Alabama’s Governor has announced she will run to keep her office next year. Governor Kay Ivey has announced that she will enter the gubernatorial race in 2018. Ivey served as lieutenant governor before Robert Bentley resigned in April. Ivey says she has “steadied the ship” after the scandal that forced then Governor Bentley out of office.
Ivey has dodged questions for months about her upcoming plans in 2018. But suspicion grew because of her fundraising efforts as of late. Governor Ivey had been meeting and getting contributions from some of the Alabama’s most powerful business and interest groups. Ivey has collected over a million dollars towards her campaign.
Ivey says she feels optimistic about the future regardless of how she ended up as governor. In her statement Ivey stated,
“I took over at one of that darkest times in our state’s memory. I’m proud to say we’ve steadied the ship. Now it’s time to steer it to continued conservative progress and prosperity.”
Ivey will face off against Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle who is also running for governor. He says he is looking forward to the discussions about jobs, infrastructure, and education.”
Republican state Senator Bill Hightower of Mobile and Jefferson County Commissioner David Carrington, both Republicans, have also announced their candidacy.
The statewide primary elections will be held June 5th of next year.