Former Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill, Alabama Republican Party (ALGOP) acting-chairman Joan Reynolds and State Rep. Scott Stadthagen (R-Hartselle) are running to be the next ALGOP chairman.
An election for the position will be held on Saturday at the ALGOP State Executive Committee meeting in Hoover.
Former ALGOP chairman John Wahl resigned his position in January to run for lieutenant governor.
1819 News recently spoke with all three candidates to discuss their backgrounds, goals for the party, their positions on closed primaries, and their outlooks on what it means to be a Republican.
Merrill
Merrill served as a state representative from 2010 to 2014. He then served two terms from 2015 to 2023 as Secretary of State. He ran for U.S. Senate in 2022 but dropped out of the race shortly after admitting to an extramarital affair.
Merrill told 1819 News recently that the response to his chairman campaign has been positive. He said he wanted to see ALGOP have a more “collaborative” relationship with the Alabama Legislature.
“People have been very encouraging, very supportive, very interested in helping me promote my campaign, making sure I’m reaching the right people, making sure that the message is understood. The enthusiasm and the energy has been very, very strong. I have thoroughly appreciated the opportunity to interact with members of the committee and have a chance to have them hear my message,” Merrill said. “You’re going to see a more cooperative relationship and collaborative relationship with the Alabama Legislature and with the members of the county commissions in all 67 counties. You’re going to see a stronger relationship with our constitutional officers and understanding what our priorities are and moving our message forward around the state. That’s one of the first things you’ll see. You’re also going to see an understanding that we’re all ultimately on the same page, and in order to have our voice heard and our message received well by the general population and the electorate, we have to make sure that people understand why we are Republicans and what that means to us. We will continue to do that through strong leadership that’s demonstrated from the top down through all the officers, all the team members at the office of the Alabama Republican Party, and throughout our state with our elected officials and our elected members of the State Republican Executive Committee.”
He added, “Being a Republican means that you’re for less government.”
“Being a Republican means that you’re for lower taxes. Being a Republican means that you’re for removing barriers that cause individuals not to be able to expand their businesses or grow their personal wealth or participate in economic development projects,” Merrill continued. “Being a Republican means that we cut red tape so it’s easier to build roads and bridges and to have economic development projects that can move forward and create jobs. Being a Republican means that we believe in giving the opportunity for selection, trust, and confidence in parents directing their own child’s education. Not just in an individual environment, but in the public schools, the private schools, parochial schools, and home school environments. I think all those things are so very important, and we need to understand that as Republicans, we believe in less obtrusive behavior by the government as we move forward.”
He said repeatedly that visiting all 67 Alabama counties sets him apart from other candidates.
“It’s going to all 67 counties for 14 years in a row. There’s not another elected official in the state that goes to every county every year, let alone any party officials. None of those individuals who have expressed interest in this position have been to all 67 counties coordinating work for the Republican Party or any other effort. I’ve done that as Secretary (of State). I’ve done that in the private sector. It’s something I’ve continued to do. That is one of the main things that separates me. I don’t need a GPS to get around to our 466 municipalities and the 67 counties in our state,” Merrill said. “All our county parties are very important and all of our county parties deserve to have their voice heard, not just because they’re from certain locations in the state but because as Republicans, we come together to talk about things that are important to all of us and how to make Alabama be all it can be. That’s the thing that we all need to be united about and uniform about pushing forward.”
State Rep. Ernie Yarbrough (R-Trinity) recently filed legislation to close primaries in Alabama.
Merrill said the issue is “something that needs to be explored.”
“That’s a change that we looked at when I was Secretary of State, where we evaluated the position of having closed primaries in Alabama. We did homework and saw how it had impacted other states that are our neighbors or other states in the Union. I think that’s something that you have to continuously do. One of the things that we discovered then was that it actually reduced the number of people that participated in the primaries when you actually close the primaries,” Merrill said. “I’m not saying that we need to have open primaries like we have now or closed primaries. We started that process by ending crossover voting several years ago. We did that back in 2016, 2017 was when that law was passed. It was implemented for the first time in the Roy Moore, Doug Jones campaign for the United States Senate. That is something that we need to continue to evaluate and assess. I do think the issue needs to be given attention. If that means requiring a study to look at the pros and the cons, but I think the legislative leaders in Montgomery are going to give this their full attention because it’s very clear that a number of people at the executive committee level for the Republican Party want to have this issue debated in Montgomery and want to have their voice heard on the topic.”
Reynolds
Reynolds recently ascended from vice chairman to acting-chairman after Wahl announced he was resigning as ALGOP chairman and running for lieutenant governor.
Reynolds has served as the Shelby County Republican Party chairman for 12 years. She also previously served as the Butler County Republican Party chairman for about 10 years.
Reynolds told 1819 News the response to her ALGOP chairman’s run has been “very positive.”
“The majority of the people know something about my background and how long I’ve been involved. I know so many of the executive committee members so I think it’s been very good,” Reynolds said. “I’ve organized events, fundraised, and recruited people to run for different offices. One of the things that I’ve done over the years is started the Mighty Alabama Strike Force 17 years ago so that’s where I had to recruit. I started with three volunteers and now I have over 300. That’s working, going into battleground states where the RNC asked me to go to try to win elections. I’ve been entrenched in Republican politics for over 20 years. There’s not been a day I don’t think during those 20 years that I haven’t done something either at a local party or with my Strike Force group or something along those lines. I don’t know that anybody else in this race would have that amount of experience.”
