Yellowhammer News proudly presents the 2025 edition of the Power & Influence Top 50 list – the most candid and comprehensive annual index of who is moving the needle in Montgomery.
This year marks the thirteenth installment – and the stakes have never been higher.
With a monumental 2026 election cycle already taking shape, the men and women on this list are positioning their constituencies and clients for success in the next era.
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Taking into account conversations with insiders, as well as the most recent developments in politics and public policy, the list is meant to recognize the top individuals in government and politics who leverage their power and influence on behalf of those they represent.
We will host our annual ‘Power of Service’ event in Montgomery this week on Thursday, May 15th to coincide with the release of our final list of this year’s honorees.
Welcome to the class of 2025.
20. Anthony Daniels
Alabama House Minority Leader
Anthony Daniels is the most powerful and influential Democrat on the state level in the 21st century.
While the almost majority of candidates from his party make campaign promises that Alabama voters lost interest in over fifteen years ago – Anthony had a different message when he first ran for office in 2014.
He said in essence, ‘Elect me to be the most effective person to negotiate on behalf of our district.’ He won, took that attitude to Montgomery, and the rest is history. This isn’t to say that he doesn’t fight for progressive ideas.
He is indeed a huge Democrat – as much as his Republican colleagues try to humorize the opposite of. Because, in fact, the compromises he’s achieved on behalf of his caucus over the years are unspeakably significant. And the bipartisan basis on which he’s done that has been instrumental to the productivity of the entire Alabama Legislature since his tenure began.
We don’t just wish Democrats were more like Anthony Daniels. We wish all lawmakers were more like Anthony Daniels. A lot more would get done.
19. Danny Garrett
Alabama House Ways & Means Education Committee
The architect of the $190 million dollar tax cut for Alabamians, Danny Garrett has had a very good year.
He has continued to use his straightforward, analytical approach to explaining complex budgets and implementing his desired reforms.
The Chairman of the powerful ETF committee in the House is commonly found during breakfast hours at the Farmer’s Market, a local Montgomery meat and three, conferring with his Senate counterpart, Chairman Orr.
Many observers imagine that the nearly $10 billion budget details are hammered out at those tables.
As smooth at presenting legislation as his publicly traded corporate CFO pedigree would suggest, Chairman Garrett’s star will continue to shine as he played a significant part in the CHOOSE Act, the RAISE Act, and many other initiatives that have changed the game for schools, students, and educators throughout Alabama.
18. Bobby Singleton
Alabama Senate Minority Leader
As the Senate Minority Leader, Singleton’s game is a mix of strategy and showmanship. Some days he’s the dealer who sees the whole table. Other days, he’s the player with a bad hand.
He was clotured like clockwork this session and used the opportunity to renegotiate his place at the table right after. When the chamber came back the next week and moved right along, it was proof that Singleton was far from being out of chips.
Such is his way – and the mysterious way of the Senate. It’s easy to forget given the larger than life presence of “Little Bobby” that Singleton has been in the Senate for more than 20 years. But don’t mistake his flair and showmanship as theatrics. Singleton is as shrewd as they come.
Just like he was arrested at Greentrack in 2010 for blocking Governor Riley’s illegal gambling task force from entering – Singleton has proven willing to slow down the process when he feels his district, and his caucus, are being unfairly treated.
17. Steve Marshall
Attorney General of Alabama
Alabama politics is the purest in the nation because you always know who the enemy is. For Steve Marshall, that is more than just an idea. He’s made it the mission of the Alabama Attorney General’s Office. In this case, the enemy is out-of-state left-wing radicals who seek to impose their bad ideas into mainstream U.S. jurisprudence.
Not on Steve Marshall’s watch.
He has engaged in as many amicus briefs, lawsuits and state-by-state takedowns challenging them as any of his colleagues in the Republican Attorney Generals Association have.
The nation’s most powerful and influential conservative legal minds know Steve Marshall and they trust him to always do what is right.
16. Ginger Avery-Buckner
Alabama Association for Justice
For more than a decade, Ginger Avery-Buckner has been recognized on this list as a mainstay in the halls of power at the Alabama State House.
