State Senator Slade Blackwell has dropped out of the race for Alabama governor, shortly after having announced his surprise candidacy.
Alabama Republican Party spokesperson Katie Lansford says Blackwell withdrew from the race yesterday. He had initially planned to run for another term in his Mountain Brook senate district, but signed up to run for governor just before the qualifying deadline on Friday instead.
Blackwell’s departure leaves five candidates eligible for the Republican gubernatorial primary – incumbent governor Kay Ivey, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, evangelist Scott Dawson of Birmingham, state senator Bill Hightower of Mobile and Michael McAllister of Troy.
On the Democratic side, candidates include Tuscaloosa mayor Walt Maddox, former state Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb, James Fields of Cullman, Christopher A. Countryman of Dothan, Anthony White, also of Dothan, and Doug “New Blue” Smith.
Primary elections will be held June 5.
