With national elections behind us for a couple of years, it’s time to focus on the local and statewide elections.
When speaking to concerned citizens, I try to help them understand that quality candidates begin at home. What happens in local and statewide Alabama elections affects your life to a greater degree than what happens nationally. So, great, terrible, or in-between, elected leaders are made, not born. Communities like Gurley, Athens, Sylacauga and Prattville are just a few examples of how having a mayor or city council that works for their own good rather than the good of the community creates misery. So, before they get into office, it is up to us to question, vet and ensure the people desiring a position in government is focused on the good of the people and the municipality, not just the good of their pocketbook or the special interests supporting them.
With that in mind, the focus on 2026 is underway. As 1819 News' Jim Zeigler alerted, May 19 marked one year before the statewide primary elections, and local elections are already underway in preparation for the August 2025 local and municipal elections. Many of the qualifying candidates for mayor, city council and municipal boards have already been making the rounds at fairs, festivals and events around the Shoals, as well as club meetings and town halls.
On Wednesday, the Colbert County Republican Women’s Club hosted a few of them: Billy Hudson, who is running for mayor of Muscle Shoals, Scott Hunter, who is running for the Muscle Shoals City Council, and one candidate running for statewide office: Brent Woodall for Public Service Commissioner.
There are three things I recommend voters look for when vetting candidates. First, how they comport themselves. Having to be around the public and field questions is going to be part of the package, so even if someone is an introvert, becoming skilled at how one presents publicly is essential. Also, does he or she draw people in or capture their attention and are their public speaking skills up to snuff? Second, does the candidate really grasp the issues at hand (local or municipal)? And third, does the candidate actually love the community and the people they plan to serve?
You would be amazed at the number of politicians who don’t actually like and even despise the people they are supposed to serve. Look at U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, who will no doubt be running for governor of Alabama. Love him or hate him, this you cannot deny: he loves people, and he loves Alabama. These two factors alone can dictate an elected leader’s actions and choices, and when those factors are lacking, the choices that leader makes that end up harming the people they were elected to serve become quite evident.
The ways in which that love of community shows up is also key. Has the candidate been embedded in the community for a while, or did they move there/buy property for the sole purpose of running for office? Another red flag: in terms of employment and community service, did he or she spend a few years in one position or another, and then a few years in a different/adjacent position, then decide to run for office? If it is the latter, know that these “moves” were probably about making connections, not about making a difference.
So, how did the candidates who visited the Colbert County Republican Women’s Club pass vetting? Some insights:
Muscle Shoals mayoral candidate Billy Hudson graduated high school in Colbert County, was a school superintendent in the district and served on the Muscle Shoals City Council. So, it is safe to say he is an integrated part of the community, has a love for it, and that love has been reflected in his established presence and continued willingness to serve. I appreciated Hudson’s honesty and his lack of spin. I also appreciated the clarity of his platform: good budgeting, good people, good communications. As a resident of the Shoals, I’ll be watching how that squares against incumbent Mayor Mike Lockhart and other candidates.
Muscle Shoals City Council candidate Scott Hunter also shared a similar background of a lifetime in the community and being an honest broker. A long career as a jobber with TVA and several terms on executive boards reflected his commitment to process and community. Hunter said he loved Muscle Shoals and just wanted to see the city and its people do well. When you lead with that attitude, it goes a long way.
Public Service Commissioner candidate Brent Woodall became a known quantity when he first ran for the position in 2022, against incumbent Jeremy Oden. The election ended up in a runoff, and Woodall fell short of a win. Apparently, Woodall is up for the challenge again. He will retire from his job as an assistant district attorney this summer and said he planned to “campaign hard” to unseat Oden.
1819 News covered Woodall’s 2022 runoff campaign. One of Woodall's career paths was as chief of staff for a Public Service Commissioner.
“[W]hile I was there that I learned about what I have termed 'the hidden tax at the Public Service Commission.' That is the main reason I am running for this office," he outlined. "People don't know it, or a lot of people don't know just because the Public Service Commission seems to be one of the most misunderstood bodies of government that we have in Alabama. But it gets its money from the utilities it regulates. They pay for the privilege of being regulated.”
Woodhall plans to maintain this campaign plank, which got him close to the seat in 2022. He feels confident he’ll unseat Oden with more name recognition and funding in 2026.
While the candidates are clamoring for face and air time and building name recognition while pressing the flesh for money and ultimately votes, this is a golden opportunity for Alabamians to give attention to vetting each one. It is critical that as many citizens as possible listen, read and attend an event that allows them to see the candidates in person and in action. Part of making ones’ vote count is ensuring the candidates you vote in acknowledge, recognize, and work for your good and the good of the community.
All politics is local.
Jennifer Oliver O'Connell, As the Girl Turns, is an investigative journalist, author, opinion analyst, and contributor to 1819 News, Redstate, and other publications. Jennifer writes on Politics and Pop Culture, with occasional detours into Reinvention, Yoga, and Food. You can read more about Jennifer's world at her As the Girl Turns website. You can also follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Telegram.
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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