With the announcement that Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh was appointed as the state director for rural development in Alabama for the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Tuesday, the question now is who will Gov. Kay Ivey choose to replace her.
In a statement posted to her Facebook page, Cavanaugh said, “It is with a grateful heart that I inform you of my decision to step down as President of the Alabama Public Service Commission on Sunday, June 1, 2025. It has been a tremendous honor to serve the people of Alabama in this capacity.”
RELATED: Cavanaugh resigns as president of Public Service Commission to join Trump’s USDA
In an interview with "1819 News: The Podcast," last year, Cavanaugh described the PSC's duties: "What we're probably most famous for is regulating Alabama Power Company, but we also regulate the gas companies. We also regulate some wastewater. We regulate Uber and Lyft. We regulate moving companies in our state. Also, taxicabs and things like that. The only real phone regulation we still do is, say, prison pay phones."
The PSC is composed of three elected members: a president and two associate commissioners. State law AL Code § 37-1-3 (2024) says, “If any vacancy should occur in any one of the offices, caused by death, resignation or otherwise, the same shall be filled by appointment by the Governor, the appointee holding for the balance of the unexpired term. If any person elected to the office of public service commissioner shall fail or refuse for 30 days to qualify, such failure or refusal shall be held to create a vacancy in the office, which vacancy shall be filled by appointment by the Governor, the appointee to hold for the term for which the person so failing or refusing to qualify was elected.”
One name that several sources have identified to 1819 News as the front-runner for consideration for a gubernatorial appointment is Caroleene Dobson.
A source told 1819 News, “Caroleene Dobson impressed a lot of people during her run for the second congressional district. She's a known quantity who has a great relationship with political leadership and with the governor's office. This would be an appointment that makes sense for everyone.”
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email [email protected]
Don't miss out! Subscribe to our newsletter and get our top stories every weekday morning.
