Wallace to Challenge Ivey in 2014?

On the same day that Yellowhammer learned of Governor Bentley’s first potential 2014 challenger, rumors emerged of former Tuscaloosa County Commissioner Don Wallace challenging Lt. Gov. Kay Ivey as well.

Wallace was a two-term Tuscaloosa County Commissioner. He ran unsuccessfully in 2012 for the GOP nomination for Tuscaloosa County Probate Judge. Former Tuscaloosa Sheriff Ted Sexton beat Wallace in the primary before losing to longtime Tuscaloosa Probate Judge Hardy McCollum.

Sources in Tuscaloosa say that Wallace has expressed concerns with the way Lt. Gov. Ivey has presided over the Senate during contentious debates. Senate rules, normally a total inside baseball issue, have entered the public discussion over the last month after AEA lawyers cited them in their failed attempts to block the GOP’s education reform bill.

It’s unclear at this time whether or not Wallace is taking concrete steps toward making a run, but he does seem to be putting out feelers. Wallace’s campaign website was updated a week ago with the message, “Currently Don is not a candiate for an elected office. Updates will be posted soon.”

Wallace currently owns an accounting firm in the Tuscaloosa area.