Kristi Valls came out swinging Monday saying she was not afraid of a fight after a state Republican committee said she could not run as a Republican in the 2016 Limestone County district attorney race.

“I’m not afraid of a fight,” Valls said Monday in a press release announcing she would continue her campaign. “I want to serve as district attorney not for power, not for recognition, and certainly not for politics, but to do the job — and because we deserve a better district attorney.”

Valls, a former Democrat who joined the Republican Party in November 2014, was hoping to run against fellow Republican and incumbent Brian Jones in the March 1, 2016, primary election. Jones defeated Valls, who was a Democrat at the time, in the 2010 election.

Valls said the challenge to her candidacy in the DA’s race amounted to three people — two of whom do not live in Limestone County — objecting to her as a GOP candidate.

“A handful of people has taken away the people of Limestone County’s right to choose their own leaders…” Valls said. “Out of town interests are trying to take away their voice. We’re going to make sure they hear it.”

Some local and state Republicans saw it differently.

The GOP’s reasons

The state GOP candidate committee issued its decision Sunday night following a hearing Sunday afternoon. During Sunday’s hearing, those who issued a written challenge to Valls’ placement on the GOP ballot explained their opposition to her run against Jones. Likewise, she was asked to define her reasons for wanting to be on the ballot in the race.

The committee reviewed at least 19 pages of information, including letters from Republican Angela Broyles, a member of the Alabama Republican Executive Committee; Noah Wahl, chairman of the Limestone County Republican Candidate Committee; Alicia Liburdi, LCREC member; and Wayne Reynolds, Republican from Athens. Wahl, Liburdi and Reynolds are also members of the Republican State Executive Committee. The 19 documents were given to The News Courier. These people argued against Valls’ placement as a Republican in the DA’s race because of the following:

• She was appointed by then-governor Democrat Don Siegelman;

• She ran as a Democrat in 2004 and 2010;

• She switched parties in November 2014, four years after losing to Jones and just a year before filing to run in the 2016 district attorney race as a Republican; and

• She told the Limestone County Republican Executive Committee in 2014 she had no plans to run against Jones for district attorney if allowed to switch parties.

In addition to the above arguments, a resolution signed by Wahl included the following statements as reasons to deny her ballot placement, two of which were not explained:

• “…There is now serious concern that Kristi Valls may have deceived the LCREC in other areas regarding her conservative credentials and Republican allegiance, and

• “…It is distasteful and in the vein of a sore loser for Kristi Valls to run as a Republican against the very same Republican candidate who beat her as a Democrat, and

“…Kristi Valls has damaged the name and image of the LCREC by willfully choosing to run against her former Republican opponent.”

There was also a petition signed by 23 Republican State Executive Committee members from Limestone, Morgan, Lauderdale and Madison counties.

Valls defends GOP run

In her press release, Valls defended her effort to seek the DA position as a Republican, saying she is a conservative.

“My values have never changed,” she said. “They are the same Limestone County values my parents raised me with. Because of a challenge by three people, two of whom don’t even live in Limestone County, the Alabama Republican Party has denied my ballot access for the March 1 Republican primary election.”

She said she is a Limestone County conservative and her office had a 99 percent conviction rate in jury trials.

“My opponent lets them wander the streets under the guise of community service,” she said.

She said a conservative should support law enforcement, which she said her office did by awarding various agencies more than $300,000 in grant money.

“My opponent stopped payment on their checks (when he took office),” she said.

She said a Limestone conservative should be fiscally conservative. She said state audits show her office was well managed, was in the black and had nearly $1 million in surplus.

Jones said Monday he did not challenge Valls’ candidacy nor participate in the hearing or final decision by the state committee. He added he had “no control” over decisions made at the state level.

“At this time, I’m concerned solely with working hard for the citizens of Limestone County and running a positive, optimistic and honest campaign to continue our efforts to seek justice for our citizens,” he said.

Party leaders weigh in

After learning Monday of Valls loss of the ballot challenge, Mike Smith, chairman of the Limestone County Democratic Party, said, “I’m saddened to hear that, but she needs to come on back home to the Democratic Party. I hope she does run as an independent. We can maybe help a little but not a lot. She is a good lady and a good DA.”

Smith also said all of the party swapping needs to stop and that candidates should be able to “stand up for what they believe” (regardless of party affiliation). He said the absence of that freedom is a “sad state” but he believes “the tide is turning,” meaning voters are doing a better job of looking at candidates who can actually get things done without doing such things as cutting the education budget.

Wahl had this to say Monday about the state GOP decision:

“This was a vote made at the state level,” he said. “The state committee members are tasked with making hard decisions. Their decisions are not aimed at any individual but on the facts of the case and trying to keep the political process as fair as possible. The people of Alabama trust in the Republican Party to present them with candidates that represent the Republican platform and values.”

He said residents who have questions can call the Alabama Republican Party at 205-212-5910.

Alabama Republican Party Chairman Terry Lathan was not available for comment Monday afternoon.