The Alabama Republican Party (ALGOP) is sending a message to GOP elected officials that they are expected to appoint fellow Republicans to key positions in the state.
Members of the ALGOP State Executive Committee voted Saturday to pass a bylaw that would allow the party to disqualify an elected GOP official if they appoint a Democrat to a position during their term.
“It’s a result of the committee members seeing the shift in areas that have traditionally been Democrat areas,” ALGOP Chairman John Wahl said after the meeting. “Areas that may have been where you’d appoint a Democrat, we want to see Republicans appointed where they can then go out and argue and debate their values to the public and have a chance of being elected in those areas.”
According to the new bylaw, “Beginning January 1, 2027, any Republican elected official shall appoint only Republicans to fill vacancies for all partisan elected offices that may be filled by such official. Failure to heed this admonition will be viewed negatively by the Candidate Committee.”
The new rule does outline the process if a Republican isn’t available for the position.
“However, if such official is unable to locate a qualified Republican to appoint to a position, the official shall request recommendations from the Chairman of the Alabama Republican Party and shall allow 21 days for a recommendation to be made,” the rule states. “If no qualified individual can be located and recommended, the Candidate Committee shall not view said appointment negatively.”
Suzelle Josey, a State Executive Committee member who wrote the rule, said the new bylaw really is about sending a message to those who want to run for office as a Republican.
“If you are Republican, if you have taken Republican support, if you have depended upon people to get out there and knock on doors for you, taking money, their time, their treasure, once you have the opportunity and the privilege of being elected as a Republican, then we certainly would expect you to be appointing Republicans when you have the opportunity,” Josey said. “We hope this bylaw change will send a message to elected Republican officials that we have new expectations.”
Wahl echoed Josey’s sentiment on the issue.
“The message is that we’re very serious,” Wahl said. “We want to see Republicans appoint Republicans and we want to see the chance for those Republican appointments to go to the voters and ask for the chance to continue serving in these areas.”
Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” weekdays 9-11 a.m. on WVNN. You can follow him on X @Yaffee
