Alabama Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Reed (R-Jasper) announced this week that he was resigning his State Senate seat to serve as the Senior Advisor to Workforce Transformation to Governor Ivey. As the Senate Republican Caucus decides who will succeed Reed as pro tem, State Senate District 5 will soon too decide who will become its next State Senator.
The district spans five counties: Fayette, Lamar, Walker, and parts of Jefferson and Tuscaloosa. However, despite Alabama’s first and fifth most populous counties being partially inside the District, it is Walker county that holds the district’s largest vote share.
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Based on the 2018 and 2022 elections, Walker county is estimated to hold 44.7% of the District’s vote. That is far greater than the runner-up county, Tuscaloosa, which holds an estimated 20.5% of the county’s votes. Fayette, Lamar, and Jefferson follow with 13.6%, 10.9%, and 10.%, respectively.
Demographically, the median age is 42, and the District is 89% white according to data from the Census Bureau. While the District is quite rural, a few key cities contain larger portions of District 5’s population. Namely, Jasper, Dora, Fayette, Vernon, and portions of Northport and Bessemer.
Governor Ivey has already announced that a special election will occur after Reed’s appointment becomes official on January 1, 2025.
As potential candidates consider a run, one current incumbent in the Alabama House of Representatives, is already laying down a marker — in the form of a statement thanking Reed for his record of service to the district they share.
“Senator Reed has provided exemplary leadership throughout his career. Having worked with him the last two years, I have a deep appreciation for his tireless work ethic and ability to produce positive outcomes for the people of Senate District 5,” State Rep. Matt Woods (R-Jasper) said on Tuesday following Reed and Governor Ivey’s official announcement.
“He has been a faithful public servant who has achieved the pinnacle of success in the Alabama Senate. I will always be grateful for the opportunity that I have had to learn from him and his leadership as we served Walker County together. I want to thank Senator Reed, his lovely wife Mitsy, and their family for their friendship and wish them all the best in their future endeavors.”
Will Gilmer, President of the Lamar County chapter of the Alabama Farmers Federation, posted to social media, saying that Woods has been speaking to constituents about his impending run.
Grayson Everett is the state and political editor for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270
