Grayson Everett, Author at Yellowhammer News

Former district judge Spiro Cheriogotis and State Rep. Barbara Drummond (D-Mobile) have advanced to a September 23 runoff for Mayor of Mobile after neither candidate cleared a majority in Tuesday’s four-way, nonpartisan election.

The field also included County Commissioner Connie Hudson and former Mobile Chief of Police Paul Prine.

Unofficial returns with 97% of precincts reporting showed Drummond with 13,897 votes (33.7%), Cheriogotis 11,389 (27.6%), followed by Paul Prine 8,186 (19.9%) and Connie Hudson 7,722 (18.7%).

On Tuesday night, Cheriogotis said, “Because of you, we’re closer to building a Mobile where every neighborhood feels safe and every family feels supported,” and confirmed the September 23 runoff date.

“This campaign has always been about the people of Mobile. I’m humbled by your support and ready to keep fighting for a safer, stronger city. Together, let’s look forward to what’s next for Mobile.”

This year’s mayoral race in Mobile became a referendum on what comes after a decade of consistency under outgoing Mayor Sandy Stimpson, who announced last fall he wouldn’t seek a fourth term.

His decision set off a wide-open contest centered on crime, growth and long-promised infrastructure.

Cheriogotis entered after stepping down from the county bench, pitching himself as a steady hand on public safety, youth violence and basic services. He also drew establishment strength with a public endorsement from Stimpson and a pre-election fundraising lead.

Drummond, a Democrat state legislator, ran on governance and neighborhood investment. She also rode a wave of changing racial demographics in the region that played out on Tuesday.

Connie Hudson, a longtime commissioner and ex-city council member, leaned on her reputation for execution on capital projects and stacked local endorsements.

Paul Prine once led the Mobile Police Department. He framed his run around crime reduction and a promise to pare back bureaucracy.

After 2023 annexations added tens of thousands of residents, pushing Mobile past Birmingham in head-count, new voters in the west and south of the city participated in a mayoral race for the first time.

Grayson Everett is the editor and chief of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270.

U.S. Department of Transportation Sec. Sean Duffy on Tuesday threatened to pull tens of millions in federal highway safety dollars from several states unless they start enforcing the Trump administration’s English-language proficiency rules for commercial truck drivers.

Sec. Duffy, as well as the Alabama Trucking Association, believe this hard line enforcement is an overdue next step and should be only the beginning.

“This is another important action by President Trump to ensure the safety and fairness of America’s trucking industry,” Mark Colson, Alabama Trucking Association President and CEO said.

“In Alabama, the Alabama Trucking Association has been working diligently on this issue and many others with our federal delegation, the Governor’s office, and law enforcement, and we will continue to advocate for the highest standards for safety and security in transportation that will create a level playing field for Alabama’s hard-working trucking professionals.”

Sec. Duffy’s warning comes in the wake of a horrific and deadly Florida Turnpike crash involving Harjinder Singh, an illegal immigrant accused of making an illegal U-turn that killed three people.

Duffy said the driver never should have been on the road and that English-proficiency failures in several states are putting families at risk.

https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1960331366593163616

The department says the three states have done tens of thousands of roadside inspections since the rules took effect in June, but have almost never taken drivers off the road for failing English requirements.

California sidelined just one driver for ELP violations, Washington four, and New Mexico zero.

Duffy gave each state 30 days to comply or lose Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program funding, which includes roughly $33 million for California, $10.5 million for Washington and $7 million for New Mexico.

“As we said following the President’s Executive Order enforcing the English Language Proficiency standards, there are additional issues that need to be addressed urgently to ensure highway safety and prevent bad actors from operating such as the improper issuance of non-domiciled CDLs by a number of states. Another major issue involves cross-border visa drivers overstaying their allowances and hauling domestic freight, which is already illegal,” Colson said.

Colson’s group has been vocal that the English rule isn’t new. It’s just finally being enforced.

Alabama officers have already begun issuing citations to drivers who can’t communicate with law enforcement or read road signs, among the first since the federal policy shift took effect.

But, Sec. Duffy and Colson agree, there is more work to be done.

“We must address fraudulent or non-compliant CDL training providers who do not uphold existing entry level training standards. These training providers must not be allowed to operate. Additionally, stricter measures are required to combat the fraudulent use of USDOT numbers and the manipulation of motor carrier (MC) numbers. These tactics enable bad actors and cargo thieves to operate by acquiring legitimate MC numbers to carry out their schemes,” Colson said.

“Addressing and correcting these issues will not only create a safer environment on our roads and highways, but also increase our national security.”

Grayson Everett is the editor and chief of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270.

Alabama Senate President Pro Tem Garlan Gudger named State Sen. Keith Kelley (R-Anniston) the new co-chair of the Legislature’s Joint Sunset Committee, a panel that decides whether dozens of state boards and commissions should be continued, consolidated, or shut down.

The appointment came as the committee begins requiring people who testify to do so under oath — a change leaders say is meant to curb bad information and tighten accountability.

They did so for the first time during Thursday’s hearing.

Gudger praised Kelley as a lawmaker who will “root out waste, fraud and abuse” and “demand a strong dose of accountability” from occupational and industry licensing boards.

“After running fast and loose for far too long, the state’s occupational boards, agencies, and commissions have been placed under an intense microscope by the Joint Sunset Committee over the past few years, and serious issues have been discovered in many of them,” Gudger (R-Cullman) said.

“Sen. Keith Kelley is fully committed to rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse where it exists, demanding a strong dose of accountability, and keeping the heat on those who think they can game the system.”

On the day Kelley assumed his position as co-chair, the committee began requiring individuals appearing before it to take a sworn oath similar to those given to witnesses in court proceedings.

The action was taken after some individuals testifying before the committee were discovered to have provided false, misleading, and incorrect information regarding the finances, procedures, and problems within their agencies.

Within state law, the Sunset Committee holds public hearings, reviews audits from the Department of Examiners of Public Accounts, and then sends “sunset bills” to the full Legislature, recommending whether agencies should continue, be restructured or terminated.

Debate on those bills is time-limited to force action.

State Sen. Keith Kelley, a realtor and longtime small-business owner from Calhoun County elected in 2022, already sits on several powerful Senate panels, including Finance and Taxation General Fund, Rules, State Governmental Affairs, Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development, Children and Youth Health, Veterans and Military Affairs, and County and Municipal Government.

He is also pushing governance changes for boards under Sunset.

In 2025, Kelley authored SB39, a bill that would require members of Sunset-subject boards to complete a five-hour governance course designed by the Examiners of Public Accounts in consultation with the Attorney General, covering open meetings, contract review, recurring audit problems and best practices. Earlier this year, the bill passed the Senate, but not the House.

With renewed focus around the sunset process, Kelley might bring similar and additional legislation when the 2026 session begins on January 13.

Grayson Everett is the editor and chief of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270.

Stoking renewed pressure on Alabama’s redistricting process, a federal court judge ruled on Friday that Alabama’s 2021 State Senate map violates the Voting Rights Act in the Montgomery area – but not in Huntsville.

The ruling bars the state from using the current plan in future elections.

As it did in 2023, the court said the Alabama Legislature must first attempt a fix that adds one additional minority opportunity district in the Montgomery area – and made clear it will impose a map if lawmakers do not meet the court’s standard for remedy, as it also did in 2023.

U.S. District Judge Anna M. Manasco framed that remedy in terms of giving the GOP’s legislative supermajority the first chance to redraw under specific parameters.

