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Associated Press
04-06-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Alabama Agriculture Commissioner Rick Pate to run for lieutenant governor
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama Agriculture and Industries Commissioner Rick Pate will run for lieutenant governor next year against current Secretary of State Wes Allen. Pate, a Republican, was elected agriculture commissioner in 2018 and reelected in 2022. 'I've spent my life working the land, running a business, and serving my neighbors,' Pate said in a statement announcing his campaign this week. He also stressed his support for President Donald Trump and U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, the former Auburn University football coach who is running for governor. 'As lieutenant governor, I'll bring that same hands-on leadership to supporting President Trump and Coach Tuberville in advancing the America First Agenda — so Alabama stays a place where families thrive, agriculture prospers, and conservative values lead the way.' The lieutenant governor presides over the state Senate, breaks ties in the chamber, steps in for the governor if that office becomes vacant and also makes a range of appointments, including for committees that dictate legislative priorities. The position used to have more power in the the legislative process, but those duties were given to the Senate's president pro tempore in 1999 after a partisan power struggle. Allen, who is also a Republican, previously announced that he would seek the position. Current Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth, who has served two terms, can not run again because of term limits. Party primaries are May 19, 2026, followed by the general election on Nov. 3.
Associated Press
02-06-2025
- General
- Associated Press
Jay Mitchell to run for Alabama attorney general
Former Alabama Supreme Court Justice Jay Mitchell announced Monday that he is running for state attorney general. 'This isn't just my race — it's our fight for Alabama's future. I'll take on the radical left, advance the Trump agenda, and never stop fighting for our state,' Mitchell said. Mitchell resigned from the Supreme Court last month. The attorney general serves as the state's top law enforcement officer. Mitchell said in a statement announcing his campaign that he will focus on combating violent crime, enforcing immigration laws and supporting law enforcement. He also promised 'to protect the unborn' and fight what he called the 'woke agenda.' 'No boys in girls' sports. No DEI. No more woke nonsense,' Mitchell said in a statement. During his time on the bench, Mitchell is best known for writing a Supreme Court ruling saying frozen embryos are considered children under the state's Wrongful Death of Minor Act. The ruling allowed several couples to pursue wrongful death lawsuits after their frozen embryos were destroyed in a 2020 accident at a south Alabama storage facility. The ruling temporarily upended IVF services and drew national attention as clinics became concerned about civil liability. Mitchell did not directly mention the frozen embryo ruling in his campaign announcement. Blount County District Attorney Pamela Casey is also running for the office. Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall cannot seek another term because of term limits. Marshall is running for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Sen. Tommy Tuberville, who is running for governor instead of seeking another term in the Senate.
Reuters
27-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Republican Tuberville announces bid for Alabama governor
WASHINGTON, May 27 (Reuters) - Republican U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville said on Tuesday he will run for governor of Alabama next year, ending weeks of speculation about his political plans for the 2026 elections. "I will be the future governor of the great state of Alabama," Tuberville, 70, said on Fox News. A former college football coach best known for his time at Alabama's Auburn University, Tuberville was elected to the Senate in 2020 as a close ally of President Donald Trump. Tuberville launched a "Coach for Governor" website featuring photos of him shaking hands with Trump and flanked by U.S. military officers. The website touts his 2020 election to the Senate as part of Trump's America First movement. He pledged to boost manufacturing, improve education and stop illegal immigration if elected to replace Republican Governor Kay Ivey, who reached the state's two-term limit for the office. Tuberville's decision will not likely change the balance of power in the Senate, which Republicans currently control by a 53-47 margin. Political analysts view the seat as likely beyond the reach of Democrats, though Democrat Doug Jones managed to win a Senate seat in 2017, when he won a special election.
