Longtime Tuscaloosa Mayor considers run for Governor

Longtime Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox — a quiet upstart in the Alabama Democratic Party who has drawn the eyes of many in the party despite maintaining a relatively low profile in statewide politics — is considering a run for Governor next year.

Maddox, 44, has been the mayor of Alabama’s fifth largest city since 2005 and recently won his fourth term in May. For several years, Democrats across the State have been pushing Maddox to consider a run, believing that his success in one of Alabama’s largest cities could be translated to a Democratic resurgence in Montgomery.

Maddox confirmed Thursday in a phone interview with APR that he had launched an exploratory campaign but hasn’t made a final decision about whether he will run. If he chooses to run, he’ll run as a moderate Democrat — despite the urging of some friends and colleagues who thought he would do better on the GOP ticket.

“It would be dishonest to change parties because of our State’s political climate,” Maddox said. “It would be dishonest with the voters; it would be dishonest with my family; it would be dishonest with myself.”

Read more: http://www.alreporter.com/2017/06/30/longtime-tuscaloosa-mayor-considers-run-governor/