RELATED: Federal judges issue final map to Alabama (2023)

“Under the statutory framework, Supreme Court precedent, and Eleventh Circuit precedent, the appropriate remedy is a redistricting plan that includes either an additional majority-Black Senate district in the Montgomery area, or an additional district there in which Black voters otherwise have an opportunity to elect a Senator of their choice,” Manasco wrote in the ruling.

“Supreme Court precedent dictates that the Legislature should have the first opportunity to draw that plan. The Legislature enjoys broad discretion (broader than the Court’s) and may consider a wide range of remedial plans.”

The court also spelled out the practical bottom line for any fix.

“As the Legislature considers such plans, it should be mindful of the practical reality… that any remedial plan will need to include an additional district in the Montgomery area in which Black voters either comprise a voting-age majority or something quite close to it,” Manasco wrote.

The court rejected plaintiffs’ effort to force a second Black-opportunity district around Huntsville, ruling that it failed the law’s compactness and configuration tests.

“The Black population in the area of District 7 is too geographically dispersed to form a voting-age majority in an additional reasonably configured district. Accordingly, the Court finds that the plaintiffs have not demonstrated a Section Two violation in the Huntsville area.”

As per today’s ruling District 7, a seat currently held by State Sen. Sam Givhan (R-Huntsville), is no longer under threat of being redrawn.

The decision is also notable because the court declined to accept plaintiffs’ arguments using population data that did not originate from the U.S. Census.

The ruling tightens federal control over one part of Alabama’s State Senate map while leaving Huntsville alone, which is only half of what plaintiffs sought.

That did not stop the left-wing American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), among the plaintiffs, from declaring victory.

https://x.com/ACLUAlabama/status/1958965054961066198

Today’s ruling is another installment in a series of Voting Rights Act cases from Alabama that began with Allen v. Milligan, the 2023 U.S. Supreme Court decision which challenged Alabama’s 2021 congressional map and ultimately required Alabama to draw a second minority-opportunity district.

That decision led to a court-ordered congressional map for 2024 and beyond, which resulted in the election of U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures (D-Mobile).

Alabama’s appeal of the final decision in that case is still pending before the U.S. Supreme Court and will be heard in the 2025-26 Court Term along with the much-anticipated Louisiana congressional redistricting case.

Various actions by the Supreme Court have led many court watchers to believe that the Louisiana case is one where the Supreme Court may significantly revise how the Voting Rights Act is applied across the country.

As for today’s ruling on State Senate maps, another hearing in the case is set for next Thursday.

In 2023, Governor Kay Ivey convened a special session of the Alabama Legislature less than 40 days after the initial ruling to address the court’s challenge.

Alabama Senate Majority Leader Steve Livingston (R-Scottsboro) told Yellowhammer News, “We are in receipt of the Court’s order and are in the process of reviewing it.”

“At this time, we are pleased with the Court’s ruling in the Huntsville area and disappointed by the ruling in the Montgomery area. We will determine next steps after a thorough review of the opinion in the coming days,” Livingston said.

Grayson Everett is the editor and chief of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270.

U.S. Senator Katie Britt is contributing $10,000, the maximum amount allowable, from her Alabama First leadership PAC to State Rep. Rhett Marques’ (R-Enterprise) congressional campaign.

“Rhett is a great friend and a strong conservative fighter who has always had my back and President Trump’s,” Senator Britt (R-Montgomery) said in a statement to Yellowhammer News on Thursday.

“Having been born and raised in Baldwin County and then having raised his own family in the Wiregrass, Rhett is uniquely positioned to champion the priorities and values of this incredible district. I am excited about the fresh leadership Rhett is bringing to the table and congratulate him on launching his campaign for Congress. I have no doubt that the First Congressional District will thrive with Rhett at the helm.”

Britt’s heavyweight support comes on the same day as Marques’s initial campaign announcement.

Alabama First, Britt’s leadership PAC, raised $1.69 million and contributed exclusively to Republicans during the 2024 cycle.

The $10,000 figure for Marques reflects the federal limit of $5,000 per election, primary and general, that a PAC may contribute to a U.S. House candidate.

Marques is running against Jerry Carl, who is attempting a comeback bid for the seat, in the 2026 Alabama Republican Party primary.

Grayson Everett is the editor and chief of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270.

State Rep. Rhett Marques (R-Enterprise) announced Thursday he’s running for Alabama’s 1st Congressional District in 2026.

Marques says he’s ready to scale the work he’s done on the state level all the way to Washington — as a pro-Trump conservative Republican.

He enters a field of contenders to fill the seat currently held by U.S. Rep. Barry Moore (R-Enterprise), who is running statewide for the first time, rather than for a slam dunk re-election bid.

Marques already has a successful track record with stepping into Moore’s shoes. He was elected to Moore’s seat representing Coffee County in the Alabama House during the 2018 cycle.

In his announcement, Marques highlighted his votes for recent tax cuts, including ongoing reductions to the state grocery tax, a new three-year exemption of state sales tax on diapers and other baby items, and expanded income-tax relief for retirees.

“I’m a proven conservative fighter with a strong record of putting Alabama’s families first and protecting our values. In Congress, I will be a strong champion for hardworking Alabamians to help President Trump advance his agenda and reverse four years of failed Biden economic policies,” Marques said.

“While President Trump was providing tax relief to Americans with the One Big Beautiful Bill, I was working on the state level in the Alabama legislature to slash the state taxes on groceries, eliminate the state tax on diapers and baby supplies that are critical for young families, and implement a substantial tax relief package for our seniors. That is the same commitment to helping Alabamians from the wiregrass to the coast that I will take to DC to help President Trump pass bills that truly help working Americans.”

Marques also has roots across Alabama’s recently re-drawn 1st Congressional District. He grew up in Spanish Fort in Baldwin County, which is now entirely within its boundaries, and is a graduate of Fairhope High School.

Outside of politics, Marques owns Goodson Tire & Auto in Enterprise.

“I am proud to have been born and raised in Baldwin County, and I’m very close to my family who still live there today. I am also proud to live in the Wiregrass and to have raised my girls in Coffee County,” Marques said.

“I have a love for the First Congressional District that lies in my passion for and understanding of the Wiregrass region where I live today and for the coastal area where I was born and where my roots run deep. That combination uniquely prepares me to unify this district and represent the entirety of Alabama’s first congressional from a place of first-hand understanding and a passion for the entire area – from the peanut fields to the beaches and everything in between.”

According to his campaign, Marques’s two terms in the Alabama legislature have earned him the reputation of being a reliable and hardworking conservative who is routinely called upon to bring Republicans together to support conservative bills.

He and his wife, Christina, have been married for 31 years and have two daughters.

In launching his bid today, Marques is taking on Jerry Carl, who announced three days ago that he is running for his old seat in Congress.

In 2024, Carl was defeated in a historic showdown with fellow Congressman Barry Moore, and is now attempting a comeback.

Grayson Everett is the editor and chief of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270.

Auburn University’s McCrary Institute for Cyber and Critical Infrastructure Security is bringing two heavyweight national-security figures onto its advisory board.

Former U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary under President Donald Trump, Kirstjen Nielsen, now president of Lighthouse Strategies, and Auburn alumnus James Hoskins, a former U.S. Air Force intelligence leader who built Scitor Corporation into a mission-critical intelligence firm later acquired by SAIC, will join the board.

According to the institute, as board members, Nielsen and Hoskins will serve as senior advisors, bringing deep experience from the highest echelons of national security and private-sector leadership.

