BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Former U.S. Sen. Doug Jones, the last Democrat to hold statewide office in Alabama, kicked off his campaign for governor Friday, saying voters deserve a choice and a leader who will put aside divisions to address the state's pressing needs.

“With your help we can finish what we began. We can build the Alabama we’ve always deserved,” Jones told a crowd of several hundred at a rally in Birmingham featuring musician Jason Isbell.

Jones said the state has urgent economic, health care and educational issues that are not being solved.

The campaign kickoff came on the eighth anniversary of Jones' stunning 2017 win over Republican Roy Moore, and Jones said Alabama proved back then that it can defy “simplified labels of red and blue.”

“You stood up and you said somethi

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