Alabama Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singleton ousts incumbent Randy Kelley with nearly 73% of the vote, promising a statewide organizational push, stronger candidate support and a 67-county listening tour.
Singleton defeated incumbent Chairman Randy Kelley during the Alabama Democratic Party’s organizational meeting in Montgomery, receiving 165 votes, or 72.7%, from members of the State Democratic Executive Committee. Kelley received 62 votes, or 27.3%.
The result ends Kelley’s four-year tenure as chairman. Kelley was elected to lead the state party in 2022.
Singleton entered the race in late July, arguing that Alabama Democrats needed to strengthen their organization, improve fundraising and provide more consistent support to Democratic candidates and elected officials throughout the state.
His election gives the party new leadership as Democrats confront a challenging political environment in Alabama, where Republicans hold every statewide elected office and command majorities in both chambers of the Legislature.
Alabama House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels nominated Singleton during Saturday’s meeting and urged Democrats to unite following the leadership contest.
After securing the chairmanship, Singleton said frustration over what he viewed as insufficient party support for Democratic officeholders helped motivate him to challenge Kelley.
“I know I was getting frustrated as a member of the legislature when I looked around, and we’re in the middle of battles,” Singleton told ‘TELL IT LIKE IT IS’ News following the vote. “There was never the Democratic Party that supported us. I saw the Republican Party support their people.”
Singleton said he wants Alabama Democrats to develop a stronger political infrastructure capable of supporting candidates and elected officials before, during and after elections.
His challenge now moves from winning the chairmanship to demonstrating whether the party can translate new leadership into greater fundraising, candidate recruitment, voter engagement and organizational strength.
A 67-County Strategy
Before Saturday’s vote, Singleton told committee members he intends to conduct listening tours across all 67 Alabama counties, signaling that his strategy will extend beyond the state's Democratic strongholds.
The approach could be particularly important as Democrats attempt to rebuild their presence in communities where the party has lost political ground over the past several election cycles.
Singleton has also said the party must be willing to change some of its existing practices.
The 67-county tour could give the new chairman an opportunity to hear directly from county organizations, elected officials, candidates, activists and voters about what they believe is preventing Democrats from competing more effectively across Alabama.
Singleton Takes Over While Remaining Senate Democratic Leader
Singleton has represented Alabama Senate District 24 since 2005 and has served for years as the Democratic leader in the Alabama Senate.
He will now simultaneously serve as chairman of the Alabama Democratic Party while continuing his work in the Legislature, giving him a significant role in both the party’s political organization and its legislative strategy.
That dual role could provide closer coordination between Democratic Party leadership and Democratic lawmakers, but it also places substantial responsibility on Singleton as he attempts to strengthen a party operating from a minority position in state government.
Saturday’s margin gives Singleton a clear mandate from the State Democratic Executive Committee to begin that effort.
With 72.7% of the committee vote, the immediate question facing Alabama Democrats is no longer who will lead the organization.
It is whether Singleton can turn that decisive internal victory into a broader political rebuilding effort — strengthening county organizations, raising money, recruiting candidates and giving Democratic elected officials the institutional support he argues has been missing.
For Singleton, that effort begins with listening.
And he says he intends to do it in every county in Alabama.
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-- By Masakela P. Rawls
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