They join an already distinguished roster of advisors, including corporate executives, senior government officials and Auburn University leadership.

From its policy hub in Washington, D.C., the Institute works closely with federal agencies, Congress and industry leaders to shape actionable public policy in a rapidly evolving digital landscape. In Auburn and Huntsville, its applied research teams develop and deploy practical solutions that help safeguard critical infrastructure systems across the Southeast and the nation.

“It’s a pleasure to welcome former Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen and Auburn’s own renowned engineer James Hoskinsto our advisory board,” said Lt. Gen. Ronald L. Burgess Jr., McCrary Institute Advisory Board chairman and former director of the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency.

“Bringing on these renowned leaders in homeland and national security will only further our ability to help the McCrary Institute have a meaningful impact on our nation.”

“I am deeply honored to join the board of the McCrary Institute, a dynamic and mission-driven institution that not only leads in cybersecurity innovation and education but also stands as a national resource, shaping the future of policy, research and resilience,” said Kirstjen Nielsen, the sixth Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

“The McCrary Institute stands out because it does not stop at ideas or theory — it ensures that innovation is tested against the realities of the field. By bringing operational context and real-world requirements into its work, the Institute grounds cyber policy, research and innovation in the challenges faced every day by operators and defenders of critical infrastructure. This ‘policy informed by practice’ approach ensures that strategies are not only conceptually sound but also executable, scalable and relevant. It is a privilege to contribute to such a unique and vital institution.”

“It’s an honor and privilege to serve Auburn University’s McCrary Institute,” said James Hoskins, former chairman and CEO of the Scitor Corporation.

“The cybersecurity mission of the McCrary Institute is national in scope and priority. America’s future is in great hands considering the capabilities, personnel and facilities that have been assembled by McCrary with the aim to make a landmark difference.”

Frank Cilluffo, director of the McCrary Institute, praised the additions, saying the pair’s experience will strengthen the institute’s mission and its roster of national security leaders.

“I’m thrilled that Kirstjen and James are joining the McCrary Institute’s advisory board,” said Cilluffo. “They bring deep experience in national security, cybersecurity and public service — adding invaluable perspective to an already exceptional group. Their advice and counsel will help us strengthen our efforts to protect the critical infrastructure that underpins our nation’s security, economy and communities.”

Grayson Everett is the editor and chief of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270.

Conservative Republican and longtime cotton and peanut farmer Garrett Dixon launched a campaign for the open Alabama House District 38 seat today.

Dixon says he’ll take a business approach to Montgomery and be a voice for rural communities in Chambers and Lee counties.

Dixon is lifelong resident of the district, a Smiths Station High School graduate, and a 2014 Auburn University graduate.

“I have lived in District 38 my entire life. I am a husband and father who is concerned about our state’s future, and I refuse to sit on the sidelines,” Dixon said.

“I know the challenges facing our rural families and towns because I live them every day, and rural communities need a voice in Montgomery.”

Governor Kay Ivey set a special primary for October 21, 2025 to fill the remainder of the term vacated by former State Rep. Debbie Wood (R-Valley).

According to his campaign, Dixon’s family settled in Salem over 160 years ago. They have worked the land and served their local community, and knows the value of hard work, resilience, and faith.

Dixon said he shares the values that make that communities strong.

“I am not a politician. I am a businessman and farmer who wants to serve my community and deliver real results for the people of District 38. I plan to take our small-town conservative values and business approach to Montgomery.”

“I am going to unapologetically fight for District 38 and the conservative values that matter to people in our district.”

At least two other candidates have publicly announced. Kristin Nelson of Valley, a homeschool mother and the wife of Chambers County Sheriff Jeff Nelson, announced earlier this summer, as did Micah Messer of Smiths Station.

Grayson Everett is the editor and chief of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270.

On Monday morning, Alabama Speaker of the House of Representatives Nathaniel Ledbetter endorsed his friend and colleague, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) for Governor of Alabama in the 2026 GOP primary election.

“Alabama is winning like never before, and our state’s continued prosperity hinges upon its next governor being a strong conservative who will always fight to protect our jobs, our beliefs, and our way of life,” Speaker Ledbetter said.

“During his time in the U.S. Senate, Coach Tuberville has proven himself to be an unapologetically conservative leader who knows how to get things done – especially when it means taking the hard road. His record speaks for itself, and I fully believe he is the right man to lead our state as its next governor.”

Speaker Ledbetter and Coach Tuberville became friends in the months leading up to Coach announcing his 2020 bid for the U.S. Senate.

Ledbetter later officially joined Coach Tuberville’s campaign as its co-chairman and played an integral role in Coach’s primary victory amid a crowded field of candidates.

“From serving as co-chairman of my campaign for U.S. Senate to now, I appreciate Speaker Ledbetter’s continued support and friendship over the last several years,” Senator Tuberville said.

“We share a desire to improve life for all Alabamians from Sand Mountain to the Gulf of America. I’m looking forward to working with him to achieve historic wins for the Yellowhammer State.”

Grayson Everett is the editor and chief of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270.

As the 2026 Republican primary to fill the open seat left by U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) heats up, candidates are building their war chests to finance the effort to secure victory.

On Monday, one candidate’s campaign for U.S. Senate launched the “Statewide Finance Committee for Steve Marshall” with public support from business leaders across the state.

According to his campaign, the group assembled shows proof of Marshall’s broad support from individuals that have played a major role in strengthening the Alabama economy.

Danny McKinney of McKinney Capital says, “I’m proud to endorse Steve Marshall for U.S. Senate. As a prosecutor on the local level and as Alabama Attorney General, Steve has shown time and again his dedication to the victims of crime by aggressively prosecuting criminals. Steve has also demonstrated his righteous indignation on behalf of Alabama and all of America when the Biden administration continually violated the rule and spirit of law in our country.”

“All Alabamians will be just as proud as me to have Steve Marshall continue to serve as our next U.S. Senator. If track records matter, there is none better than Steve Marshall,” he added.

“I’m excited to have these individuals serve on my finance committee as it shows widespread support from industry leaders that have helped expand job opportunities for Alabamians,” AG Marshall said.

“As Alabama’s Attorney General, I have worked in partnership with state leaders to help foster a business friendly environment and as our next United States Senator I’ll always be a fierce advocate for our job creators in Alabama.”

Danny McKinney of Birmingham, Field Service Executive and Co-founder of McKinney Capital
Melissa Morissette of Mobile, Real Estate Executive and Co-owner of LLB&B Inc.
Ron Gray of Huntsville, Engineering Executive and Founder of Gray Analytics.
Ed Rogers of Birmingham, Founding Partner of BGR Group.
Bill Wallace of Montgomery, Engineering Executive and CEO of Goodwyn Mills Cawood.
Tony Cochran of Albertville, Business and Accounting Executive and President of CK Business Solutions, PC.
Larry Deason of Anniston, Finance Executive and Former President of Farmers and Merchants Bank.
Louis Breland of Huntsville, Homebuilder Executive and Founder of Breland Homes.
H Warren Cobb Jr. of Dothan, Attorney at Cobb, Boyd, White and Cobb Attorneys at Law.
Carl Jamison of Tuscaloosa, Accounting Executive and Former Partner at Jamison Money Farmer PC.
Tommy Lee of Fairhope, Business Executive and Former Chairman of Gulf United Metro Business Organization (GUMBO).
Gibson Vance of Montgomery, Attorney and Principal at Beasley Allen Law Firm.
Tom Hand of Mobile, Business Executive and Vice Chairman of Volkert.

