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.
40. Greg Jones
The Jones Group
Greg Jones did it again. We won’t go as far as to say that if you want a bill killed in the Alabama Legislature, call Greg. Because that would downplay what a skilled bipartisan operator he is.
But the man does know how to kill a bill.
Jones has built a career on connections and learning how to use them. His finesse, strategic instinct, and proximity to leadership offices make him almost essential if you want to get legislation through both chambers in a regular session.
Jones is a textbook example of a contract lobbyist. His firm’s portfolio of clients is vast and important, and they trust him to protect and expand their interests in the state.
Whether you’re on his side or the other side of that speeding train, you must admit, he is consistently one of Montgomery’s best-dressed lobbyists.
39. Chase Wright
Spire Energy
Chase Wright is a company man through and through – and a fiercely effective one at that.
Seventeen years into his tenure at Spire Energy, Wright has become the point person for the company’s government affairs strategy.
He’s the kind of operator who doesn’t just keep track of moving pieces – he knows where they’ll land. That instinct has served him well in a sector where every vote counts and every conversation has the potential to keep the gas on for thousands of Alabamians.
He’s respected by his peers, trusted by lawmakers, and known as someone who not only remembers names but also remembers what they care about.
38. Jess Skaggs
Office of the Lt. Governor of Alabama
Some chiefs of staff measure success by the stack of papers on their desk. Jess Skaggs measures his by the speed at which his boss, Lt. Governor Will Ainsworth, can move from idea to execution. Which, to be clear, is unbelievably fast.
Jess knows the Alabama Senate as well as anyone who isn’t actually elected to it. For several years, he has been an operational force behind Alabama’s most effective and least conventional politician. And from all of his tireless work, the people of this state have him to thank for dividends that will be paid to them many years down the road. But Jess is not interested in the credit.
Whether earned in Montgomery or Washington, he will remain a servant to Alabama. Jess is young, charismatic, and undeniably effective. That combination makes him one of the most valuable operators in Alabama politics today.
37. Tim Howe
Office of the Alabama Senate Pro Tem
When Secretary Greg Reed moved to lead the Alabama Department of Workforce, many asked: ‘What’s Tim going to do?’ The answer to that question quickly became evident.
He stayed on as Chief of Staff to incoming Pro Tem Garlan Gudger and continued leading the most effective and conservative Alabama Senate operation in the chamber’s history. And he did so in his trademark way – with class, kindness, and precision.
Tim has some of the most extensive conservative credentials in the Alabama State House. But he stands out for his ability to effectively act on them.
Tim continues to be a Michelin-star chef as he begins selecting the ingredients for next year’s session. It’s no wonder he’s already a fixture on this list, despite being one of its newest faces.
36. Jared White
Auburn University
As Vice President of Government Relations for Auburn, White is the connective tissue between Auburn’s academic and economic mission – and the policymakers who shape its future in Montgomery and Washington and beyond.
And few people carry that weight with the discipline, drive, and strategic vision that he does. White’s path in life has been anything but ordinary.
Before he was navigating the Auburn University Board of Trustees’ relationship with policymakers, he was a standout student-athlete.
A two-time first-team All-SEC swimmer and five-time NCAA All-American, White’s competitive edge, forged in the SEC, still defines his approach today: He’s a fighter, a tactician, and a relentless worker who out-prepares his competition at every turn.
35. Twinkle Cavanaugh
Alabama Public Service Commission
In Alabama politics, there are household names – and then there is Twinkle Cavanaugh.
She’s an original retail politician who knows everyone everywhere she goes; she doesn’t just speak the language of Alabama’s conservative movement – she helped write its grammar, and she remains one of the most popular figures in the Alabama Republican Party today.
As President of the PSC, Twinkle has had a tough job for the past four years: Being Alabama’s chief watchdog against radical left-wing energy policies emanating from Washington.
Thankfully for us, she never gave a single inch. With 2026 on the horizon, Cavanaugh finds herself again in a familiar position: A favorite in any primary she enters.
Cavanaugh has repeatedly proven that Twinkle means tough, and tough means power.
34. Scott Stadthagen
Alabama House Majority Leader
Scott Stadthagen isn’t just the House Majority Leader. He’s a walking blueprint for how to build political capital in Alabama.
Back home in his district, Stadthagen is a sure thing. His House seat is his as long as he wants it. Many freshmen lawmakers watch how he moves.
And the Senate? They seem to like him too – an encouraging signal for a third-generation builder with upward mobility.
Stadthagen knows the difference between power and popularity and is not afraid to share the stage when it matters.
Because his leadership style has been as much about what he builds as he defends, he’s made many friends along the way.
33. Philip Bryan
Swatek, Vaughn, and Bryan
Philip Bryan remains one of the most influential operators in Alabama politics. He’s been a fixture on this list since his days running the Alabama Senate under Pro Tem Del Marsh.
Bryan moves at a velocity few can match. His path from the Alabama Republican Party’s 2010 takeover to his current status as Montgomery’s go-to contract lobbyist is the stuff of legend.
A natural disruptor, Bryan is capable of turning the mechanics of state government into his own kind of chaotic art form.
While others less effective try to play it cool, he leans into the mayhem. And that is someone you want on your team in any fight.
So, yes, we’ve had Bryan on this list for years. And yes, we’ll keep him here for as long as he remains in a class of his own.
32. Dave Stewart
Bradley
Dave Stewart has been a power player in Alabama politics for so long that the question isn’t whether he belongs on this list, but how high up.
We’ve called it from the very beginning: Stewart wrote the playbook on turning a government affairs practice within a major law firm into a powerhouse of influence, and he continues to prove that year after year.
Under his direction, Bradley’s lobbying arm has become one of the Southeast’s most respected, trusted by everyone from Fortune 500 companies to industries that now call Alabama home thanks to their efforts.
As chief of staff to Governor Bob Riley, Stewart oversaw an era of record-breaking economic development. He was the one flipping the switches, moving the pieces, and crafting the incentives that still drive Alabama’s economy today.
As we’ve said before, in a business that rewards outcomes over optics, Stewart delivers every single time.
31. Josh Blades
Bradley
Every session, the Alabama Legislature eventually becomes chaotic for most lobbyists. Shifting vote counts, last-minute changes, procedural curveballs – or worse.
But not for Josh Blades. He has a degree of immunity to the mayhem that most of his age are incapable of.
You can chalk that up to many ingredients at play in his career. Blades is a true student of the process – he doesn’t make the same mistake twice.
He brings to bear experience not only from the highest levels of the executive and legislative branches – he’s also naturally savvy with media and campaigns.
That balance proved to be a rare and valuable asset for his portfolio of some of the state’s largest industries in this year’s session. But ultimately, his focused and enterprising mentality proves to be a reminder that in Alabama politics, hustle always matters – so long as it’s matched by integrity, foresight, and execution.
