Alabama Gubernatorial candidate Artur Davis made a stop in Troy Friday, his first visit to Troy University’s campus since his campaign started.

But this appearance wasn’t as much about campaigning as it was for Davis to receive the NCAAP’s Image Award.

“We try to choose somebody whose represented our state well,” said Jackie Crane, secretary of Troy’s NAACP.

Davis was chosen, she said, because his time spent as a congressman has been spent largely in voting for bills supported by the NAACP.

Speaking on behalf of his campaign, Davis, a Democrat, said the state’s number one issue is a need for economic improvement.

“The number one issue in this campaign, in Pike County, all over Alabama is the state of the economy,” Davis said.

If elected to office, he said one of the ways he would assist in economic turnaround are to provide incentives for businesses already in the state.

“We have a range of tools to attract businesses to our state. We don’t have a range to protect those here,” he said.

One solution would be to set up a revolving loan fund to help small businesses in trouble.

Davis said he believes electronic bingo’s legality should be a decision left strictly to Alabama voters.

“Some candidates for governor are taking sides. I’m for the side of the voters,” he said. “The Senate passed a bill and the House failed to pass it.”

Davis said there were several other bills he was disappointed didn’t pass in the Legislative session, and he hopes to push harder for them if elected to the state’s highest office.

“Once again they failed to remove sales tax on food and medicine. Once again they failed to vote for Constitutional reform. Once again they failed to pass meaningful ethics reform bills,” Davis said.

Davis said he was pleased with support of the PACT program by the state, but other than passing its budget, he was displeased with the results of the session.

Davis said he also is a believer in the establishment of charter schools.

“We shouldn’t be afraid to try new things in the state,” he said.

Davis was not the only recipient of the NAACP’s awards Friday night.

The university group also recognizes a campus organization, fraternity, sorority, faculty member, NAACP member and a high school student each year.

The winners were: Troy University Gospel Singers, Alpha Phi Alpha, Sigma Gamma Rho, Chanukah Gray, faculty member, and Pike County High School’s Brendalyn Harper.

Harper was nominated by the PCHS guidance counselor. She was chosen for her commitment to community service, including volunteering with her church and service in the Student Government Organization.

She is a member of the track team, a cheerleader and is the top 10 in her graduating class.