Marshall serves as the 48th Attorney General of the State of Alabama. Prior to serving as Attorney General, he served for 16 years as District attorney for Marshall County.

He was the first major candidate to enter the race for U.S. Senate when he launched his campaign earlier this summer.

So far, Marshall, U.S. Rep. Barry Moore (R-Enterprise), and former U.S. Navy SEAL Jared Hudson have announced bids.

The Alabama Republican Party primary election will be held on May 19, 2026.

Grayson Everett is the editor and chief of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270.

According to recently conducted polling, U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Montgomery) is the most popular elected official in the state of Alabama.

The Business Council of Alabama commissioned a poll conducted by Cygnal of likely Republican primary voters.

In an email to its members this week, BCA outlined that Britt’s favorability is 72%, with an incredibly low unfavorable rating of only 14%.

Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) polled at 69% favorable, with 22% unfavorable. Governor Kay Ivey scored a 68% favorable rating, with 26.5% unfavorable.

In comparison, President Trump had a favorability of 80% and unfavorable rating of 19%. Trump’s net favorability of 61% was trailed closely by Britt’s 58% net favorability, followed by Tuberville’s 47% and Ivey’s 42%.

This comes after recent tracking polling showed Britt with the second-lowest disapproval rating in the nation.

Britt also boasts a formidable – and growing – war chest of over $5.1 million. She is up for reelection in 2028.

The Enterprise native continues to garner numerous accolades for her service in the Senate, including: American Farm Bureau Federation’s Outstanding New Member of Congress Award; the American Foundry Society’s 2025 U.S. Metalcasting Industry Congressional Champion Award; an A+ rating from the Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America’s Candidate Fund for her advocacy in support of the sanctity of life; and the highest NumbersUSA rating among the Alabama congressional delegation and the third-highest among all U.S. Senators for her leadership in combating illegal migration and strengthening border security.

Grayson Everett is the editor and chief of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270.

State Sen. Arthur Orr says there are two political contests in the 2026 primary elections that will soon heat up — and one of them will be “a knife fight.”

Orr (R-Decatur) said Friday on his weekly segment with WVNN’s “The Dale Jackson Show” that the 2026 race for Alabama Attorney General “will be hot” and closely watched. He also warned that U.S. Rep. Barry Moore (R-Enterprise) shouldn’t be counted out in the U.S. Senate primary, even as Attorney General Steve Marshall holds a decisive, early advantage in polling.

After launching his bid this week, Moore told The Daily Caller, “I think I’m probably the only candidate in the race right now that hasn’t donated to Democrats recently or been a Democrat in many ways.”

Orr, asked whether Moore’s line would land, said he hadn’t run down the donation claims, but reflected this has come up in elections past.

“You know, I haven’t investigated or looked at it, but I would imagine if Barry Moore is saying it — it is probably true. I think Mr. Marshall ran as a Democrat back years ago, as district attorney, and then changed parties — and during that Democratic time, probably gave contributions. But I’m sure Moore has done his homework to before he starts making such accusations,” Orr said.

“I kind of doubt it’ll have a lot of impact, because Marshall has now served as a Republican, both at the local level and then at the statewide level as a Republican — so I just don’t see it having a whole lot of effect. There are a lot of other office elders… that have run as Democrats in the past, and, you know, are currently in office and in very powerful positions — but it hasn’t seemed to affect their political career. So, you know, I don’t see it getting a lot of mileage. But there may be other things that Moore will be pulling punches later. But on this one, yeah, put it out there, let people know. But I don’t think it gets very far.”

Orr said the race to replace Marshall, who is term-limited as Attorney General, “will be hot.”

The GOP field already includes well-defined contenders. Katherine Robertson, Marshall’s longtime chief counsel, launched her bid in June at a Birmingham kickoff where Marshall endorsed her. Former Alabama Supreme Court Justice Jay Mitchell resigned from the state’s top court in May and immediately entered the race shortly after.

“It will be hot, it will be heavy, and it will be, I think, a knife fight, almost. It’ll be pretty, pretty sharp and and a lot going on, and because of the outside money. It won’t be one of those, ‘Here, these associations in Montgomery line up on this side, and these associations in Montgomery lineup on the other side, and they duke it out,’ — because of the outside money,” Orr said.

Robertson’s filings show First Principles Action, a Nashville-based 501(c)(4), contributed $1 million to her campaign in late June and another $100,000 later on. Jay Mitchell’s campaign seized on that surge as “out-of-state dark money.”

Orr predicted the tenor of the campaign will turn sharply negative as money pours in.

“That’s where the negative — what I would think would be negative advertising to define your opponent — will come into play. And since they’ll have millions of dollars to throw at it again, a lot of money coming from out of state, you’ll see a lot of negative ads. And that’s the reason I think it’ll garner a good bit of attention next spring.”

He added that, beyond attack ads, the winner will be the candidate who convinces voters they can be a “reliable, responsible” AG.

“I think it’ll be more than negative ads, and who can sell themselves better, of course, to the public, as a reliable, responsible AG, and you’ve got two good candidates that will be able to do that, and that’s the reason I think we slide into the negative sphere,” Orr said.

The Alabama Republican Party primary election will be held 277 days from now, on May 19, 2026.

Grayson Everett is the editor in chief of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270.

Governor Kay Ivey on Friday called a special election to fill Alabama House District 38, setting the primary for October 21, 2025, a potential primary runoff for November 18, 2025, and the general election for February 3, 2026.

The seat opened after State Rep. Debbie Wood resigned this summer to re-locate with her family for a work opportunity out of state.

HD38 includes portions of Chambers and Lee counties – in particular, the cities of Valley, Lanett, Huguley, Cusseta, Beulah and areas outside Opelika and Smiths Station.

In her proclamation, Ivey praised Wood’s service and urged constituents to vote. The order set party-qualifying deadlines: major-party candidates must qualify by Wednesday, August 20, 2025.

“Representative Debbie Wood has been a dedicated leader for the people of House District 38, and her commitment to Alabama is commendable,” said Governor Ivey.

“As she embarks on this new chapter, I am confident the district will elect a leader who will continue to serve with the same passion and integrity. I encourage every voter to participate in this important special election.”

The seat has leaned overwhelmingly Republican in recent cycles. Wood won 88.8%–11.2% over a Libertarian opponent in 2022 and about 70% in 2018.

Kristin Nelson, chair of the Chambers County Republican Party, launched her campaign in June.

Grayson Everett is the editor in chief of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270.

U.S. Rep. Barry Moore (R-Enterprise) launched a campaign for the U.S. Senate on Tuesday, leaning on a Wiregrass upbringing, faith in God, business grit, years of service in Congress, and a decade of high-profile loyalty to President Donald Trump.

Later today, he’ll kick off his campaign at an event across the state from his district, in Sylvania, his wife Heather’s hometown.

Moore told Yellowhammer News in an interview this week that he’s launching a 67-county push that sells his record – “not promises.”

Alabama needs an unmistakably pro-Trump vote in the upper chamber as border security, federal spending, American manufacturing, and individual liberties are at public policy crossroads, Moore says.

“Because of President Trump being willing to go through what he went through, we had to stand with him. And we’ve been standing with him for 10 years,” Moore said, “We’re not some weathervane politician. We are doing what we believe we’re called to do, and a sense of trying to restore your liberty and protect your freedoms.”

Moore grew up in Enterprise and still lives on the family farm with his wife of 33 years.

