A positive campaign and a focus on the state’s economy, cleaning up government corruption and fighting the federal government will help Dr. Robert Bentley win a July 13 gubernatorial Republican runoff, the candidate said June 21.

Three days after the Alabama Republican Party finalized Bentley as the second name on the July 13 runoff ticket, Bentley made a campaign stop in his hometown of Columbiana.

During a brief speech on the Shelby County Courthouse front steps, Bentley said he will not run any negative advertisements against his runoff opponent Bradley Byrne.

“I won’t use Bradley Byrne’s record against him,” Bentley told a group of more than 50 supporters. “I want to be the governor. I don’t have to do that.

“When you run an attack ad against somebody, who does it say more about? The person the ad is about or the person running it?” Bentley added.

While delivering his speech, Bentley praised his hometown and said he was glad to see many familiar faces.

“I wanted to make my second campaign stop of the day in the Birmingham area, and I wanted it to be in Columbiana,” said Bentley, who also made stops in Huntsville, Montgomery and Mobile June 21. “I love all y’all. Half of you are kin to me, and the other half are claiming to be kin to me now.”

Instead of attacking his opponent, Bentley said he would focus his runoff campaign on the state’s issues.

“We have got some major issues, and we need to get some real leadership in this state. I want to provide that,” Bentley said. “I am going to focus on the real issues, which are jobs, fighting the federal government and cleaning up Montgomery.”