John Wahl elected to another term as Alabama Republican Party Chairman

March 1, 2025 – HOOVER, AL - The Alabama Republican Executive Committee met for its annual Winter Meeting at the Hyatt Hotel. The Committee was celebrating its dominance not just of Alabama politics; but also the inau

Congressman Robert Aderholt (R-Haleyville) addressed the group about the changes brought by Trump's victorious return to D.C.

"It is really a new day in Washington," Rep. Aderholt said. "A lot of people are talking about the executive orders – the Democrats can't stand that – but a lot of them are just common sense. Yesterday he made English the official language of the United States of America. That is an issue that has been going on behind it. There is a lot of things that unify a nation but nothing more than a common language."

Chairman Wahl said that the Alabama party has set new fundraising records – raising well over $7 million in the last four years while picking up 90 elected offices. Today 73.2 percent of the elected offices (where you declare a party affiliation) in the state are held by Republicans.

ALGOP Treasurer Sallie Bryant said that the party had $1.0 16,097 in the bank. Over $400,000 is in the federal account. Over $600,000 is in the state account, and $10,000 is in the building fund.

"We are preparing hard for 2026," said Crystal Drummond. "We are working on the upcoming dinner. More details will be coming later in the month."

ALGOP Legal Counsel Dr. David Bpwser reported that the lawsuit in the Conecuh County sheriff's race will go to trial next week. The Republican candidate for sheriff lost to the Democratic candidate by one vote.

The GOP believes that ballots were counted that should not have been allowed. Alabama has strict rules about voter ID and the proper way to prepare an absentee ballot. There are allegations that election managers may have wrongfully counted illegal ballots there. Democrats deny these allegations.

Vicki Drummond represents ALGOP on the Republican National Committee.

"Just two short months ago we Republicans were stressing over our nation's future," said Drummond.

Drummond said that there were reasons for the Trump victory.

"We stressed voting early in case of sickness, severe weather or unable to get off work," said Drummond. "We deployed 500 lawyers to battleground states alone. We trained 230,000 poll workers."

"We had to raise a lot of money," said Drumond. "We raised $1.1 billion."

The majority of that money came from the party's vast legion of grassroots supporters,

"There were 27 million donations with an average of $40 – that is a lot of grass roots supports," said Drummond.

"At the end of the election the RNC had no debt," said Drummond. "The Democratic National Committee reported $200 million in debt."

ALGIP National Committeeman Bill Harris said, "Keep all of our elected officials in your prayers – what we are fighting is spiritual."

John Wahl was re-elected without any opposition by acclamation as Chairman.

"It is the honor of my life," said Wahl.

Vice Chair Joan Reynolds was also re-elected unanimously by acclamation.

ALGOP Secretary Carol Jahns faced a challenger.

Jahns explained how she had served in the military for over 20 years deployed around the world and came home to Prattville in Autauga County and that her two daughters have followed her into the Air Force and that she has worked hard for the party.

Kerrick Whisenant from Morgan County was the challenger.

"I have a small construction company in Hartselle Alabama," said Whisenant. "I am also a cattle farmer."

"As the Democrats continue to fail we must continue to guard our platform against those jumping ship that don't share our values."

The head of the Alabama Policy Institute Stephanie Holden Smith and National Committeeman Harris both spoke in favor of Whisenant. Jahns won the vote and was re-elected.

Bryant was not running again for AlGOP Treasurer.

Vestavia City Councilwoman Kimberly Cook ran against longtime ALGOP executive director Reed Phillips for the spot.

Phillips was endorsed by Bryant.

"I firmly believed that God provides you a path even if you don't understand it," Phillips said.

"In 2016 I ran for city council because they wouldn't put me on the school board," Cook said. "We need an independent person with a fresh perspective."

Reed Phillips won

The ALGOP will be holding their fundraising dinner (which is normally the Winter Dinner) in the coming weeks. Wahl said that more information about that event, including the date and the speaker, will be revealed before the end of the month.

The next business meeting of the executive committee will be the Summer Meeting in August.