The community near Fort Rucker, he said, gave him a small-town life with a global understanding: helicopter pilots training from around the world.

Moore served six years in the Alabama Army National Guard and was attached to a medevac unit during the Desert Storm era. Moore, whose brother is a retired Marine/FA-18 pilot and whose son-in-law served as an Army Ranger, said that background is only a small part of his career-long motivation to serve veterans.

He recalled a Vietnam veteran who stopped him in a restaurant to say his office had secured long-delayed hearing aids within two weeks.

“There are probably, honestly, a thousand of those stories,” Moore said.

“There needs to be no question in anybody’s mind that if President Trump’s leading, Alabama’s Senator needs to be with him,” Moore said. “This isn’t ambition – it’s an assignment.”

In part, Moore helped build his political brand on a small-business in waste hauling — ultimately, garbage trucks. He and his wife founded Barry Moore Industries in Enterprise, a company that offers roll-off dumpster service, demolition and site services across southeast Alabama.

“We came back, started a garbage company, Heather and I did. So, I started driving the old garbage truck. I still got my CDL, so I started. I get up about 3:00am in the morning, run the route and go out and sell accounts during the day. And so we’re 24 years in that – general contractor, probably 22 years of that. And so we just kind of grew this waste hauling business,” Moore said in the interview.

On the 2024 general election day, Moore arrived to vote in a garbage truck – an episode he recalled with a chuckle: “we just got that truck in. It was a brand new roll off truck.” He later leaned into the theme with a viral “D.C. Garbage” ad that won a Telly Award.

“I tell everybody, I’ve been in the garbage business, but the transition to politics is pretty easy,” he said. “You really, literally have so much stuff… and you just kind of have to sort through what’s really good,” Moore said.

In 2015 at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Moore was the first elected official to take the stage to endorse then-candidate Donald Trump at one of the first rallies he ever held.

“As we’re going through the tunnel towards the stage, [a fellow speaker] says, ‘Man, you want to go first, or you want to go last?’ I said, ‘Well, first,’” Moore recalled. “So I became the first elected official in the nation to endorse a guy from New York City who had no chance of winning,” Moore said.

Of then-U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions’s appearance that night, Moore said, “Sessions didn’t endorse that day. He came up later that day on the stage and talked about the border and he wore the hat. But he didn’t endorse until a few months later.”

But one year prior, Moore caught fire in a 2014 legal battle he describes as a politically motivated “perjury trap.”

Moore’s political trajectory was reshaped in 2014, when a Lee County special grand jury indicted him on two counts of first-degree perjury and two counts of making false statements during the attorney general’s corruption probe tied to then-House Speaker Mike Hubbard.

He says attorneys urged him to “cut a deal,” but he refused, adopting a family motto – “We’re going to win the case and we’re going to win the race.” A jury later acquitted him.

Moore calls the episode his “refiner’s fire” and the moment he decided to judge the system by how it treats outsiders.

If elected in November 2026 and sworn in January 2027, Moore would fill the seat now held by U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville, who is running for governor – with the GOP primary set for May 19, 2026.

With just two years left of Trump’s second presidency, Moore said the Senate should “build on what [Trump] starts,” naming border security, great-power deterrence and a manufacturing-first economy as durable priorities.

“He will not be able to see all the fruits of his labor… but your kids, your grandkids… will see America move continually into the golden age if we’ll pursue what he’s doing.”

Moore also previewed how he’ll run across 67 counties: fewer door knocks, more high-density events and local media saturation, with his wife Heather, a frequent surrogate in past races, expected to play a visible role again.

“We’ve always been an incredible grassroots team,” he said, confident that will remain true throughout the 2026 campaign.

Asked directly whether he is the most conservative candidate currently in the field, Moore said he’s been the most conservative lawmaker everywhere he has served.

“I think if you look at my record, I’m probably the most conservative members in the entire U.S. Congress. And I think if you look at when I was the Alabama House of Reps, I was always number one, even with the 35 senators and 105 House members – I was one or two,” he said.

“I just don’t know any other way than who I am, and so it’s just who we are.”

In the time since the interview with Yellowhammer News, Moore has also publicly said he is the only candidate in the race who is not a Democrat.

Grayson Everett is the editor in chief of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270.

PowerSouth Energy executive Taylor Williams and Casey B. Rogers, the deputy director of the Alabama State Military Department, have been elected as the newest board members for the Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association (ALBBAA).

The ALBBAA is committed to enhancing outdoor recreation and promoting tourism opportunities in the Black Belt in a manner that provides economic and ecological benefits to the region. The board oversees those efforts.

“We are excited to have Casey and Taylor join our board and help support our mission of helping the Black Belt reach its full potential,” said Thomas Harris, ALBBAA founder and board president.

“All of our board members share a passion for promoting greater outdoor recreational opportunities throughout the Black Belt’s 23 counties, as well as a commitment to attracting visitors to the region’s many cultural and historical sites. Casey and Taylor will be tremendous assets to our organization.”

Williams and Rogers have previously served on the ALBBAA Advisory Council.

They now join a board of directors that features Harris as president, Alabama Wildlife Federation executive director Tim Gothard as treasurer and Alabama Power’s Freddy Padilla as secretary.

Other board members include Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Commissioner Chris Blankenship, Greenville Mayor Dexter McClendon, Fran Pearce, founder of Leadership Selma-Dallas County, and Ellis Terry, President of YHN Media Group.

Rogers, a Greenville native, currently manages external affairs and strategic communication as the deputy director of the Alabama State Military Department after previously serving as the external affairs director for Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey. Her professional career also includes stints with the Alabama Farmers Federation, former Congresswoman Martha Roby and Pioneer Electric Cooperative.

Rogers’ community involvement includes past leadership roles, including president, of the Rotary Club, as well as service on the Greenville Area Chamber of Commerce Board, Safe Harbor Children’s Advocacy Center and Alabama Black Belt Advisory Council. She is a graduate of the University of Alabama.

“As a proud daughter of the Black Belt, I am excited to continue helping this organization in advocating for such a cherished region of Alabama,” Rogers said.

Williams, a Montgomery resident, leads PowerSouth’s external affairs division, including the company’s economic development and governmental affairs efforts.

He has served PowerSouth in various capacities since 2009 and previously served as the corporate development project manager for the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce.

Williams is also a past president of the Economic Development Association of Alabama and past president of the Montgomery Rotary Club. He serves on the board of the Alabama Wildlife Federation and is a member of the University of Alabama Honors College Board of Visitors. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Alabama and a master’s degree from Auburn-Montgomery.

“Having grown up in the Black Belt, I cherish the area’s tremendous natural resources, and I understand the importance of thoughtfully protecting it while also exposing more people to all we have to offer,” Williams said.

“It’s an honor to join this organization and lend a helping hand in promoting all of the good things happening throughout the Black Belt.”

The Black Belt includes the following 23 counties: Barbour, Bullock, Butler, Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Crenshaw, Dallas, Greene, Hale, Lee, Lowndes, Macon, Marengo, Monroe, Montgomery, Perry, Pickens, Pike, Russell, Sumter, Tuscaloosa and Wilcox.

Grayson Everett is the editor in chief of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270.

Two Phenix City women have been arrested after police say they carried out illegal ballot harvesting tied to suspicious absentee applications in the upcoming August 26 municipal elections.

Phenix City Police launched the investigation after the city clerk’s office reported multiple irregular absentee applications. Detectives say the probe uncovered evidence of illegal ballot harvesting.

