Former Democratic candidate for governor Christopher Countryman, 46, and his partner, Bruce Ryan Countryman, 32, were arrested on Monday and charged with methamphetamine possession near Cottonwood Road in Dothan.
Court records say the pair were released on $1,000 bond each.
Christopher Countryman has had a lackluster political performance in the state. He ran for governor in 2018, coming in last place in the Democratic primary. He tried again in 2022, this time running as a write-in candidate.
The couple founded Equality Wiregrass in 2015 while advocating for "marriage equality" in Alabama amidst drama surrounding certain counties refusing to issue same-sex marriage licenses. According to his campaign, he also founded The Rethink Alabama Movement, which works to educate voters on issues and mobilize and train grassroots volunteers. His campaign also stated that he was a motivational speaker, a licensed minister, and a civil and human rights activist.
During his campaign, the state and national media gave Countryman ample coverage, presenting him as an activist who would be the first openly gay person to sit in a statewide seat.
In addition to several traffic violations, Christopher Countryman has had previous run-ins with the law. In 2000, he was compelled to pay back nearly $400 for writing a bad check to Wal-Mart. Bruce Countryman was arrested again for methamphetamine possession in January 2024.
According to WTVY, the pair were also both charged with domestic violence following an alleged altercation between them at their Dothan home in 2018.
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