In an email to the Alabama Republican Party Executive Committee, ALGOP Chairman Bill Armistead broke the news that he will not seek a third term.
Armistead’s announcement will spark a Chairmanship race that will culminate in the election of a new chairman on Feb. 21, 2015, the day after the ALGOP’s winter dinner featuring keynote speaker Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY).
Excerpts from Armistead’s email can be found below:
One of the greatest honors of my life has been to serve as Chairman of the Alabama Republican Executive Committee. I am grateful to those of you who supported my election as Chairman in February 2011, and again in February 2013. I also want to say thanks to those who may not have supported me initially, but have worked together for the good of the party during the last four years.
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We have solidified our position as the majority Party in Alabama by winning every statewide office in 2012 and 2014. Republicans also hold six of the seven seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and both of the seats in the U. S. Senate.
Some feared Republicans would lose seats in the legislature this year because of the all-out war the Alabama Education Association declared on our Republican legislators. As you know, millions of dollars were spent by the AEA to defeat Republicans. Due to the coordinated efforts between ALGOP, Speaker Mike Hubbard and Senate Pro Tem Del Marsh, Republicans did not lose a single seat to the Democrats. To the contrary, Republicans picked up three additional seats in the Senate and five additional seats in the House.
Republicans now hold 26 of the 35 seats in the Senate and 72 of the 105 seats in the House. Most notable in the Democrat loses were 28-year incumbent Democrat Senator Roger Bedford and 20-year incumbent Democrat Rep. John Robinson. The Democratic stronghold in northwest and northeast Alabama is now a thing of the past.
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In closing, I am reminded of what King Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 3:1: “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” And, I am thankful for the season of my life where I have been given the privilege to serve as your Chairman. However, the time has come for the season of my life to change. Therefore, I wanted you to be the first to know that I will not seek a third term as Chairman when we meet in February. I will, however, continue to be an active member of the State Executive Committee.
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— Cliff Sims (@Cliff_Sims) December 3, 2014
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