Reynolds said she enjoys working with the grassroots and recruiting conservative Republicans to run for office.
“I enjoy working with the grassroots. That’s what I’ve always done. The county parties are where I will start because they’re the ones that are on the ground, they know what’s going on and they know the best candidates that we can recruit,” she outlined. “One of the things that I feel like is so important, our party has one big focus…that’s to recruit conservative Republicans to run for office and to support those that are conservative if they have a challenger. I think that’s our major job to do because if we get the right Republicans in there, the conservative ones, if we get them elected, then the Legislature has got what they need. My intention and what I have already done is recruited a young guy to come in on the 15th and he will be working in the Madison County area because they have so many people that are coming in there that they don’t know what their party affiliation is so the chairman reached out to me and asked me, ‘Could they have some help up there?’ I’m going to be working with other people that we put up there, some field staff, to be sure that we don’t lose any seats. We have one Democrat seat up there that we need to get back. I’m looking at the entire state. We have specific seats that we have targeted that we’ll be working to try to be sure that we get.”
Reynolds continued, “The (Republican Party) platform is really important. Of course, the platform is pro-life. I’ve always been pro-life.”
“I really think a lot of times we kind of take it for granted because we live it, we don’t have to go check it out to be sure that we’re abiding by the party platform,” she added. “Education is important, and I think part of the platform is what we just got passed, and that’s school choice. Lower taxes, freedom of speech, and the right for people to exercise their own faith…a lot of those things that’s just what I lived anyways so it wasn’t a learning curve. I didn’t have to change anything. I think my record speaks for itself in what I’ve done so I don’t really plan on backing up on any of that.”
On closed primaries, Reynolds said, “The party has passed a resolution several years ago about closed primaries. I think it’s always been on the agenda.”
“It’s just that it hasn’t been pushed as much as it is now. I’ve always felt like we only need Republicans voting in our primaries. It’s just got to be the right bill. It’s sort of come to light now from some actions that have been taken. I think it’s a good thing. We just have to have the right one. I’m going to support whatever the party decides to do, and it appears to me that they are for closed primaries, so I am absolutely in favor of that,” Reynolds said.
Stadthagen
Stadthagen first won election to the State House in 2018. He became House majority leader in January 2023. He recently resigned as majority leader to run for ALGOP chairman.
“The Alabama Republican Party has achieved tremendous success, but we cannot become complacent. My goal is to strengthen what we have built and position our Party for the next generation,” Stadthagen told 1819 News. “One of the biggest advantages I bring is the ability to connect the grassroots of our Party with the governing majority in Montgomery. As a legislator, I understand how ideas become law, and I want to make sure the priorities of our Party are translated into real policy outcomes. I also believe strongly in discipline, transparency, and communication with the State Executive Committee. Members deserve to know what is happening inside their Party and have a voice in its direction. Finally, I want the Alabama Republican Party to be the model for red states across the country. Strong organization, strong grassroots engagement, and strong results. That is the standard I will work to uphold.”
Stadthagen said his business background and time in the Legislature have prepared him for the role.
“My experience spans both the private sector and public service. I started a business in 2005 from the ground up. I learned quickly how to manage people, solve problems, and make decisions that impact the success of the organization,” he explained. “For the past eight years, I have served in the Alabama Legislature, where I have consistently fought for conservative policy. For the last three, I have also served as House Majority Leader, helping manage our Republican supermajority and guide complex legislation through the process. Those experiences have given me the leadership, operational discipline, and relationships necessary to help the Alabama Republican Party continue winning elections and advancing conservative policy.”
Stadthagen said he supports closed primaries.
“I believe Republicans should select Republican nominees and Democrats should select Democrat nominees. Closed primaries help protect the integrity of the nomination process and ensure that our candidates reflect the values of Republican voters. This is something many states have already implemented successfully,” Stadthagen said. “Legislation has already been drafted in Alabama, and I am proud to co-sponsor that effort. I believe it is time for our state to move in that direction and protect the voice of Republican voters.”
He continued, “The Alabama Republican Party is a grassroots organization; the State Executive Committee plays an important role in guiding the direction of the Party.”
“As Chairman, my focus would be on strengthening the infrastructure of the Party so we can continue winning elections and advancing conservative principles. That includes stronger engagement with our 67 County Chairmen, better communication with members, and more collaboration between the Party and our elected officials. I also believe in transparency. Members should be informed about major decisions and have opportunities to provide input on the direction of the Party. Strong organizations function best when communication is open and leadership is accountable,” Stadthagen said. “Our strength comes from working together. Alabama Republicans have built one of the strongest state parties in the country, and maintaining unity will be essential to protecting that success. Our county parties and grassroots activists are the backbone of the Republican Party. Supporting them, listening to them, and helping them grow will be a major priority. I want to strengthen the relationship between the Party and the Legislature so that the ideas and priorities coming from our members can translate into meaningful legislative action. The long-term strength of the Alabama Republican Party depends on investing in young conservatives today. I want to create opportunities for mentoring, leadership development, and engagement so that the next generation understands our principles and is prepared to lead. Protecting young voters from the influence of the radical left and equipping them with the tools to defend conservative values will be critical to the future of our Party."
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