State Sen. Pro-Tem Garlan Gudger (R-Cullman) announced on Friday that his chief of staff Tim Howe is leaving his office to lead the “incumbent protection program” for Gudger’s FORGEPAC leadership committee during the 2026 election cycle.
Jess Skaggs, who currently serves as chief of staff to Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth, will transfer to the Pro-Tem’s office and assume the role that Howe is vacating in August.
“Tim’s political background and experience makes him the perfect choice to head FORGEPAC’s incumbent protection efforts and preserve our supermajority of conservative Republicans in the Alabama Senate,” Gudger said. “Jess has served Lt. Gov. Ainsworth exceptionally well as his chief of staff and will bring the trust and relationships he has built with members of the State Senate to my office. I’m fortunate these two men are willing to assume these new positions, which fit the specific talents and skill sets that each possess, and help us continue providing commonsense conservative leadership to the Alabamians we swore an oath to serve.”
Howe was originally hired as chief of staff to former State Sen. Pro-Tem Greg Reed (R-Jasper) in 2023 and has since continued in that role under Gudger, who was elected to lead the Senate in February. Reed resigned from the Senate in 2024 to become Gov. Kay Ivey’s new Secretary of the Department of Workforce.
A former executive director of the Alabama Republican Party, Howe has run and consulted upon dozens of statewide and legislative campaigns and brings extensive political knowledge and experience to FORGEPAC. Skaggs became Ainsworth’s chief of staff in 2022 after originally serving four years as deputy chief of staff in his office.
“Jess has been an incredible and loyal employee, and he shares in much of our success,” Ainsworth said. “His relationships with the senators and his knowledge of the legislative process will be as much of an asset to Pro-Tem Gudger as they have been to me.”
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