 2019). "Lee Busby wins District 4 special election". The Crimson White. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
- ^ a b c "This Retired Marine Colonel Is An Incredible Sculptor". Southern Living. Retrieved November 27, 2017.
- ^ "Military News". The Tuscaloosa News. March 4, 2007. ProQuest 379234009.
- ^ "Marine seeks to honor fallen veteran with sculpture on college campus". Fox News. October 30, 2017. Retrieved November 27, 2017.
- ^ Enoch, Ed (November 7, 2017). "Alabama unveiling bust of alumnus killed in Afghanistan". Associated Press. ProQuest 1961295353.
- ^ Caver, Hannah (December 2, 2021). "Trussville Rotary Daybreak hears from Fallen Warrior Project". Trussville Tribune. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
- ^ "Canvass of Results for the Special General Election held on December 12, 2017" (PDF). Special Elections Official Results. Alabama Secretary of State. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
- ^ Lueker, Noah (February 1, 2021). "District 4 Incumbent Councilman Lee Busby Runs Unopposed". Tuscaloosa Thread. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
- ^ Phillips, Ryan (July 30, 2021). "City Of Tuscaloosa Announces Third CFO Change Since June". Patch.com. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
- ^ Morton, Jason (May 3, 2021). "Bar owners, City Hall talk crime, safety for Tuscaloosa entertainment districts". The Tuscaloosa News. Archived from the original on May 7, 2021. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
- ^ Reid, Tim (January 31, 2022). "Alabama considering alcohol sales at Coleman Coliseum". CBS 42. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
- ^ Morton, Jason (February 1, 2022). "Council approves alcohol sales during Alabama athletic events at Coleman Coliseum". The Tuscaloosa News. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
- ^ Sharp, John (February 23, 2022). "'Don't take us back to Jim Crow': Redistricting sparks passion, racial tensions in Alabama cities". AL.com. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
- ^ Persons, Sally (November 28, 2017). "Lee Busby, retired Marine, says he never supported Roy Moore, sees path to write-in victory". The Washington Times. Retrieved December 2, 2017.
- ^ Morton, Jason (October 8, 2019). "Lee Busby wins Tuscaloosa City Council seat". Tuscaloosa News. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
- ^ "2017 Official General Election Results without Write-In Appendix - 2017-12-28.pdf" (PDF). Alabama Secretary of State. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
- ^ "Who got the most write-in votes in Alabama's Senate race? Nick Saban makes top 7". AL.com. December 20, 2017. Retrieved February 6, 2022.