The showdown for Alabama's top Senate seat
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WIAT) — The race for Lieutenant Governor is heating up, and candidates are sharing their goals if they win in 2026.
Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen was one of the first to announce his candidacy for Lieutenant Governor. Allen said his work on elections, and previously in the legislature, makes him well equipped for the top Senate seat.
'We're extremely proud of our record,' Allen said. 'We have to cut red tape. We have to cut fees and been a business-friendly office. And we expect to take that to the Lieutenant Governor's role as well.'
Also vying for that role is Agriculture and Industries Commissioner Rick Pate. Pate said there's still more he wants to do for the people of Alabama.
'I have such good relationships with so many of the Senators. There's different friends, Republicans and Democrats,' Pate said. 'In fact, I talked with Bobby Singleton yesterday about running for Lieutenant Governor. And I think that they're excited.'
Running alongside Pate and Allen is Huntsville native Dr. Nicole Wadsworth. With years of experience in commercial real estate, she said she wants to bring more businesses to Alabama.
'Just to help create an environment where people want to live,' said Dr. Wadsworth. 'The worst thing I hear from companies is people losing talent to other states. We need to learn how to put Alabama first and keep it at home.'
Alabama AG Steve Marshall to run for U.S. Senate
Republican Party Chairman John Wahl said he also wants to put Alabama first. He's still deciding on whether or not to run.
'If I pull the trigger on this and I run for Lieutenant Governor, I want to be an ambassador for the state of Alabama. I want to be a statesman that fights for our people and raises our profile on the national level,' he said.
Dean Odle, a pastor from Opelika, has also announced his run for Lieutenant Governor among others.
The primary election is on May 19, while the general election is scheduled for November 3 of next year.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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