A new "Business Partners for Rick Pate" coalition announced on Monday that it is actively recruiting other business leaders from across the state to support the Republican lieutenant governor candidate because Pate is the "only one in the field who has founded, expanded and operated a business."
Pate is running against Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen, Dr. Nicole Wadsworth and Opelika pastor Dean Odle in the Republican primary for lieutenant governor in 2026. Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth is term-limited from seeking re-election.
"The business community needs a doer, not a talker serving as lieutenant governor, and Rick Pate is the only candidate who has signed the front of a paycheck so others can sign the back," said coalition member Ken Upchurch, chairman and CEO of W.K. Upchurch Construction. "Rick Pate has demonstrated the grit and determination that is required to start and build a successful business, and he has firsthand knowledge of the challenges and concerns that business owners face on a daily basis."
Before serving as Commissioner of Agriculture & Industries, Pate founded and operated Pate Landscape Co., an award-winning landscape design, construction, and irrigation business, for 38 years.
"Alabama has made great progress in recent years in expanding our workforce development programs and focusing on labor force participation, and Rick Pate is the only candidate with the experience to sustain and build upon that momentum," Upchurch said. "He understands that struggling to find qualified workers cripples a business's ability to operate and hurts Alabama's economic development and industrial recruitment efforts."
In addition to Upchurch, members of the coalition steering committee include Jimmy and Wayne Bassett of Beck's Turf, Beau Bevis of Arc Realty, Jeff Brooks of HighPoint Holdings, Mac Caddell of Caddell Construction, Bob Crawford of United Distributors of Alabama, Jack Darnall of Lemoine Program Services, Daniel Hughes of Envolve Communities, Bob Isakson of Lafayette Land Company, Michael Kirkpatrick of Dese Research Inc., Jason Neff of the Law Office of Jason C. Neff, Mindy Newell of Kickback Ranch and Event Center, Jordan Plaster of Ameriprise Financial Services LLC, Gary Savage of BL Harbert International's US Group, Shep Morris of Morris & Morris Farms, and former Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange.
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