Former Alabama Republican Party Chairman John Wahl is crediting his transparency, as well as the endorsement from President Donald Trump, for his recent victory in the Republican Primary Runoff.
Wahl won the Republican nomination for Alabama Lieutenant Governor against Secretary of State Wes Allen.
“I’ve run against a lot of people who didn’t want to go on talk radio, because they’re afraid of the questions you’re going to be asked, and I think that’s sad,” Wahl said Friday on WVNN. “I think we’ve got to get back to where, where our elected officials embrace communication with the public. I think that’s one reason why people love Donald Trump so much.”
Wahl said he ran as an outsider against the establishment.
“Not many candidates in my position would have been able to raise the money to be competitive, going against the entire establishment,” he argued. “I didn’t get the Montgomery support, I didn’t get the PAC money, and I’m kind of proud of that. And I think that leaves me a really good position, because it leaves me in a position where I get to go to Montgomery with my only allegiance to the people in the entrepreneurs of the state of Alabama, and that’s a great place to be as a, as a candidate, as a nominee for the party. So, I think it’s very healthy.”
Wahl originally decided to enter the contest because of a last minute endorsement from Trump encouraging him to enter.
“But look, Donald Trump was incredibly important, you know, an important part of this race,” he explained. “I will say, though, look, we saw, you know, in Iowa, you know, losses a couple weeks before, I don’t think that was the only thing, but I don’t think it was for Barry Moore either. You know, he had a record. I think the grassroots, I spent a lot less money than some candidates said in this race, and I I think it was more than just the Trump endorsement. But look, we’re never going to show the sell the president short. I think at the end of the day, we all know it. Nothing is better than his endorsement.”
Wahl will now face off against State Rep. Phillip Ensler (D-Montgomery) in the November general election.
Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” weekdays 9-11 a.m. on WVNN. You can follow him on X @Yaffee
