ALABAMA – A former Trump administration official appears to be the first candidate to formally announce they are in the race to replace retiring Richard Shelby in the U.S. Senate.
Lynda Blanchard, a Montgomery native and businesswoman who served as U.S. ambassador to Slovenia, announced her candidacy for the 2022 Senate race in a press release and online video Thursday.
She aligned herself strongly with former President Donald Trump, declaring herself to be “a proud member of the MAGA movement” with intentions of adhering to Trump’s “America first” policies.
“If you’re sick of career politicians, insiders, and swamp creatures that stand for socialism or cheerlead censorship, then I’m asking for your vote to stand strong for Alabama by sending a true outsider to the Senate,” Blanchard said in the press release. “My pledge to you is simple: together, guided by God’s blessings and your support, we will give the Swamp a heckuva dose of the common sense and conservative principle that it needs to truly ‘Make America Great Again’ – just like President Trump did.”
Blanchard said her campaign is being led by Jeff Roe and Ethan Zorfas of Axiom Strategies, who also served as lead consultants in Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s successful campaign last year. Blanchard is starting her campaign with a $5 million self-investment, according to the press release.
Blanchard co-founded B&M Management, a Montgomery-based real estate investment management company. She also co-founded and formerly serve as CEO of the 100X Development Foundation, which seeks to fight childhood poverty and establishes orphanages in 16 countries. The foundation, founded in 2004, also supports charities and programs serving children and vulnerable populations in Alabama.
Blanchard has adopted four children in addition to her four biological children.
Blanchard has earned a degree in mathematics and computer science from Auburn University and is fluent in five computer programming languages.
