By Associated Press
Center Point, AL – A Birmingham-area lawyer has filed party qualifying papers to seek the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate seat held by Republican Richard Shelby.
Bill Barnes, who practices law in Center Point, says he's never run for political office.
The 61-year-old Barnes is a Vietnam veteran who served in the Air Force. He's a retired federal employee.
He tells the Mobile Press-Register he supports substantial reductions in the number of troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, with the savings to be spent on creating jobs.
The 75-year-old Shelby is seeking a fifth, six-year term. He last won re-election in 2004 with about two-thirds of the vote against Democrat Wayne Sowell of Birmingham.