She steers the Alabama Association for Justice with a combination of tactical grit and shrewd political instincts. As CEO of the state’s largest voluntary legal association, she’s the first and last line of defense for Alabama’s litigators.
She advocates their interests before a legislature where the balance of power shifted dramatically over the past decade. For that reason, her survival is a case study in political adaptability. Known for her sharp strategic mind and ironclad memory, Avery-Buckner tracks every bill, every vote, and every promise made – as well as each one broken.
Colleagues know better than to take her lightly, and legislators have learned the hard way that being on the wrong side of one of her spreadsheets is a mistake she won’t soon forget.
15. Steve Windom
Windom, Galliher & Associates
Windom’s track record as a dealmaker is second to none. His firm is an assembly of one of the deepest benches in Montgomery – and that’s no accident. Windom’s approach to the business of politics is as entrepreneurial as it is an art form.
He’s a machine – always in motion, always on the clock, and never, ever outworked. Since the very origin of this list, we’ve written about Steve Windom as a towering figure in Alabama politics, and if there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s that you never bet against the former lieutenant governor. That held true this session – and will remain our forecast heading into 2026.
The man possesses extraordinary political instincts and the strategic approach to passing legislation. He acquired this expertise through his four-year tenure as Lieutenant Governor and nine years as a state senator.
As we’ve said before, if you want to pass a bill, raise money, or navigate the state government in Alabama, your first call should be to Steve Windom. And if you find yourself on the other side of his efforts – good luck.
14. Houston Smith
Alabama Power
As Vice President of Government Affairs for Alabama Power Company for nearly a decade, Houston Smith has played a central role in shaping the policy landscape of the state.
Under his leadership, Alabama Power has not only successfully navigated challenges and opposition, but more importantly to Smith, has leveraged policy as a tool to drive meaningful growth and opportunity across Alabama.
Smith is known for his principled, thoughtful and intentional approach to leadership and his deep commitment to building trust-based relationships.
With a sharp understanding of public policy and a strong command of strategic messaging, he has become a trusted voice behind some of Alabama’s most important initiatives, bringing both influence and insight to the table at every turn.
13. Ted Hosp
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama
The past session was healthcare-centric, and only Ted Hosp could navigate the complexities of multiple pieces of legislation that could significantly impact healthcare in Alabama for years to come.
For those who really understand how power works in Montgomery, Ted Hosp is among the formidable operators.
There are few people in the entire state who can match his depth of understanding when it comes to the legislative process – not just in theory, but in execution and context – as well as being able to make that case directly to lawmakers in a convincing way.
Hosp is a master mitigator of unintended consequences. And to that extent, he did his job masterfully this session.
He is the go-to expert on insurance-related legislation in Alabama for certain, but also appears to have established himself as one of the leaders in the field across the Southeast. He gets results for his company – plain and simple.
12. Steve Raby
Steve Raby understands that every battle is won or lost long before the first shot is fired. But as we said last year, he never shies away from a full-blown gunfight.
Raby oversees Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter’s political operations. While he prefers to maintain a low profile, he is one of the most effective individuals in Alabama politics on a permanent basis – and that’s hard to keep a lid on.
Raby is a lifelong practitioner of the legislative process, and the tempo of this session offers continued proof. He’s also a seasoned veteran of campaign politics.
While many consultants are just now dusting off their legislative maps for the 2026 cycle, Raby has kept the stove hot since the primary runoff election in 2022.
We can expect to see him increasingly involved as he establishes a ruthless operation supported by substantial financial resources to safeguard incumbents and expand the map for Alabama House Republicans.
11. Quentin Riggins
Quentin Riggins stands out as one of the most respected and well-liked figures in Alabama’s political and business landscape.
As a senior leader at Alabama Power, Riggins is a tireless advocate for the company and the communities it serves, bringing people together to tackle some of the state’s most pressing issues.
His leadership extends beyond the corporate sphere – he is a trusted voice on Auburn University’s Board of Trustees and a valued contributor to Alabama’s philanthropic and civic efforts.
With a deep well of relationships across the political spectrum and a growing team of government affairs professionals under his wing, Riggins continues to strengthen his already formidable influence in shaping Alabama’s future.
