Excitement builds during the presidential election cycle every four years. But while the White House is critical, Alabama conservatives cannot afford to treat our state primaries – where the future of Alabama is actually chosen – like a side show.
In 2026, Alabamians will elect leaders for our statewide constitutional offices, the Alabama Senate and the Alabama House. Those men and women will determine whether Alabama finally embraces the bold, pro-growth tax and regulatory reforms that allow families to prosper, or whether Montgomery continues operating like a protected political ecosystem where special interests win and everyday citizens get press releases instead of results.
Electing a good governor is NOT enough
At this point it seems likely that Coach Tuberville will be our next governor, bringing things Montgomery desperately needs: an outsider’s clarity, a coach’s discipline and the backbone to withstand pressure when the loudest voices demand surrender. But here’s the hard truth: even a strong conservative governor can only take Alabama so far without support from the legislature.
Too many decisions in this state are shaped by insiders, lobbyists and permanent political staffers who treat government like their own private industry. If we send a reform-minded governor to Montgomery and surround him with lawmakers who campaign as conservatives but govern like liberals, we will get the same outcomes, just with better rhetoric.
Alabama Has a Special-Interest Problem
Alabama’s central conflict is not “Republican vs. Democrat.” It’s citizens vs. the entrenched political class, consultants, lobbyists and dealmakers who thrive when government grows, spending expands, and reforms get stalled in committee.
We’ve watched this in session after session:
- Conservatives ask for meaningful tax relief
- Special interests demand carve-outs and complexity
- Leadership celebrates minor tweaks and calls it victory
As I’ve written before, conservatives have good reason to be frustrated with legislative leadership that talks right while governing timidly, growing budgets, delaying reforms and protecting incumbency over accountability.
Tax Reform Must Be the Centerpiece
If Alabama wants to compete in the Southeast and keep our best talent here, we must be serious about tax reform.
Income tax reform is the obvious place to start. Surrounding states are either already free of an income tax or moving aggressively toward lowering or eliminating it. That reality shapes where businesses expand and where families choose to relocate. Alabama cannot pretend this doesn’t matter.
But tax reform is not just one line item, it’s a posture:
- If the government continues to grow, the pressure to extract more from taxpayers never goes away
- If leadership refuses to audit programs, measure outcomes, and trim bureaucracy, taxpayers will keep funding inefficiency
- If conservatives won’t fight for structural reform, we’ll keep getting “one-time” reductions that look good in a headline but don’t change the trajectory
And we should be candid that property taxes matter too, especially for working families and retirees on fixed incomes. Even if Alabama’s overall tax picture differs from other states, homeowners feel every increase, and small businesses feel every assessment. A conservative government should protect the right to own property without constantly worrying that the government will treat our homes like a never-ending revenue source.
This is why fiscal constraint is not a talking point; it’s a moral issue. Families budget. Businesses budget. Government should budget. Alabama should pursue tax relief hand in hand with spending restraint, not offer symbolic cuts while allowing the long-term size of government to expand.
The Speaker’s Office and Leadership Structure Matter a Lot
Primary voters often focus on individual candidates, but conservatives must also pay attention to the leadership structure inside the legislature. In Alabama, the Speaker’s office and committee chairs are not “administrative roles.” They determine what reforms see daylight and what reforms quietly die.
If we want tax reform, conservative governance and real accountability, we must elect lawmakers who will also fight for a leadership team that shares those priorities. It is time for us to get a speaker who is not just a RINO (Republican in Name Only). We need a conservative fighter to lead the legislature.
Term Limits: The Principle Alabama Understands, but Montgomery Fears
My work on term limits has always been rooted in a simple truth: career politics breeds dependency on special interests. When office becomes a lifestyle, decisions become transactional. The longer someone stays, the more relationships and incentives form around preserving power – not serving citizens.
That’s why the term-limits movement matters, not just in Washington, but as a principle Alabama conservatives should apply to how we think about governance and accountability. I’ve argued that entrenchment produces a disconnect between the governed and those in power – and that special interests flourish in that disconnect.
Even where term limits aren’t yet the law, conservatives should treat them as a standard: support leaders who live like citizen-legislators, not permanent occupants.
Now Is the Time to Step Up
Here’s the practical reality: You don’t get better choices in the voting booth unless better people step forward beforehand.
The Alabama Republican Party’s 2026 qualifying period opens January 5 and closes January 23. That window is when citizens who love Alabama – business owners, parents, veterans and community leaders – decide whether they’re willing to run and challenge the system.
To those considering a run, this is your moment. If you’ve ever said, “Somebody needs to do something,” understand that “somebody” has a name and an address, and it might be you.
Those who aren’t running are just as important. Support those who have already proven they’ll fight, who prioritize tax reform, who oppose runaway spending, and who won’t bend the knee to Montgomery’s permanent political class.
Electing a good governor can bring needed strength and direction at the top. However, Alabama’s future will still be decided by what the Legislature chooses or refuses to do once the cameras are gone. Primary season is where we take our state back one district at a time.
Gerrick Wilkins is an automotive consultant, former congressional candidate, and author of Unshackling Democracy: Embracing Term Limits, Empowering Citizens. He can be reached at [email protected] or followed on X @gdwilkins.
The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of 1819 News. To comment, please send an email with your name and contact information to [email protected].
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