Widow of Air Force Major Votes Against ‘Illegal’ War, Supports Doug Jones

Libby Klinner, the widow of Air Force Major John ‘Alex’ Klinner, cast her vote on Tuesday. She chose Democrat Doug Jones in Alabama’s gubernatorial race, and other candidates committed to ending the ‘illegal’ war linked to Iran. Major Klinner died on March 12 in a KC-135 crash in western Iraq.

‘Today I voted for Alex,’ Libby Klinner said on Instagram. ‘We discussed politics often because it affected us as a military family and parents. I voted for those he would have supported.’

Klinner supported Jones over Republican Tommy Tuberville, a contest mirroring their 2020 Senate race where Tuberville won by around 20 points. She preferred candidates who oppose war, embrace diversity, prioritize people over profits, support public schools, and treat the military with respect.

She specifically noted Tuberville’s criticism by her late husband. ‘I voted for Doug Jones (Alex was not a Tommy Tuberville fan) and others who uphold these values,’ she stated. ‘Alex struggled under an administration that considered our military members expendable. I hate that he died due to this.’

Klinner urged voters to reconsider candidates, encouraging them to ‘vote like Alex.’ She concluded by pleading, ‘Please get out and vote!’

President Donald Trump had downplayed the Iran conflict, calling it ‘small potatoes’ despite 18 U.S. soldier deaths. ‘A lot of people don’t call it a war,’ Trump said on September 4. ‘I call it a military conflict because it’s small potatoes for us. It’s not a big thing.’ He compared the situation to the Vietnam War and highlighted differences in U.S. casualties.

Vice President JD Vance echoed Trump, denying that ‘war’ described operations against Iran. He claimed major combat had ended months earlier. On September 3, Vance resisted using ‘war,’ and was noncommittal if the conflict would end before November’s elections.

Defense officials named Klinner and five other Air Force members who perished in the KC-135 crash. The others were Captain Ariana G. Savino, Technical Sergeant Ashley B. Pruitt, Captain Seth R. Koval, Captain Curtis J. Angst, and Technical Sergeant Tyler H. Simmons.

Doug Jones’ campaign expressed gratitude for Klinner’s public support. ‘Thank you for your courage in speaking out,’ they responded on Instagram. ‘We owe gratitude to not only Alex but you and your family for your service and sacrifice. Doug will always support our service members and military families.’

Major Klinner, originally from Auburn, Alabama, was assigned to the 6th Air Refueling Wing at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida, military officials noted.