While the nation’s attention was focused on the Edmund Pettus Bridge on the 50th anniversary of “Bloody Sunday,” the senior senator from Alabama was hours from Selma, participating in his annual tour of the state’s 67 counties.
Sen. Richard C. Shelby’s office posted photos on Twitter from unrelated events with constituents in four counties, including an equipment company in Lamar County and a 3M facility in Marion County. According to his office, the Alabama Republican had previously scheduled the events in the northwest corner of the state.
A Shelby aide told CQ Roll Call on March 6 that the senator held events recently in Selma, Tuskegee and Montgomery. As a member of the House — and when he was still a Democrat — Shelby represented Selma.
“The focus of my statewide travel will be to hear from my constituents about the impact of the Obama Administration’s policies on middle class families, job creation, and economic growth. I believe these visits are an excellent opportunity for us to discuss the important issues currently facing our state and nation,” Shelby said in a statement kicking off his tour in February.
Alabama’s junior senator, Republican Jeff Sessions, did participate in the events on March 7, which featured remarks by President Barack Obama at the historic bridge.
Related: This is Today’s Selma The 114th: CQ Roll Call’s Guide to the New Congress Get breaking news alerts and more from Roll Call in your inbox or on your iPhone.
