Draft:Christopher Andrew Countryman

Christopher Andrew Countryman
Personal details
Born	Christopher Andrew Countryman (1978-08-24) August 24, 1978 Pomona, California, U.S.
Citizenship	United States
Political party	Democratic
Other political affiliations	Progressive
Spouse	Bruce Countryman ​ (m. 2015)​
Residence(s)	Dothan, Alabama
Education	Global University
Alma mater	Grand Canyon University
Occupation	Politician, motivational speaker, activist
Website	Official Facebook Page

Christopher A. Countryman (C.A. Countryman) (born August 24, 1978) is an American politician, Activist, and motivational speaker who was a candidate for Governor in the 2018 Alabama Democratic Party United States Democratic Primary..

Early life and education

Christopher Andrew Countryman was born in Pomona, California, in 1978 and lived at George AFB until 1985, when his father, who served in the United States Air Force, received orders to be stationed at RAF Lakenheath in England. In 1989, Christopher's father was reassigned to Mountain Home AFB in Idaho, where Christopher lived until 1995, when his family moved to Dothan, Alabama. While living in Mountain Home, Idaho, Christopher was a cadet in the Civil Air Patrol, an auxiliary program of the United States Air Force. He attended Northview High School in Dothan, Alabama, from 1995 until 1998. In 1996, he became involved in student government and was elected secretary of Northview's student-led Christian group, First Priority. The following year, he was elected President of First Priority. Starting in 1996, while attending high school, Christopher began taking correspondence courses from Global University as part of a leadership training program offered through the church he attended. In 1999, he enrolled in a nine-month discipleship and leadership training program designed to prepare students for church ministry, where he continued his studies through Global University and received his Certified Minister’s Credential before later becoming an Ordained Minister with the Universal Life Church. He later earned a Bachelor of Arts in Government and Law from Grand Canyon University in 2015. Since 2015, he has been continuing his education through various other online universities through EdX.

Activism

Prior to 2015, Christopher had been involved in a variety of community efforts advocating for equal civil and human rights. In February 2015, Christopher and his husband, Bruce Countryman, received statewide attention for their activism supporting equal civil rights in Alabama following an order by the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals declaring Alabama's ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional. On February 9, 2015, probate judges across the state, including Judge Patrick Davenport of Houston County, began refusing marriage licenses to same-sex couples, despite Judge Granade’s order. This sparked widespread reactions across the state, ultimately leading Christopher and two other individuals from Houston County to form the advocacy group Equality Wiregrass. As one of the co-founders of Equality Wiregrass, Christopher led and participated in several demonstrations and rallies in support of same-sex marriage in Alabama. During this time, some judges in Alabama responded to the federal ruling by ceasing to issue marriage licenses altogether, a move that drew national and international criticism. Countryman was among the leading voices condemning this practice, arguing that it not only discriminated against LGBTQ+ couples but also hindered the rights of all couples seeking marriage licenses. Christopher Countryman's influence and involvement in the marriage equality movement was even mentioned in the United Kingdom in an article by Attitude Magazine. Christopher A. Countryman also advocated for various other issues in Alabama. In 2015, a series of rallies in Montgomery, Alabama, focused on healthcare reform. Christopher was invited to speak at two of these rallies, where he expressed his support for a Medicare-for-all program, tougher ethics laws, ending corruption in Alabama government, and eliminating wasteful spending by Alabama lawmakers.

Political Campaigns

Countryman entered the political arena as a Democratic candidate in the 2018 Alabama gubernatorial race. Despite his efforts, he was defeated in the primary election on June 5, 2018, and subsequently ran as a write-in candidate. In 2021, he announced another gubernatorial campaign for the 2022 election, focusing on issues such as renewable energy, education reform, and healthcare expansion. However, he failed to qualify for the Democratic primary ballot. Countryman shared on his social media page that one of the contributing factors as to why he didn't end up qualifying for the 2022 election after having declaring that he would be running was due to his last minute decision to take time off from campaigning and fundraising in order to help take care of his Father, who was sick at the time and who passed away a few months later. Countryman has remained active in state politics, continuing to advocate for policies such as environmental protection, increased funding for education, and criminal justice reform. His campaign platforms have consistently centered around progressive values, including expanding voting rights and increasing government transparency.

Personal Life

Countryman resides in Dothan, Alabama, with his husband, Bruce. His father, Andrew R.M. Countryman, a U.S. Air Force veteran, passed away on June 14, 2022.

Online Presence

Countryman maintains an active online presence: Bluesky Social Twitter YouTube The Rethink Alabama Movement Facebook Page The Rethink Alabama Campaign Facebook Page Christopher Countryman's Facebook Profile

References

Category:Alabama Democrats Category:Living people