State Sen. Bobby Singleton of Greensboro will seek the chairmanship of the Alabama Democratic Party at the party’s reorganization meeting Aug. 8, a bid that would put a Hale County native at the head of the state party.
Singleton, the Senate minority leader, announced his candidacy in a press release Tuesday. He would face current chairman Randy Kelley, who has said in recent days that he will seek reelection, according to the Alabama Political Reporter, which first reported the announcement.
Singleton told the outlet he is running to unite the party rather than to take sides in its long-running internal disputes, saying he has no enemies within the party and is looking for people to work with. He said his interest is in winning elections.
He identified the party’s loss of support from the state business community as among its most damaging setbacks, saying the resulting shortage of money has left the party unable to fund candidate training, messaging and basic day-to-day operations. Rebuilding those business relationships, he said, would be among his first priorities as chairman.
The chairmanship is decided by a vote of the State Democratic Executive Committee, the party’s governing body. Joe Reed, the party’s vice chair of minority affairs and chairman of the Alabama Democratic Conference, has long held substantial influence over that body through a court decree allowing the conference to fill many committee seats. Kelley is an ally of Reed’s.
Singleton said he does not consider himself to be running against either man and intends to speak with both about his candidacy, saying he wants the party’s infighting to end.
Singleton has represented Senate District 24 since winning a special election in January 2005, after two years in the Alabama House. He has served as Senate minority leader since 2019 and previously chaired the Alabama Legislative Black Caucus.
A graduate of Alabama State University and Miles Law School, he is a member of Greenleaf Missionary Baptist Church in Greensboro. He is also on the ballot in November seeking reelection to his Senate seat.