Authorities identified Thalia Jenkins Hardin and Valerie Carter as the culprits. According to police, both told investigators they were volunteering for District 3 City Council candidate Jamar Gayles surrounding the alleged offenses.

While city council elections are non-partisan in Alabama, according to election data retrieved by Yellowhammer News, both offenders are Democrats.

Hardin, age 54, has voted Democrat since 2018. She voted in the 2022, 2020 and 2018 Alabama Democratic Party primary elections.

Carter, age 53, has also voted Democrat since 2018, participating in Democratic primaries during the 2024, 2022, 2020 and 2018 election cycles.

Following consultation with the Alabama Secretary of State’s office and the Russell County District Attorney’s office, law enforcement arrested Hardin and Carter. Each faces multiple charges related to absentee voting violations.

The arrests come after Alabama officials tightened rules on ballot harvesting.

In 2024, state lawmakers passed SB1 to make it a crime to pay third parties to handle absentee ballot applications or ballots.

Secretary of State Wes Allen, the state’s top election official, has consistently communicated that the crackdown protects the absentee process and is clear proof the state is serious about election integrity.

“Election integrity is a top priority,” Allen told Yellowhammer News on Thursday. “If you have been a victim of absentee ballot application harvesting, contact my office or your local law enforcement authorities.”

Authorities say the investigation into Hardin and Carter’s alleged scheme is ongoing.

Grayson Everett is the editor in chief of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270.

Governor Kay Ivey is fighting back against a lawsuit filed by former Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs Commissioner Kent Davis, who claims the Governor unlawfully removed him from office.

In a recent filing in federal court made on her behalf by attorneys William Bloom and Jordan LaPorta of Maynard Nexsen, Governor Ivey labeled Davis’s claims “groundless,” and asked the court to dismiss the lawsuit in full.

The Governor removed Davis from his position as Veterans Affairs Commissioner in October of last year. According to court documents, the Governor removed Davis for mismanaging the Department of Veterans Affairs to the determinant of Alabama’s veteran community.

“Davis’s tenure as Commissioner was marked by upheaval and disputes with other State executive branch officials,” Ivey’s filing says. The Governor said she had good cause to remove Davis because he “mishandled the administration” of critical federal funds for veterans services in a manner that “put in jeopardy” the state’s “ability to most effectively serve veterans.”

She calls his lawsuit a pure “political dispute,” stemming from his “frustration with the Governor’s decision to terminate” him — not any real legal claim.

Davis, on the other hand, alleges that the Governor’s decision to remove him from office violated his federal rights to free speech and due process.

In a position mirroring many officials pushing back against President Donald Trump’s efforts to curb the deep state, Davis’s lawsuit argues that lower-level executive officials cannot be removed by the head of the executive branch. He also argues that administrative agencies, rather than the top executive, have the hiring and firing power for government officers.

In response, Governor Ivey has taken a strong stance on executive power in an effort to rein in lower-level officials in the administrative state.

She argues “it simply cannot be that the First Amendment prohibits the Governor from terminating a public-facing, appointed agency head based on his criticisms of the State’s policies concerning the very agency he had been tasked with leading.”

“Absent the ability to remove obstinate subordinates in the executive branch,” she says, “obstructionist public officials could, in practice, prevent the Governor from faithfully executing the State’s laws.”

Davis’s lawsuit is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama, where Judge Myron Thomson will decide whether the lawsuit against Governor Ivey can move forward.

Grayson Everett is the editor and chief of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270.

After an initial special primary election came down to the wire, Cindy Myrex and Clint Hollingsworth will face off again in the GOP run-off election tomorrow to decide who’s the next State Representative for Alabama House District 12.

Cindy Myrex, a realtor, Cullman resident, and first‑time candidate, was nine votes short of winning outright and avoiding a run‑off.

Clint Hollingsworth, a Cullman City Councilman since 2008 and local businessman, says he has been hard at work earning the support of his community since the initial primary election.

Myrex says she believes she will be able to pull it off tomorrow, but isn’t taking anything for granted.

“I’ve campaigned on faith, family, and freedom. I have great peace going into Tuesday. That comes from knowing that we have knocked doors and spoken to as many voters as possible. Most importantly, we have listened to the needs of the communities of District 12,” Myrex told Yellowhammer News.

“Voters here are strongly against SB322 and the Smith Lake annexation. I am against the Smith Lake annexation and I’m the only candidate who has been against the Smith Lake annexation from the beginning.”

Myrex is referencing a measure passed earlier this year, which the bill’s sponsor, Alabama Senate Pro Tem Garlan Gudger (R-Cullman), one of the most powerful figures in Montgomery, announced last week he will seek to repeal after hearing feedback from constituents.

“The only promise I make is to work hard and be the voice for all the communities that make up District 12. I am asking that every supporter show up for me on Tuesday and I will show up for you in Montgomery,” Myrex said.

Both candidates have earned the support of influential statewide PACs.

The Alabama Farmers Federation’s FARMPAC endorsed Myrex in May and has since contributed $26,512.10 to her campaign effort.

On Friday, days before the election, Myrex, who has been vocally running on not taking PAC contributions, reported a donation of $7,500 from the political action committee closely aligned with the state’s teacher union (AVOTE PAC).

In 2023, the Alabama Republican Party issued a new rule banning contributions from the AEA for some candidates.

They did not ban legislative candidates from taking Alabama Education Assocation aligned money.

Myrex has also missed filing financial reports required by the Alabama Fair Campaign and Practices Act (FCPA) three times in recent weeks.

Already in August, Myrex has paid $817.53 in fines to the Alabama Secretary of State.

Since its formation in May, Myrex’s campaign has raised approximately $99,000. This figure does not include about $100,000 in self-funded loans and in-kind contributions.

Hollingswoth has raised $187,000 to date with major backing from Alabama’s business community.

The largest portions of his support come from industry and trade association PACs, including SAVEPAC, SV&P PAC and the Business Council of Alabama’s ProgressPAC.

“As Leslie and I visited with families across the district, we heard what folks want in their Representative. I believe my message of experience, solving problems, and protecting our conservative values in Cullman County for 17 years has resonated well within the district. Voters understand that I will always show up for them, listen, and never back down,” Hollingsworth told Yellowhammer News.

“We need someone who is prepared to act on day one and start producing results for this district, which wasn’t represented during the last session. From improving infrastructure and providing the best education for our kids, to cutting taxes and never wavering on our conservative values, I am the only candidate who has done all of these things and will continue to do so in the State House.”

“I encourage everyone in District 12 to vote this Tuesday, and respectfully ask for your vote. I’d be honored to have your support.”

Grayson Everett is the editor in chief of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270.

Alabama’s business leaders got a clear message from voters Saturday morning: focus on the economy.

At the Business Council of Alabama’s annual Governmental Affairs Conference, Cygnal presented a new BCA-commissioned survey, showing that 59% of Republican primary voters prefer elected officials prioritize economic issues such as jobs, reducing taxes and regulation, and infrastructure over any other major political topic.

Cygnal, founded in 2007 in Montgomery by Brent Buchanan has since grown into a nationally recognized, highly ranked research firm.

The poll, conducted last month among Alabama GOP primary voters exclusively, framed much of a wide-ranging panel on voter priorities, business climate, and early 2026 political dynamics.

The panel was moderated by Jason Isbell, Regions Bank’s Vice President of State Government Affairs and Economic Development.

