Dean Odle Qualifies for Alabama Lt. Governor GOP Primary

Opelika pastor and former gubernatorial candidate Dean Odle has officially qualified to appear on the Republican primary ballot for Alabama’s Lieutenant Governor race on May 19, 2026.

On January 20, 2026, Odle submitted his paperwork and qualifying fee at the Alabama Republican Party headquarters in Hoover. He was joined by family, friends and supporters during the process, marking the formal start of his bid for the State’s second-highest office.

Odle is one of several Republicans seeking the nomination in a competitive field that also includes Secretary of State Wes Allen, Agriculture Commissioner Rick Pate, Patrick Bishop, and Dr. Nicole Jones Wadsworth.

The Opelika pastor has made election integrity a core part of his message, advocating for paper ballots, hand counting and other reforms. He also champions changes to Alabama’s Department of Human Resources and Child Protective Services, calls for eliminating property tax, cutting taxes broadly, reducing federal funding tied to mandates, and expanding school choice without restrictions. These positions have set him apart from more traditional candidates in the race.

Addressing his firm stances on these issues, Odle said,

“You are either a patriot or a politician. A patriot will sacrifice their money, career, winning the next election and even life to do the right thing for God and country. A politician is a game playing, crowd pleasing, performer who is looking out for themself.”

Speaking at ALGOP HQ after completing the qualification process, Odle said, 

“I feel this time qualifying is even more serious than last time. I think four years has passed now, and things are still pretty much the same as they were four years ago. And, some of it's even worse, and that's why I'm running for Lieutenant Governor.

“There's things that need to get addressed and aren't getting addressed, and as President of the Senate, being able to use that platform to appoint any committees…but also being able to use that bully pulpit there to to get a message out where we need to hold our elected officials accountable.’

Odle is the founder and Senior Pastor of Fire & Grace Church in Opelika and leads the Fire & Grace School of Ministry. He is also an author of four books. In 2022, he ran in the Republican gubernatorial primary.

For more information about Dean Odle’s campaign, visit Dean Odle for Lt. Governor or follow him on social media.

Odle’s remarks Tuesday after qualifying can be seen on Facebook.