Alabama Gubernatorial candidate profiles: Malika Sanders-Fortier

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - State senator Malika Sanders-Fortier wants to move across the street from the statehouse to the state capitol as she’s on the democratic ticket, trying to secure a nomination for governor.

“I’ve always been a leader in the community, always concerned about the issues of the community,” said Sanders-Fortier.

She says constantly looking at issues and solutions is what made being a state senator exciting. And now she’s passionate about building Alabama’s beloved community.

“It’s fine to win, to have one team win and football,” she said. “But when it comes to education when it comes to health care when it comes to business and our economy, it’s not okay to have winners and losers.”

When it comes to education all children should win, which is why this subject is at the top of the list for Sanders-Fortier.

“If we have schools in the top 1% of the entire nation, let’s take that as a model and make sure every school in our state has exactly what that school has so that they can flourish just like the top 1% schools do,” said Sanders-Fortier.

She says with a better education system, a better economy will follow.

“Many business leaders in my area in my district have said to me, you know, we have a basic test that people need to take in order to get hired here. People are having a hard time passing the basics, nothing extraordinary, the basics,” she said.

Sanders-Fortier says there are simply some things easier to do from the governor’s office, such as expanding Medicaid, and she hopes voters give her the chance to do so.

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