In a tweet Tuesday afternoon, Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth endorsed State Senator Cam Ward (R-Alabaster) for Supreme Court Place 1. Ainsworth confirmed his tweet constituted an endorsement in a message to Yellowhammer News.
Ward is running to unseat GOP incumbent Justice Greg Shaw. Shaw is seeking reelection to the court for what would be his third six-year term after first being elected in 2008.
“I have worked closely with Senator Ward, and we need conservatives like him on the Alabama Supreme Court. I am supporting his candidacy and encourage my friends to do the same,” Ainsworth told Yellowhammer.
“I’m honored to have a strong conservative like Lt Governor Ainsworth supporting me. He knows my legislative record and the conservative values I will bring to our Supreme Court,” Ward said in a statement to Yellowhammer on Tuesday.
Ward is respected and influential in the Alabama Senate, and currently chairs the Judiciary Committee. As of the end of November, he has $112,924.06 in his campaign account. He is serving his third term in the Alabama Senate after first being elected in 2010. Previously, he served two terms in the Alabama House of Representatives.
Also qualified in the GOP primary for Supreme Court Place 1 is former State Senator Brian Taylor (R-Prattville), but he has yet to announce a decision about whether he will launch a campaign for the seat. Taylor’s wife is running for the open AL-02 congressional seat. The deadline to take a name off the voting ballot is December 17.
The Alabama Republican Primary is March 3.
Great time today at the Guntersville meet and greet for @SenCamWard for Supreme Court. I will supporting Cam Ward and encourage all our friends to do the same. pic.twitter.com/yE7O5LmDpA
— Will Ainsworth (@willainsworthAL) December 10, 2019
Henry Thornton is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can contact him by email: [email protected] or on Twitter @HenryThornton95.