In his Nov. 13 column, “2026 Governor’s Race Has Begun,” Steve Flowers speculated on likely candidate prospects for the 2026 Alabama gubernatorial election. Flowers included a rather interesting comment: “2026 could be another 1978 where a Fob James–like candidate comes out of the dark and buys the Governor’s office.”
Flowers’ words are illuminating, casting a light into the catacombs of darkness pervading the halls of governance in this proud state.
Alabama has a history of supporting successful and often charismatic businessmen, mavericks and “outliers” who share an intrinsic core of sensible ideas, as well as respect for Rousseau's social contract. In the luminary minds of principled public servants there is a clear guidon concerning the proper role of government and its fiduciary underpinnings. Our tax dollars should do two things: 1) monies should be spent efficiently to benefit our state’s legal citizens; 2) monies should not go into “good ole boy” projects benefitting political insiders and lobbyists. The perceived paradigm shift occurring from this altruistic truism is transformative and something to be wished for and divinely sought.
Reality shows, however, that the latter of the aforementioned maxims is the predominant problem in state government today. Who will stand up for the Average Joe punching a clock while standing against the special interests and taskmasters from the private sector? Any successful candidate needs a fortune to have a chance against the big mules pulling the treasure-laden carts.
Alabama is one of the few states that doesn’t have limits on campaign contributions from individuals, lobbyists or special interests, and it shows. This should be of grave concern to all good voting citizens of Alabama … one must only follow the trail of the dollar once a lineage of lobbyists is revealed. All those “public servants” in that incestuous den of personal gain and outlaw activities have at least one thing in common: they’re against oversight and control of their fiefdom.
Yet some still operate in honorable fashion with a code of personal and professional discipline. Both Sen. Tommy Tuberville and Sen. Katie Britt won their first elections to the U.S. Senate. There’s no reason to think that Republican voters would turn away from that type of candidate now, particularly given President Donald Trump’s decisive victory, which suggests a populist mandate mirroring Alabama’s electorate. Who will step forward like the prophet Isaiah saying, “Send me, I will serve”?
That dark horse candidate may have inadvertently been revealed on Nov. 19 when Rear Admiral Kent Davis spoke to a large gathering of veteran organization officials in the Birmingham area. Yes, the same Kent Davis recently featured in numerous news stories regarding Gov. Kay Ivey’s political gamesmanship and malfeasance toward the Department of Veterans Affairs (ADVA) director, specifically the administration's attempt to circumvent the will of the ADVA Board and appoint someone more beholden to political winds rather than the will of the board (whom the governor already gets to appoint).
It should come as no shock that the political insiders are on the wrong side of this issue. Public approval is coalescing in support of Davis, particularly among the approximate 350,000+ veterans for which he was (and still is) our top advocate, despite Ivey’s unceremonious and unprofessional – and likely unconstitutional/illegal – forcing of Davis’s resignation as commissioner of Veterans Affairs.
During the Nov. 19 meeting, Davis spoke to the audience for nearly an hour, receiving a standing ovation and a raucous cheer. He then opened the floor to questions, the first of which was, “So, when are you running for governor?” This elicited more applause from the large audience. Davis simply answered, “Boy, a lot of people have been asking me that lately.”
While not in attendance, we concur with the audience’s sentiment and also call on Davis to strongly consider running for governor. The establishment should heed the fact that we have an organic, grassroots footprint with hundreds of thousands of motivated, engaged supporters in every town via American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars posts. The veterans in this state, along with every other tax-paying citizen, deserve a government that works for our needs, not those of political elites and insider lobbyists.
If any of those brigands and highwaymen frequenting the “Montgomery Swamp” scoffs or chuckles at that, think again. Davis has a long and distinguished military career working for many generals and admirals in the highest levels of the U.S. military, including James Mattis, Ken Braithwaite and John Kirby. Davis ended his military career as an admiral at the Pentagon as one of the Navy’s top guns in public affairs. It is a known fact that Davis has a pure character beyond reproach, and that his dedication to Alabama’s military veterans and their families is unwavering. He has solid statewide name identification amongst a very active and engaged support base, not to mention growing national recognition from the impropriety surrounding the governor’s mishandling of the ADVA directorship. Motivations for his candidacy are predicated upon the supposition that if the governor would do this to a highly successful flag officer of the U.S. military, then what hope is there for the average veteran or their families?
Make no mistake, Davis’ only sins were that he complied with Alabama Law and submitted a justified ethics complaint, and that he refused to serve as a useful stooge to the polluted, derelict and corrupt organs of this state. Further, his moral high ground prohibits conformity to the agenda set forth by the overlords of this villainous cabal, all while using the veteran’s well-being as a negotiable instrument of financial thievery. Davis is beloved by our constituency and we know him to be a RESOUNDING leader and a true azimuth of personal courage and selfless service. Davis is not going away, and neither are we!
Alabama, take heed, there is a storm coming. Consider this a call to action against the rogue and brigand-like missteps and premeditated graft and corruption that are the hallmarks of their corpulent and sinister governance. We consider your disservice and shameful machinations to be warlike and without consideration, resembling acts of hostility toward veterans in our great state. Each and every Alabama veteran served our country before, and we’re not finished in that duty. We understand the subterfuge and shameful nature of those in power in Montgomery; govern yourselves accordingly, as we swore an oath to defend our nation and state from all enemies foreign and domestic, and there is no expiration to that duty.
Troy Carico is both a former infantry enlisted soldier (11B) and infantry officer with branch qualifications including counterintelligence (35E) and military intelligence (35D). He served with distinction in the U.S. Army for more than 22 years, and is highly decorated and service connected disabled. He also has prior service as a civilian intelligence officer for the Defense Intelligence Agency Great Skills Program and has served in numerous clandestine assignments throughout the world.
Bryan Battaglia U.S. Marines (retired), is a former member of the Alabama State Board of Veteran Affairs and has nearly 37 years on active duty culminating with his assignment as the 2nd Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, the Armed Forces senior ranking Noncommissioned Officer.
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 Commentary@1819News.com.
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