The Republican Party primary election June 5 will have a Northwest Alabama citizen in the running for attorney general of Alabama: former U.S. attorney Alice Martin.

Martin lives in Florence and throughout her career has made lasting connections in Franklin County. She said she has had clients in Franklin and has worked on criminal and civil cases in the area, but she enjoys visiting Franklin for various reasons.

“I love the Speedy Pig, and I love the drive-in. My children have had several birthday parties there,” Martin said.

She has served as a U.S. attorney, deputy attorney general and chief deputy attorney general. Martin was the first woman to serve as U.S. attorney for the majority of Alabama’s population covering 31 counties. While in this position, she said she developed a passion for combating corruption and founded the North Alabama Public Corruption Task Force under Attorney General Bill Pryor. She was named one of the “Top 10 Prosecutors in the U.S.”

“I want to restore the confidence to voters that someone is watching their officials and that they are being held accountable,” Martin said.

Animal protection and veteran/military protection are two other topics about which she is passionate, Martin said. Her goal is to help provide training and education to law enforcement about how to handle the calls they receive about mistreated animals. She said she also wants to help fight for the rights of veterans and military personnel who are often discriminated against and targeted by scammers.

“I want to expand the attorney general’s services,” she said. “I’m not going to just babysit the status quo; I want to make a difference.”

Martin said a common problem among voters is that they don’t know what the attorney general does. She broke it down into two categories of core responsibility: to give opinions when asked by certain entities like legislators and commissions about interpreting the law and to handle jobs like appellate work and victims’ services.

She said there are other services the attorney general provides as well. A consumer protection division deals with consumer complaints, for example. The attorney general also keeps a record of all charities and telemarketers. She said recently the attorney general’s office has focused on fighting federal overreach and protecting the state’s rights.

“It’s more than just slamming the jailhouse door. I want to help people,” Martin said.

She said she is also pro-2^nd amendment, against illegal immigration and sanctuary cities, pro-life and in favor of fighting against human trafficking and seeking ways to end the opioid crisis.