Odle Pushes Back After Ballot Removal in GOP Lt. Gov. Race

Pastor and Republican candidate Dean Odle is pressing an appeal and seeking grassroots backing after the Alabama Republican Party removed him from the May 19 GOP Lieutenant Governor primary ballot, citing the party’s “sore loser” by-law. In an open appeal published through his campaign, Odle asked conservative voters and local GOP activists to submit letters of recommendation to party leaders to support his case for ballot access.

The open appeal may be read at THIS LINK.

In the open appeal, Odle’s campaign outlined a timeline of events that began after he qualified normally on January 20, submitting qualifying paperwork and paying the required fee to run for Lieutenant Governor. He was initially listed among the qualified Republican candidates, a field that also includes Secretary of State Wes Allen, Agriculture Commissioner Rick Pate, Patrick Bishop and Dr. Nicole Jones Wadsworth. Former ALGOP Chair John Wahl and Dr. Stuart Tankersley have since joined the race.

As previously reported by ALPolitics.com, Odle received an email from Party staff on January 30 with resources for qualified candidates. Days later, he learned information about formal ballot challenges, including one against him. On February 2, Odle received a letter from the ALGOP Candidate Committee stating that he was in violation of the Party’s standing rules and that he had been removed from the ballot based on the “sore loser” provision.

The policy cited by the party forbids a candidate who has been defeated in a Republican primary from seeking the same office in the same cycle as a write-in or independent candidate. Odle ran a write-in campaign following his defeat in the 2022 gubernatorial primary — a move the Party says triggers automatic disqualification under the by-law.

Odle’s appeal message calls that application selective and unfair, arguing that some challengers were permitted hearings while others — including him — were not afforded the same procedural treatment. His campaign has urged supporters to send recommendation letters explaining why Odle should remain on the ballot and contending that he is a lifelong Republican committed to conservative principles.

In the appeal request, Odle’s campaign also addressed perceptions around his 2022 write-in effort. The campaign framed that campaign as a protest against perceived “election corruption” and a bid to test ballot integrity, rather than an independent candidacy. Odle believes the Party’s enforcement of the “sore loser” rule fails to distinguish between different political contexts and unfairly brands him as disloyal to the Republican Party — a charge he flatly denies.

ALGOP officials have not publicly detailed their internal discussions on Odle’s appeal, but reports from another outlet suggest that the Committee removed him specifically under the Party’s rule on prior primary losses followed by write-in efforts. That rule also applies to Steering Committee decisions on other ballot challenges.

The “sore loser” rule, as last amended August 5, 2023, is on page 14 of the Bylaws of the Alabama Republican Party Executive Committee, available at THIS LINK. It states:

Sore Loser: No person shall be permitted to qualify as a candidate for public or party office if in a prior Republican primary election that person was defeated and thereafter sought election to the same office in the same election cycle as an independent, write-in, minor party candidate or otherwise. This Rule is in effect whether the individual is defeated by a primary opponent or removed by ballot challenge. Additionally, the sore loser shall automatically be removed from all Republican Executive Committees.

The provisions of this Rule apply for a period of six years after such a person was so defeated in a Republican primary election.

The Odle campaign has requested at all support letters be sent to his campaign by today, Sunday, January 8. The campaign previously issued the following statement:

Please write a letter of recommendation explaining why Republican Candidate Dean Odle SHOULD be allowed to remain on the Republican primary ballot. Please include your name, address, telephone number, and local Republican club name (if you are a member). Email your letters to dean@odleforltgovernor.com or gather a group of handwritten letters and email us at dean@odleforltgovernor.com to coordinate getting them to us by SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8th.