Sen. Tommy Tuberville wins Republican primary for governor of Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., won the Republican primary for governor of Alabama on Tuesday, according to NBC News projections. The victory positions him as the clear favorite to win the general election this fall, a race that will see him replace outgoing Republican Gov. Kay Ivey, who is term-limited and ineligible for re-election. Tuberville, a former college football coach, is set to leave the Senate after completing his term, which he was first elected to in 2020. Alabama has not elected a Democratic governor since 1998, and President Donald Trump, who endorsed Tuberville, carried the state by 30 points in the 2024 presidential election. Tuberville’s campaign for governor has been bolstered by his alignment with Trump’s political priorities, a factor that has solidified his support among the state’s Republican base. Trump’s endorsement of Tuberville came after the senator built a voting record closely aligned with the president’s preferences. In a social media post, Trump reiterated his support, calling Tuberville his “Complete and Total Endorsement” for the gubernatorial race. This endorsement underscores the deep connection between Tuberville and the Trump administration, a relationship that dates back to Tuberville’s 2020 Senate race. At that time, Tuberville faced former Sen. Jeff Sessions, Trump’s first attorney general, in a primary that highlighted tensions within the Republican Party. Sessions, who had angered Trump by appointing a special counsel to investigate alleged ties between Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russia, was fired from the Cabinet in 2018 and has since been a vocal critic of the president.#donald_trump #kay_ivey #doug_jones #sen_tommy_tuberville #rep_barry_moore
Alabama Seeks Supreme Court Approval to Revert to One Black-Majority Congressional District Alabama has filed an emergency appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court, requesting permission to use a congressional map that includes only one majority-Black district. The state’s move comes amid heightened tensions over voting rights and redistricting, with the high court facing a pivotal question about the role of partisanship in shaping electoral boundaries. The appeal, which seeks a decision by May 14, follows a lower court ruling that blocked Alabama from implementing its 2023-drawn map. The case is closely tied to the Supreme Court’s recent decision on Louisiana’s congressional map, which significantly weakened the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Alabama’s appeal argues that its situation mirrors Louisiana’s, urging the justices to allow the state to proceed with its current map based on “lawful policy goals” rather than racial considerations. State officials, including Governor Kay Ivey, have emphasized that the map aligns with their legislative priorities and does not discriminate based on race. The appeal’s timing is critical, as Alabama’s legislature has already passed legislation enabling new House primaries if courts approve the use of the 2023 map. This could reshape the state’s electoral landscape for this year’s midterms, potentially giving Republicans an advantage in a district currently represented by Democratic Rep. Shomari Figures, a Black voter. The state’s previous map, which included two Black-majority districts, was reviewed by the Supreme Court in 2023 and required revision. Alabama’s new map, however, maintains only one such district.#alabama #u_s_supreme_court #kay_ivey #samuel_alito #shomari_figures
Alabama Legislature Passes Bill Giving Governor Control Over Public Utility Regulation Despite Opposition The Alabama Legislature on Wednesday passed a bill that would place the state’s public utility regulation board under the governor’s control, despite objections from its sponsor, Rep. Mack Butler. The measure, HB 475, was sent to Gov. Kay Ivey after the House overrode Butler’s attempt to negotiate further changes. The bill, which mirrors provisions from a Senate proposal, removes requirements for formal hearings on electricity rate increases and grants the governor significant authority over the Public Service Commission (PSC). Butler, who sponsored the bill, expressed disappointment with the House’s decision to accept Senate amendments without further discussion. He argued that the changes would weaken consumer protections and allow the governor to exert undue influence over utility rates. “I want my hammer back,” Butler said, referring to his original intent to mandate formal rate hearings and impose limits on utility pricing. He warned that without these provisions, he would refuse to support the bill in future sessions. The Senate’s amendments, largely based on Sen. Clyde Chambliss’ SB 360, restructure the PSC by requiring five of its seven members to approve formal rate hearings and placing the commission under the authority of a governor-appointed secretary of energy. This secretary would have the power to order rate case hearings and control the PSC’s agenda. The bill also allows Gov. Ivey to appoint four new PSC members before November’s elections, potentially overriding elected commissioners who might advocate for rate reviews.#kay_ivey #alabama_legislature #mack_butler #public_service_commission #alabama_power
Alabama Governor Commutes Death Sentence of Man Who Did Not Kill Anyone Alabama Governor Kay Ivey has commuted the death sentence of Charles “Sonny” Burton to life without parole, halting his scheduled execution. The governor called the original sentence “unjust,” citing the disparity between Burton’s fate and that of Derrick DeBruce, the man who actually killed Doug Battle during a 1991 robbery. Burton was one of six individuals involved in the robbery of an AutoZone store in Talladega. The incident resulted in the murder of 34-year-old Doug Battle, who was shot in the back by DeBruce while shopping. Despite being a key participant in the crime, DeBruce received a life sentence without parole. Burton, who did not pull the trigger, had already left the store before the shooting occurred. In a statement, Ivey emphasized the injustice of executing Burton while DeBruce lived out his sentence. “I cannot proceed in good conscience with the execution of Mr. Burton under such disparate circumstances,” she said. “It would be unjust for one participant in this crime to be executed while the participant who pulled the trigger was not.” The Alabama Attorney General, Steve Marshall, expressed disappointment, stating that Burton “has Douglas Battle’s blood on his hands.” He criticized Burton’s legal team for prolonging the case through “endless frivolous appeals” and argued that the death penalty should have been carried out as the jury and judges intended. Burton admitted to entering the store armed with a gun, stealing cash from a safe, and fleeing to a getaway car. Inside, DeBruce shot Battle, an act the state acknowledged in its response to Burton’s request for a stay of execution from the U.S. Supreme Court.#kay_ivey #derrick_debruce #alabama_governor #charles_sonny_burton #doug_battle
Charles ‘Sonny’ Burton is slated for execution. He hopes the Alabama governor will grant him clemency Charles Burton, a 75-year-old man with a wheelchair, is set to face execution this week for a 1991 murder he did not commit. Despite his role in a robbery that led to the death of Douglas Battle, Burton has spent three decades on death row. His case has sparked calls for clemency, with his family, jurors, and advocates arguing that his sentence is unjust. Burton, known as “Sonny” to loved ones, was convicted of capital felony murder in 1992 for his involvement in the robbery of an AutoZone store in Talladega, Alabama. While he was not the shooter, he was found guilty of participating in the crime that resulted in Battle’s death. During the 1991 robbery, Derrick DeBruce, one of the accomplices, shot and killed Battle. Burton’s attorneys argue that his punishment is disproportionate, as DeBruce later received a life sentence after his appeals succeeded. Burton’s clemency petition highlights his deteriorating health, including rheumatoid arthritis, a recent stroke, and a diagnosis of delusional disorder. His family and legal team have urged Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey to commute his sentence to life without parole, citing his age, medical condition, and the lack of evidence linking him to the fatal shooting. Ivey’s spokesperson stated the governor has no plans to grant clemency, emphasizing that Burton’s conviction has been reviewed multiple times and upheld at every legal level. The victim’s daughter, Tori, and several jurors in Burton’s case have supported his request for mercy. Tori wrote to Ivey that her father “valued peace” and did not believe in revenge, arguing that his execution would not aid her healing. She expressed concern that Burton, now elderly, would face death without the benefit of a fair legal process.#charles_burton #kay_ivey #talladega_alabama #derrick_debruce #tori
