Following the announcement that all 14 mayors in Baldwin County endorsed State Sen. Chris Elliott (R-Josephine), one mayor says he would like to clarify that he made a mistake, while another says he never made an official endorsement and wants to stay out of the political drama.
Summerdale Mayor Randy Farris told 1819 News that he is not endorsing any candidate at this time, even though he personally supports one.
"I may support some of those as an individual, but as an official statement from my mayor position, I am not endorsing anyone," Farris said.
Farris said the confusion started at a mayor's event where Elliott was taking endorsement photos with the mayors. He said he arrived early for the event when Elliott approached him.
"Chris said, 'Hey, we're having a photo shoot for everybody that want to endorse me, and you can endorse me if you want to,'" Farris remembered. "And he just kind of chuckled, and I chuckled back and said, 'I understand.' And that was it. I was noncommittal."
Farris said he didn't want to be a part of the endorsement, but he inadvertently stepped up for the photo.
"I wasn't going to be in the picture," he explained. "So, I was standing back and there was an elderly gentleman that was struggling to get into the door, into the restaurant. So, I stepped over and held the door for him and assisted him to go through the door so he wouldn't trip over the threshold. By the time that was all done, I turned back, and I thought, 'Well, the photo shoot is over.'
"So, I stepped around the corner and lo and behold, I walked right into that photoshoot, and it was still going on," he continued. "And so instead of trying to make an awkward moment, I went ahead, and I stepped up there, and I didn't really think any more about it than that."
It wasn't until the next day that Farris said he realized he had accidentally endorsed Elliott.
"I'm not trying to say he deceived me in any way," Farris clarified. "I just inadvertently stepped up there thinking it was over, and it wasn't, and I went ahead and stayed there. It was my mistake."
Farris told 1819 News that after speaking to others in the Baldwin County political scene, he wanted to make it clear that he is not taking a position on the race at this time.
"Elliott, I don't think he was trying to do anything untoward," he added. "It's just like, he just had the picture there, and I just stepped into it, and almost a tacit agreement that I would do it. So, I don't have any harsh feelings, anything at all about it."
Loxley Mayor Richard Teal told 1819 News that he wanted to stay neutral and does not officially endorse Elliott or Van.
Robertsdale Mayor Ruthie Campbell also told 1819 News that she supports Elliott and initially confirmed she had endorsed him. In fact, she said it was a difficult decision to make because she has been a longtime friend of his opponent, Mike Van. However, she now says she wants to use the word "support" instead of "endorse" and says she supports Elliott and Van.
Elliott's district, District 32, does not represent Loxley, Robertsdale or Summerdale.
Despite the claims, Elliott said he is sure he received verbal endorsements from all of the mayors.
"Every single mayor told me I had their full endorsement, and, in Baldwin County and across Alabama, your commitment and your word still mean something," Elliott stated. "I'm going to keep standing tall for Baldwin County and fighting to bring road dollars, school funding, community grants, and other resources to the towns and cities that each of these mayors represent."
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