The Quiet Removal of Representation and Why It Matters for Alabama

Guest Opinion by Nicole Jones Wadsworth, PhD, MBA, MS; Candidate for Lt. Governor of Alabama

Most people do not spend much time thinking about the role of lieutenant governor, but in Alabama, the position used to carry real influence particularly in the State Senate, where committee assignments and bill referrals determined pieces of legislation that actually moved forward.

For years, the lieutenant governor was the one office with the authority as well as the time to assign bills to the appropriate committees, which ensured legislation was directed where it belonged and received proper consideration. That function matters, or at least it mattered. It is how to vet good policy and stop bad policy.

In the late 1990s, the Alabama Legislature took steps to reduce that authority by shifting power away from a statewide elected office and into the hands of internal leadership. Last week, the Alabama Senate took it a step further.

Near the end of a legislative session, with little public discussion, the Senate unanimously adopted new rules that further limit the lieutenant governor’s role, particularly when it comes to committee assignments and overall influence in the legislative process. The lieutenant governor can no longer assign chairs, vice chairs, or members of the Senate’s standing committees. These are direct shifts in who controls the flow of legislation.

The entire Alabama Senate, in a bipartisan vote of 32-0, shifted the lieutenant governor’s authority to the Senate President Pro Tempore, who already holds one of the most powerful positions in the Alabama Legislature. In concentrating more control in a single office, the Senate expanded government in a way that simply doesn’t make sense.

The explanation offered was “separation of powers.” However, the reasoning deserves scrutiny. Why now? Why end-of-session? And why just ahead of electing a new lieutenant governor?

The timing is hard to ignore.

It suggests a deeper concern: the Alabama Senate may be uneasy with the possibility of a lieutenant governor who thinks independently, asks questions, and is not embedded within the same Montgomery power structure that too often operates behind closed doors. A leader who does not “play the game” can be disruptive to those who are comfortable with how things “have always been done.” And that discomfort appears to be driving decisions.

When power is concentrated within a small group of insiders, it limits transparency and reduces accountability. It shifts influence away from a statewide elected official (someone accountable to every voter) and places it in the hands of a few.

That kind of self-serving behavior impacts you. It affects which bills move, which priorities are heard, and ultimately, whether issues that affect your family, your business, and your community are addressed or ignored.

Alabama deserves better.

Decisions about how our government functions should be made openly, thoughtfully, and with the public in mind, not rushed through in a way that raises more questions than answers. Leadership should be about representing constituents instead of protecting power.

The 2026 Alabama lieutenant governor’s race has become one of the most aggressively manipulated and tightly controlled races I have seen in my lifetime, and voters deserve better. As our race unfolds, it is important to remember: there are seven Republican candidates for the open seat of lieutenant governor — not one, not two, not whatever certain online blogs tied to political consultants, special interests, and/or lobbyists may suggest.

It is ironic when some of the same players who cry “fake news” are the ones who create it. When you see a press release about so-called endorsements from special interest groups, know the majority of them did not interview all the lieutenant governor candidates. When lobbyists and Montgomery insiders make backroom deals at the expense of taxpayers, the biggest disrespect (and neglect of fiduciary capacity) is to the dues-paying trade association members as well as the voters across our state, whom political operatives assume are too ignorant to get to know candidates or make informed decisions.

I’m Nicole Jones Wadsworth for Lieutenant Governor, and you, the 5.1 million Alabamians, are my priority. My commitment to Build a Better Alabama is based on thoughtful policy and responsible governance, industry recruitment and retention, workforce development, statewide infrastructure improvements, rural healthcare, and public safety. These are promises so that the next generation of our children and grandchildren inherit an Alabama that is stronger, safer, and full of opportunity.

In 2026, Alabama faces a defining moment. I am asking you to stand with me, believe in what Alabama can become, help us build a future worthy of the people who call our state home. On Tuesday, May 19, I would be honored to earn your vote in the Republican primary because together, we can Build a Better Alabama.

Nicole Jones Wadsworth is a career site selector and commercial real estate developer and a Republican candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Alabama.

For more information, visit https://www.nicoleforalabama.com.

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