Over the years, it has occurred to me that the real governing in our state, and more than likely in every state for that matter, is done by the mayors. We have a reservoir of the best people in our state who are mayors. The mayor of a city is the chief cook and bottle washer. Most Alabamians view their mayor as their best friend in the political world. They know their mayor. They have either watched him grow up, or if the mayor is older, the mayor has coached them in little league baseball or taught them in Sunday School.
They know their mayor personally and call on him to help solve their problems. Their mayor can resolve their daily problems within minutes. They look to their mayor to ensure they have a good school system, functional roads, safety in their homes from crime, and timely garbage pickup. The mayor’s office is where the rubber meets the road.
The longer I live and the longer I write this column, it is apparent that Alabama is a big front porch. My column appears in almost every local newspaper in the state. As a courtesy, most of the papers send me a copy in the mail. Over the years and still today, I read those local papers and know what is going on in the cities and towns throughout the state.
I can see what outstanding work our mayors in the state are doing for their cities and citizens they love and serve. These mayors are the real leaders in Alabama. They are not just fixing potholes, which is important; they are innovative, creative, and tremendous industrial recruiters and job creators.
Some of our big city mayors are leaving legacies of successful tenures that will be felt for generations. Walt Maddox in Tuscaloosa, Sandy Stimpson in Mobile, Frank Brocato in Hoover, and Mark Saliba in Dothan are truly making a difference.
However, some of the best governing in the state may be done by midsize city mayors. Some who stand out are Gary Fuller in Opelika, Ashley Curry in Vestavia Hills, Gordon Stone in Pike Road, Ron Anders in Auburn, Jason Reeves in Troy, Bill Gillespie in Prattville, Mike Oakley in Centreville, William Cooper in Enterprise, Chuck Ables in Geraldine, David O’Mary in Jasper, Earl Johnson in Andalusia, Tony Haygood in Tuskegee, Craig Ford in Gadsden, Ronnie Marks in Athens, John Hinton in Northport, Dexter McLendon in Greenville, Woody Baird in Alexander City, Brian Bain in Fort Payne, and Eddie Lowe in Phenix City. Sherry Sullivan, in her first term, is doing a great job in Fairhope.
The brightest and most legendary mayor in Alabama in the last two decades has been Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle. He has led and spearheaded the unparalleled growth and prosperity of the Rocket City. Mayor Battle was just reelected without opposition to an unprecedented fifth, four-year term as Mayor of Huntsville. Battle has been the catalyst that has propelled Huntsville to become the largest city in Alabama. It is now not only the biggest population city in the state, but it also has the highest per capita income of any city in the Southeastern United States. It also has one of the lowest crime rates in the country.
Battle is 68. He was first elected in 2008 and has served four terms. In his last reelection in 2020, he garnered 80% of the vote. He is a successful businessman who has concentrated on keeping Huntsville fiscally sound. Even through Huntsville’s amazing growth, Battle has kept the city on a balanced budget. He has led Huntsville to 14 straight years of Triple-A bond ratings. The consistently excellent bond ratings and overall fiscal health of the city are a testament to the success of Battle’s administration’s money management methods.
As the state looks towards the 2026 Governor’s race, Tommy Battle would be the obvious frontrunner. I have always believed that being mayor of a major city is a better training ground for governor than any other leadership post. However, Tommy Battle probably will not take the bait. He has a much better job being Mayor of Huntsville than being Governor of Alabama.
Tommy Battle has been an outstanding Mayor of Huntsville. He would also make a good Governor of Alabama. See you next week.
Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at [email protected].
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