David Matthews
David Matthews is a Republican candidate for Alabama's 2nd Congressional District in the August 11, 2026 special primary. An Ozark native, he served as a two-time Trump administration appointee at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, working with the Farm Service Agency and Rural Development mission area. Matthews campaigns on his federal experience securing resources for rural communities, reducing government spending, supporting agriculture, defending military families, and protecting religious liberty. He is a father of five and emphasizes his Washington insider knowledge as a distinguishing qualification.
Positions on Key Issues
| Issue | Stance | Confidence | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Healthcare | David Matthews supports reliable health care and will work to strengthen Alabama's healthcare capacity. He emphasizes improving access and affordability for families by increasing capacity and addressing rural health care needs. | high | |
| Economy | David Matthews supports lowering the cost of living and growing Alabama's economy by cutting taxes and reducing unnecessary federal regulation for families and small businesses, expanding domestic supply chains, investing in rural infrastructure (ports, roads, broadband), and supporting agriculture and manufacturing to keep good jobs in Alabama. | high | |
| Climate/Energy | David Matthews supports an affordable, reliable energy future for Alabama with a balanced mix that includes clean energy sources such as solar. He believes energy policy should lower costs for families and rural communities while maintaining reliability. | high | |
| Immigration | David Matthews supports permanently securing the border through strong border enforcement, expanded Homeland Security resources, and actions against human trafficking, with a focus on cracking down on fentanyl and criminal networks. | high | |
| Abortion & Reproductive Health | No public position found | low | |
| Firearms & Second Amendment | David Matthews will protect the Second Amendment and other constitutional freedoms, opposing unnecessary federal restrictions on gun ownership and supporting gun rights for law-abiding citizens. | high | |
| Education | David Matthews supports strengthening schools through strong academics and safe learning environments, with parental voices and local control. He advocates expanding career pathways through trades, agriculture education, and workforce training to prepare students for real work. | high | |
| Foreign Policy | David Matthews advocates a national-security focused foreign policy centered on border security and defense readiness. He supports permanently securing the border, stronger border enforcement and Homeland Security, action against human trafficking, and a serious crackdown on fentanyl and criminal networks to protect the United States and its allies. | high | |
| Civil Rights & Equality | David Matthews believes in protecting religious liberty and constitutional freedoms, upholding parental rights, and local control over education, while supporting strong law enforcement to maintain safe communities. | high | |
| Election Policy | David Matthews supports voter ID requirements, opposing allowing people to vote without photo identification. He believes election integrity requires secure, orderly, and merit-based legal immigration and citizenship processes, and opposes sanctuary cities. | high | |
| Tech & AI | No public position found | low | |
| Local Issues | David Matthews will prioritize local agriculture and rural prosperity by improving access to markets and credit for Alabama farmers and by ensuring reliable disaster assistance. He also supports reducing unnecessary federal regulatory burdens that raise costs for producers and households in Alabama's 2nd District. | high |
Healthcare
highDavid Matthews supports reliable health care and will work to strengthen Alabama's healthcare capacity. He emphasizes improving access and affordability for families by increasing capacity and addressing rural health care needs.
Economy
highDavid Matthews supports lowering the cost of living and growing Alabama's economy by cutting taxes and reducing unnecessary federal regulation for families and small businesses, expanding domestic supply chains, investing in rural infrastructure (ports, roads, broadband), and supporting agriculture and manufacturing to keep good jobs in Alabama.
Climate/Energy
highDavid Matthews supports an affordable, reliable energy future for Alabama with a balanced mix that includes clean energy sources such as solar. He believes energy policy should lower costs for families and rural communities while maintaining reliability.
Immigration
highDavid Matthews supports permanently securing the border through strong border enforcement, expanded Homeland Security resources, and actions against human trafficking, with a focus on cracking down on fentanyl and criminal networks.
Abortion & Reproductive Health
lowNo public position found
Firearms & Second Amendment
highDavid Matthews will protect the Second Amendment and other constitutional freedoms, opposing unnecessary federal restrictions on gun ownership and supporting gun rights for law-abiding citizens.
Education
highDavid Matthews supports strengthening schools through strong academics and safe learning environments, with parental voices and local control. He advocates expanding career pathways through trades, agriculture education, and workforce training to prepare students for real work.
Foreign Policy
highDavid Matthews advocates a national-security focused foreign policy centered on border security and defense readiness. He supports permanently securing the border, stronger border enforcement and Homeland Security, action against human trafficking, and a serious crackdown on fentanyl and criminal networks to protect the United States and its allies.
Civil Rights & Equality
highDavid Matthews believes in protecting religious liberty and constitutional freedoms, upholding parental rights, and local control over education, while supporting strong law enforcement to maintain safe communities.
Election Policy
highDavid Matthews supports voter ID requirements, opposing allowing people to vote without photo identification. He believes election integrity requires secure, orderly, and merit-based legal immigration and citizenship processes, and opposes sanctuary cities.
Tech & AI
lowNo public position found
Local Issues
highDavid Matthews will prioritize local agriculture and rural prosperity by improving access to markets and credit for Alabama farmers and by ensuring reliable disaster assistance. He also supports reducing unnecessary federal regulatory burdens that raise costs for producers and households in Alabama's 2nd District.
Background
Career History
Oversaw 88 loan, grant, and technical-assistance programs across all 50 states, managing approximately 2,500 employees and 47 state directors.
Helped business owners pursue government-guaranteed financing through USDA Rural Development and SBA programs.
Oversaw the department's 216 political appointees and helped manage the leadership team.
Worked on major initiatives including the Market Facilitation Program, disaster assistance programs, and Farm Bill policy implementation.
Helped the new administration take control of the department; identified billions in SNAP improper payment reporting issues.
Organized 34 counties in Western Pennsylvania as a field director for the Trump presidential campaign.
Education
Top Donors
Raised approximately $47,600 as of July 22, 2026, almost entirely from individual contributions ($47,175). No PAC or party committee contributions reported. Matthews raised about $39,000 in May–June 2026 and had roughly $33,000 cash on hand mid-year. His campaign is modestly funded compared to frontrunner Rhett Marques, relying on small-dollar individual donors with no disclosed industry PAC support.
Voting Record
Has never held legislative office. Matthews served as a two-time Trump administration appointee at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and previously worked in private-sector finance for Huntington National Bank's USDA Lending Team. He has no elected voting record. His campaign platform focuses on agriculture policy, rural development, supply chain reform, border security, and cutting federal waste, drawing on his executive-branch experience rather than a legislative record.
About this research
Data compiled from public sources and analyzed using AI. Last updated 8/2/2026. Visit candidate websites for the most current information.