“I charge thee, fling away ambition:
By that sin fell the angels; how can man, then,
The image of his Maker, hope to win by it?”
—William Shakespeare
Dear Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth,
Though it is more in my character to tease, mock, hector and harangue politicians regarding their ambitions, today I write to simply share my gratitude for your display of character in your recent statements regarding the future of your own political ambitions.
As you recently told Jeff Poor:
I really don't have that much of an interest in running for the Senate. I think the only thing that I would consider running for is governor.
Obviously, there's some big names out there, but, hey, I've been the underdog before, and if that happens again, that would be a lot of fun. And that's always kind of where I thought I could help the state the best is as governor, but we'll see what happens.
Thank you, sir, for your candor and consistency.
For several years now, you have openly and publicly said that your political aspirations are simply and solely to rise to the governor’s chair here in Alabama, then retire from politics after making your mark on state – that you have no desire to go to Washington, D.C., nor make politics a lifelong career.
When I first heard you say this years ago, I believed you and found it quite refreshing to finally see a man in public life who not only knows what he wants, but who also calls his shot while humbling his ambitions.
That said, I also suspected at the time that your commitment to this particular path might be tested down the road by the ever-changing political winds – and the impending candidacy of Tommy Tuberville for governor has been nothing short of a whirlwind destined to test your mettle these last few months.
You could jump out of Tuberville’s way into a new, wide-open lane. Yet you haven’t. I guess you still could, but it doesn’t seem like you will.
You could run for United States Senate and even be a favorite to win, encouraged by many Alabamians who would love to see yet another young senator alongside the youthful Katie Britt.
Who could blame you? It would be the practical, common-sense thing to do. Most Alabamians would likely forgive you for changing your mind. Politicians change their minds all the time. We’re used to it.
Yet, you’re sticking to your guns and relishing the “fun” of running as an underdog against Tuberville. You’re eating your Wheaties, too.
If only more political players behaved this way, we would all be better for it!
Most politicians seem to let their unrestrained ambition lead them from one thing to the next with no clear destination defined – the next opportunity, the next issue, the next office, the next rung up the ladder to climb – all as the political winds buffet their aims to-and-fro until eventually they fall with angels’ pride.
But not you.
So again, I say thank you.
Thank you for staying true to yourself. It’s a rare thing to see in public life.
And though I rarely endorse anyone running for any political office – and don’t plan on doing so now or anytime soon – I will say I look forward to watching you run for governor, underdog or not.
Though contrary to my usual cynical character, it’s difficult even for me not to appreciate a man who calls his shot and sticks to it without hemming and hawing or making excuses.
Indeed, what a fun election year 2026 just might be.
Sincerely,
Joey
Joey Clark is a native Alabamian and is currently the host of the radio program News and Views on News Talk 93.1 FM WACV out of Montgomery, AL, M-F 12 p.m. - 3 p.m. His column appears every Tuesday in 1819 News. To contact Joey for media or speaking appearances, as well as any feedback, please email [email protected]. Follow him on X @TheJoeyClark or watch the radio show livestream.
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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