Taking into account your post at Looking for schools that meet need - Parents Forum - College Confidential Forums, in my opinion your budget should be your first priority and if University of Alabama is the only affordable option, then you should pick it and not look back.
What is your yearly budget?
I can only provide info on ASU Barrett where my liberal NJ-born and raised son decided to go. Kids there are smart, well educated, and there is a large body of students coming from California. Local political climate is not an issue (although AZ universities were not able to mandate vaccines on campus like NJ universities did due to AZ state government being quite conservative).