The poll’s top five priorities were inflation, taxes, immigration, infrastructure and jobs.

Mitchell Brown, a Cygnal pollster and former White House liaison to the U.S. Department of Labor, who led the presentation, said the results track with what Cygnal is seeing across the South: broad, durable appetite for pocketbook policy.

“This is good politics, not just good policy,” Brown said.

“They want a better future for themselves and for their children, and these economic undertones are exactly what is going to not only win their vote, it’s going to help these people grow.”

Throughout the day, BCA leaders noted the organization is directly engaged on all five fronts, collaborating with EDPA and the Alabama Growth Alliance, and tying voter expectations to ongoing initiatives such as Working for Alabama, The Game Plan, and statewide broadband expansion.

When asked about obstacles to business growth, workforce challenges ranked No. 1 (26%). Respondents also flagged regional pain points: rural voters were likelier to cite “high taxes and fees,” while urban voters emphasized “poor infrastructure.”

Brown said those patterns mirror the open-ended responses Cygnal analyzed through its qualitative “emotive” tools. Small business owners tended to emphasize regulation, taxes and access to capital, while many workers express frustration about limited paths beyond entry-level roles and a desire for more large-scale employers.

A separate question found voters view the state’s climate for small and medium-sized businesses as generally supportive, with only 8% calling it “very unsupportive.”

Brown also placed Alabama sentiment in a national context.

Since late 2022, Cygnal’s weekly polling has tracked right-track/wrong-track attitudes improving and then flattening near even, with little movement expected amid hardened views.

The generic congressional ballot currently shows Republicans with sturdy positioning: not the kind of deficit that preceded the 2018 midterms. “Campaign officials love seeing this,” Brown said, arguing the environment does not resemble a “bloodbath” scenario nationwide.

On image ratings, Brown said Donald Trump’s support among Republican voters is locked in and “will not change” over the course of his four years.

“This will not move for the entirety of his four years… This number will not change,” he said of the national favorable/unfavorable split, arguing that many voters who dislike Trump’s style still voted for him “because they thought their life was easier in 2019 than it was in 2024.”

In Alabama’s GOP primary electorate, Trump’s favorables land where expected for deep-red states at roughly 80%.

Polling shows Governor Ivey is still one of the most popular governors in the nation.

“Very strong numbers for Coach,” Brown said, who reported high favorability for U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn), the presumptive next Governor of Alabama, in his current role as senior senator for the state.

Among statewide Alabama officials tested with Republican primary voters:

U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville: ~69% favorable / 22% unfavorable.
U.S. Senator Katie Britt: ~72% favorable / 14% unfavorable.
Governor Kay Ivey: ~71% favorable / 21% unfavorable.

“Our statewide officials here in Alabama are well liked by the Republican primary audience, and the intensity is strong too,” Brown said.

Brown’s final advice to lawmakers and business leaders was straightforward: lean in on the economy.

“Your constituents, your voters, they want more economic change,” he said.

“Don’t lose sight of that and understand that these people want more. They want better. They want to see their children have better.”

Grayson Everett is the editor in chief of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270.

Alabama’s top legislative leaders say the state’s economy is on the move — and they’re not slowing down.

Speaking to business leaders at an Alabama Growth Alliance meeting in Fairhope, Alabama Senate President Pro Tem Garlan Gudger and Speaker of the House Nathaniel Ledbetter credited a slate of recent initiatives like Powering Growth, Working for Alabama, The Game Plan, broadband expansion, and targeted investments in energy infrastructure and workforce.

“President Trump reminded us that putting American workers first means investing in the foundations of our economy — land, energy, and people,” said Gudger (R-Cullman).

“That’s exactly what we’re doing here in Alabama. We’ve taken that same blueprint and are applying it with Alabama solutions that are working for our people.”

Speaker Ledbetter echoed that sentiment, noting the critical role that legislative leadership and conservative policy have played in positioning Alabama for continued growth.

“Alabama’s economy continues to gain strength, driven by a series of bold, conservative policies passed by the Alabama Legislature in recent years that are creating jobs, attracting investment, and preparing the state for long-term success,” Ledbetter (R-Rainsville) said.

“Site development, energy availability, and workforce training are the top concerns of job creators today. We’ve taken decisive action on all three — and the results speak for themselves.”

Over the past several years, the Alabama Legislature has championed a number of innovative, forward-thinking economic development policies, including:

Powering Growth – a legislative package that strengthens Alabama’s ability to attract and support major industrial projects by expanding site development funding, establishing the Alabama Energy Infrastructure Bank – a first of its kind initiative that aligns with federal energy policy, and ensuring the state has the energy capacity needed to compete for job-creating investments.
Working for Alabama – established a new, comprehensive workforce development ecosystem in Alabama that expands and modernizes career and technical education (CTE), streamlines job training programs, and strengthens partnerships between industry, K-12 schools, and community colleges to better prepare Alabamians for high-demand, high-wage careers.
The Game Plan – a legislative package that updates and extends Alabama’s core economic development incentives, giving the state more competitive tools to recruit new industries, support existing businesses, and drive long-term investment and job creation across all regions.
Broadband – Alabama has prioritized broadband expansion by investing hundreds of millions of dollars through state and federal grants to extend high-speed internet access to unserved and underserved areas, particularly in rural communities, to support education, healthcare, and economic growth.
The Alabama Growth Alliance – a public-private partnership established to helpguide long-term strategies around rural and economic development.

“These initiatives are about creating opportunity for every part of Alabama — from the Wiregrass to the Shoals,” said Gudger. “We’re not sitting back. We’re building a state that’s ready for the next generation of growth.”

Earlier this year, CNBC ranked Alabama #19 in the nation in its annual “Top States for Business” — a clear sign that the state’s efforts are being recognized at the national level. Legislative leaders say the ranking confirms that Alabama’s strategy is working — and that now is the time to double down.

“We’ve got the right policies in place, and we’ve proven they work,” Ledbetter said. “But we’re not finished. We’re going to keep building sites, training workers, and delivering the energy, infrastructure, and incentives businesses need to thrive in Alabama.”

While challenges remain, leaders expressed confidence that the state’s momentum will continue — as long as Alabama stays focused on the fundamentals.

“The bottom line is simple: pro-growth, conservative policy delivers results,” said Gudger. “That’s what we’ve done in Montgomery, and that’s what we’ll keep doing.”

Grayson Everett is the editor in chief of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270.

Southern Company recently announced the election of John M. Turner Jr., chairman, president and CEO of Alabama-based Regions Financial Corporation, to its board of directors, effective on the first day of September.

“I’m pleased to welcome John to the Southern Company Board of Directors,” said Chris Womack, chairman, president, and CEO of Southern Company.

“As we work to meet the incredible demand we’re seeing and build the future of energy, his shared belief in a customer-centric approach, emphasizing affordability, service, and integrity, aligns perfectly with Southern Company’s core values. His extensive financial expertise, experience in regulated industries, and profound understanding of our service territories will be instrumental as we address these growth opportunities within the evolving energy landscape. His appointment brings another valuable perspective to the Board.”

Regions Financial Corporation is one of the nation’s largest regional banks with $159 billion in assets and the second-largest public company based in Alabama.

Southern Company reports that with over four decades of experience in the financial services industry, Turner has demonstrated a strong track record of driving innovation and fostering community engagement.

Turner joined Regions in 2011 as president of the South Region, leading banking operations in Alabama, Mississippi, South Louisiana and the Florida Panhandle, and was named head of the Corporate Bank in 2014.

