Three candidates for the open seat of mayor of Mobile faced off Wednesday to a full house.
Former public safety director and Police Chief Lawrence Battiste, County Commissioner Connie Hudson and former County Commissioner Stephen Nodine gave opening statements and then answered written questions submitted by the audience.
The West Mobile Republican Women's Club hosted the forum at the Woodridge Baptist Church on Schillinger Road. All mayoral candidates were invited.
The Mobile municipal election for Mayor and city council seats is on August 26. The deadline for candidates to qualify to run is June 10. Incumbent Mayor Sandy Stimpson is not running again. A new mayor will be inaugurated in November.
Connie Hudson
Hudson organized her presentation around three points – experience, relationships and results.
She said her nine years on the Mobile City Council and 14 years on the Mobile County Commission provided her with experience to be mayor. She detailed working with constituents, budgeting and economic development. She said she has been at the table for all economic development projects for the past 25 years.
Hudson said there will be a learning curve for whoever will be the new mayor but that hers "will be short."
On relationships, she said she has great relationships with her two colleagues on the county commission.
On results, she said her persistence, determination and collaboration have produced results. Her priorities will be a safe, clean Mobile with:
"abundant jobs, workforce training, elimination of blight, adequate housing, recreational activities, entertainment and beautification."
On beautification and eliminating blight, Hudson gave a startling example:'
"When people exit off of I-10 onto Canal Street, the first thing they see is rolls of razor wire." She was referring to the Mobile jail.
"Crime is everybody's number one issue. There is no silver bullet there."
She wants to address youth violence and crime.
Hudson gave the Inspire Project as an example of a project that has already produced some measurable results. The project refers youth in legal trouble to the juvenile court, the Strickland Youth Center.
Hudson said one productive tactic was to teach the troubled youth life-saving skills. "If they experience lives being saved, they are less likely to take one."
She suggested putting a police precinct in the mall so people would not be afraid to go there and shop. She said there needs to be a greater police presence.
Stephen Nodine
Nodine had served in the U.S. Army. After he came to Mobile, he was elected to the city council, serving at the same time as Hudson. He was then elected to the county commission. He said he is now a project development coordinator.
Nodine praised Hudson and her husband, Dennis, for "helping me and my son in my tough time."
He did not discuss that tough period other than to say that he has been cleared to run for Mayor.
Nodine took a Donald Trump approach to the campaign and his plans for the future. He said he would study the consolidation of duplicative services and start a Mobile Office of Government Efficient similar to Elon Musk's DOGE. "Get the fat out."
"Make Mobile Great Again is the same as MAGA," he said.
Nodine said when he was on the city council, "the budget for the mayor's office was $800,000. Now, it is $9.5 million."
He pointed out that a new office, "The Mayor's Political Advisor" has just been added.
He detailed how Baldwin County is causing problems for Mobile and what he would do to address them.
"The success of Baldwin County has come on the backs of the people of Mobile."
Baldwin County takes advantage of all the industry we build, and then the employees go live on the other side of the Bay."
"1,500 people a year leave Mobile County."
"People are afraid to go to downtown Mobile."
"There is layer upon layer of taxation."
Nodine said he would "get politics out of the police department."
Lawrence Battiste
Battiste served in the U.S. Navy. He is now the deputy administrator for the juvenile court after serving as the police chief and public safety director. He has been married for 39 years and has three children who also serve their country and county.
He pointed out that he was there when difficult decisions had to be made.
He said, "Mobile is unique but has not yet risen to its potential. There is work today."
"We are Mobile."
Battiste said he would focus on education.
"We have to make sure that on top of graduating people, we're graduating people that are job-ready, that are capable to either go to college or to take on a trade. And right now, we're not doing a very good job with that. Mobile is the largest school system in the state of Alabama, there's no reason we shouldn't have the largest talent pipeline in the state," he said.
Other candidates and potential candidates
One announced candidate for mayor had accepted the invitation to the February 12 forum but canceled. It was former District Judge Spiro Cheriogotis. He said he had a schedule conflict but would speak at the April meeting of the West Mobile Republican Women's Club.
One potential candidate was present at the event but did not speak. Former Police Chief Paul Prine has not decided whether to enter the mayor's race. He told 1819 News that he would announce a decision by March 1.
State Sen. Vivian Figures (D-Mobile) is prominently mentioned as a potential candidate. She is the mother of newly-elected Congress member U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures (D-Mobile).
State Rep. Barbara Drummond (D-Mobile) is prominently mentioned as a potential candidate.
Jim' Zig' Zeigler writes about Alabama's people, places, events, groups and prominent deaths. He is a former Alabama Public Service Commissioner and State Auditor. You can reach him for comments at ZeiglerElderCare@yahoo.com.
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