ICYMI: Alabama Federation of Republican Women Candidate Forum in Birmingham

The Alabama Federation of Republican Women (AFRW) hosted a candidate forum as part of their Biennial Convention on Thursday, October 23 at the Doubletree Hotel in Birmingham.

ALPolitics.com was graciously given permission to stream the event, which featured brief presentations by most candidates for Statewide offices across Alabama.

The livestream of the event is available on the ALPolitics.com Facebook page at THIS LINK. As per Facebook’s policy, it will be available for 30 days before vanishing forever.

Alabama Republican Party Chairman John Wahl gave the opening prayer, and opening remarks were given by Alabama State Senator Jabo Waggoner. Brian Dawson of 1819 News was the featured speaker.

Several candidates for judgeships began the presentations, followed by candidates for Public Service Commission (PSC), Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries, State Auditor, Secretary of State, U.S. Senator, Attorney General and Lt. Governor.

Beginning with the PSC candidates, each candidate was given a question prior to stepping to the microphone, and then had four minutes to present themselves and their platforms, as well as answering the question.

Unfortunately, due to technical difficulties, the final candidate, Dr. Nicole Wadsworth (Lt. Governor) was cut off during her presentation. Those wanting more information on her, or any of the other candidates, are encouraged to find the candidate’s campaign webpages or follow them on social media.

A number of other candidates, including Joshua McKee (candidate for Congress in AL1), Terri LaPoint (ca sedate for Congress in AL3) and Case Dixon (candidate for Congress in AL6) were also in attendance, but as they are not seeking a Statewide office did not address the group.

The AFRW is one of Alabama’s powerhouse political groups, and their biennial convention has long been considered a “must“ appearance for serious Republican candidates. As such, Thursday’s candidate forum represents one of the best opportunities for voters to see their choices presented side-by-side.

AFRW is also widely recognized for their achievements. At the recent National Federation meeting in Orlando, AFRW garnered several awards including:

• Greatest Numerical Net Increase in Clubs Award
• Greatest Numerical Increase in Members Award
• National Armed Services Award – for updating the State of Alabama “War on Terror” Memorial at the Alabama State Capitol, which honors Alabama service members who lost their lives in the War on Terror. Sergeant Amanda Brazeal of Mobile was added to the memorial.
• The Betty Heitman Award for State Excellence – recognizing outstanding performance in membership, campaign activities, programs, and community outreach.
• Literacy & Education Award – for advancing education and literacy programs statewide.

Additionally, fourteen clubs were recognized at the National Convention  for having exceeded 25% growth: Downtown Huntsville Republican Women, Winston County Republican Women, Republican Women of North Shelby, Eastern Shore Republican Women, Republican Women of South Talladega County, Etowah County Republican Women, Jackson County Republican Women, Colbert County Republican Women, Shelby County Republican Women, South Baldwin Republican Women, West Mobile Republican Women, East Alabama Republican Women, Chilton County Republican Women and Capital City Republican Women.

Six new clubs were established—North Baldwin County Republican Women, South Mobile County Republican Women, South Shelby County Republican Women, Republican Women of Franklin County, Republican Women of the Black Belt and Chilton County Republican Women—in 2024 and 2025.

Three new clubs—Elmore County Republican Women, Autauga County Republican Women and Red Mountain Republican Women—are expected to charter this year or early in 2026. They join new clubs in the Black Belt, Chilton County, and Franklin County, broadening AFRW’s reach and influence across the State.

With over 2,000 members in 40+ clubs Statewide, AFRW is the leading auxiliary group in the Alabama Republican Party. Their mission is to promote conservative values and elect qualified Republican candidates. Guided by their motto, W5–When Women Work, We Win—Alabama women are leading the way for conservative victories at every level.

For more information, or to find a local club near you, visit www.alfrw.org, follow AFRW on Facebook, or search for local clubs on Facebook near you.