He became president in 2017 and, in 2018, was named CEO and appointed to the Regions Board.

Prior to joining Regions, Turner was named president of Whitney National Bank and Whitney Holding Corporation in 2008 and was elected to the bank and holding company boards of directors.

Earlier in his career at Whitney, he was responsible for all geographic line banking functions across the bank and served as the company’s Eastern Region President. Turner joined Whitney in 1994 as its Alabama regional president after nine years at AmSouth Bank, where he held senior consumer, commercial and business positions.

Turner holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Georgia and is currently a trustee for the University of Georgia Foundation.

He serves on the boards of the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama, Alabama Growth Alliance, Prosper Birmingham, and A Plus Education Foundation and Infirmary Health System.

He also serves on the boards of United Way of Central Alabama and the Business Council of Alabama, and he previously served as chair for both.

Turner also has served on Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama and is a former chairman of the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce, the Mobile Area Education Foundation, and the United Way of Southwest Alabama.

Grayson Everett is the editor in chief of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270.

A big leadership change in the state’s executive branch will take effect later this month in Lt. Governor Will Ainsworth’s appointment of Catherine Gayle Fuller as Chief of Staff today.

Ainsworth announced on Thursday morning that Fuller, a multi-year vet of the office, will step into the role formerly held by Jess Skaggs, who is transitioning into the Chief of Staff role for Alabama Senate President Pro Tempore Garlan Gudger (R-Cullman).

“Catherine Gayle has amassed significant experience during her time in the Governor’s Office and my office, and she is uniquely qualified to step into the role of chief of staff,” Ainsworth said.

“A true conservative who is led by her faith, Catherine Gayle is one of the smartest policy minds I know, and her ability to shape policy conversations will help us carry out our agenda as we continue working to make an already great state even better.”

Prior to being selected for the role, Fuller served as Deputy Chief of Staff, which included oversight of policy initiatives and working as the principal spokesperson for Lt. Governor Ainsworth.

Fuller previously worked as director of appointments for Gov. Kay Ivey and was responsible for vetting Alabamians who were placed on important boards, commissions, and oversight panels throughout state government.

She also served as senior policy advisor at the Alabama Department of Revenue under Commissioner Vernon Barnett.

Fuller earned undergraduate and masters degrees in political science from Samford University and the University of Alabama, and she is currently working toward her doctorate degree.

A native of Montgomery, she and her husband, Will, have one daughter, Louise.

Grayson Everett is the editor in chief of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270

As Alabama barrels toward the May 19, 2026 GOP primary for Attorney General, the contest is shaping up to be a political prizefight between former Alabama Supreme Court Associate Justice Jay Mitchell and Katherine Robertson, current AG Steve Marshall’s top aide and the candidate he’s backing to succeed him.

Mitchell outraised the field in July, pulling in $405,550 and ending the month with $1,663,983.57 cash on hand.

Mitchell’s campaign said in a statement on Tuesday that 99.9% of his July contributions came from within the state and that it marks the second straight month that he has posted the strongest numbers in the race.

“I’m energized by such strong early support and proud to report that nearly every single dollar raised in July is from the state of Alabama,” Mitchell said. “We’re just getting started!”

Katherine Robertson, who serves as chief counsel to current Attorney General Steve Marshall, initially reported $89,105 in contributions for July.

However, her campaign said on Tuesday that it would file an amended report due to a shipping delay that prevented several contributions from being included in the original filing. A campaign spokesperson provided proof of the delay from UPS.

A finalized, amended report now details $155,855.00 in campaign donations for the month of July.

As per a separate major contribution report on Tuesday, Robertson’s war chest now totals $1,325,438.64.

Robertson spent about $162,000 last month while Mitchell spent roughly $59,000.

In total, the first 60 days of Robertson’s first bid for public office has netted more than $1.5 million – thanks in large measure to a $1 million contribution in June from First Principles Action Inc., a Nashville-based nonprofit with limited public disclosure.

The group is legally organized by Peter Bisbee, a former executive director of the Republican Attorneys General Association. Current Alabama AG Steve Marshall is a former chairman of, and has worked extensively with, RAGA since he began his term in 2017.

First Principles Action gave $1 million to Robertson in late June. Under Alabama law, nonprofits are permitted to contribute to political campaigns without disclosing their donors.

The group also made an additional $100,000 donation to Robertson’s campaign in recent days.

Mitchell’s campaign for the first time on Tuesday publicly drew attention to the outsized contributions, saying in the news release, “one of his opponents is funded almost entirely by more than $1 million in out-of-state dark money,” in contrast to his in-state driven fundraising successes.

“This race is about who’s going to do the best job of championing Alabama’s conservative values and advancing President Trump’s agenda. It’s clear that voters are ready for an Attorney General who can fight and win for them,” Mitchell said directly.

Robertson’s campaign added in a statement on Tuesday afternoon that she “could not be prouder of the support she has received from First Principles, in recognition of her leadership and standing in the conservative legal movement, as well as an impressive number of individual donors from across the state.”

“Mr. Mitchell raised the vast majority of his campaign contributions, not as a candidate for Attorney General, but as a candidate for the Alabama Supreme Court—a seat that he ran for last fall, won, and promptly resigned from,” a spokesperson for Robertson told Yellowhammer News.

“Katherine is the clear favorite in this race, due to nearly a decade of on-the-job-training in the Attorney General’s Office. Her story continues to resonate with voters from across the state.”

A third Republican candidate in the race, Blount County District Attorney Pamela Casey, ended July with $89,549.39 cash on hand.

Grayson Everett is the editor in chief of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270.

Several Alabama lawmakers were featured by The White House on its official social media channels today in praise of the benefits President Donald Trump’s ‘One Big Beautiful Bill,’ will have on the Yellowhammer State.

On July 4, President Trump signed the tax and spending reconciliation package into law after it passed both chambers of Congress.

According to Speaker of the House Nathaniel Ledbetter, State Sen. Arthur Orr, and State Reps. Rex Reynolds and Susan DuBose, that means Alabama families will be keeping more hard earned money in their pockets.

“One Big Beautiful Bill will certainly will secure tax cuts for Alabamians, and we certainly support that,” Reynolds (R-Huntsville) said. “It will also work on our workforce retention and developing additional jobs in the future.”

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“It’s going to mean a lot to our state,” Orr (R-Decatur) said.

“So when it comes to the opportunity zones that are now going to be focused more for the rural areas, which is significant to a state like Alabama, additionally, the tax cuts for senior citizens and their Social Security overtime pay, other things that will certainly help our citizens, along with bringing the manufacturing jobs back home from offshore and improving our industrial base. So we’re grateful for all that has happened and appreciate the passage of that fine legislation.”

“Certainly appreciate President Trump and what he’s doing for Alabama,” Speaker Ledbetter (R-Rainsville) said. “And passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill helps our economy. Not only does it secure our borders, but it also helps to bring life into our education system.”

“I cannot thank President Trump enough for the impact this bill is going to make in the state of Alabama. We’re going to have our taxpayers be able to keep more of their hard earned dollar thanks to President Trump,” DuBose (R-Hoover) said.

Over 40 Alabama legislators attended last week’s White House State Leadership Conference, where state lawmakers met Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and officials from federal agencies to discuss how Trump’s policies can be implemented at the state level.

Those talks included the expansion of education tax credits, Medicaid eligibility rules, election integrity measures, and support for rural hospitals and public safety provisions.

Grayson Everett is the editor in chief of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270.