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Armistead Will Not Seek Another Term as Chairman

By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter

The Alabama Republican Party has completely dominated State politics since 2010. In almost every election where ALGOP fielded a credible candidate and focused its considerable resources, the Alabama Republican Party emerged victorious. Going forward, the Republican Party will have to find new leadership however. Popular Republican Party Chairman Bill Armistead announced on Monday, December 8, that he is not seeking a new term and will step down when his term ends. The announcement means that Alabama Republican Executive Committee members will have to vote for the new Chairman in February at their annual Winter Meeting.

Chairman Armistead said in a written statement emailed to Republicans across the State, “One of the greatest honors of my life has been to serve as Chairman of the Alabama Republican Executive Committee for the last four years. I am grateful to the members of the Committee for having elected me as Chairman in February 2011, and again in February 2013. Serving as Chairman of the Party during our transition from the minority party to the majority party has presented its challenges, as I knew it would. However, the gratification of leading the Party to even greater heights during these past four years has more than compensated for any internal growing pains we have experienced.”

Chairman Armistead said, “I am reminded of what King Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 3:1: “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” I am thankful for the season of my life where I have been given the privilege to serve as your Chairman. However, the time has come for the season of my life to change. Therefore, I wanted you to be the first to know that I will not seek a third term as Chairman. I will, however, continue to be an active member of the State Executive Committee.”

Chairman Armistead continued, “During the last four years, we have solidified our position as the majority Party in Alabama by winning every statewide office in 2012 and again in 2014; and as a result Republicans now hold every statewide office in Alabama. Republicans also hold six of the seven seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and both of the seats in the U. S. Senate…Some feared Republicans would lose seats in the legislature because of the all-out war the Alabama Education Association declared on our Republican legislators. Millions of dollars were spent by the AEA to defeat Republicans, but when all the votes were counted Republicans did not lose a single seat to the Democrats.”

Chairman Armistead said, “As a result of the legislative targeted effort of Speaker Hubbard, Senator Marsh and our ALGOP team, Republicans picked up three additional seats in the Senate and five additional seats in the House. Republicans now hold 26 of the 35 seats in the house and 72 of the 105 seats in the House.”

Armistead wrote, “All of the successes we have achieved during the last four years could not have happened without the dedication and hard work of the staff at the Alabama Republican Party Headquarters, the outstanding candidates that worked tirelessly for months to win the confidence of the voters, our terrific grassroots organization throughout the state and last, but not least, our faithful donors who provided the finances for us to run successful campaigns. But ultimately, all the credit for our successes goes to God.”

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Key Armistead lieutenant Britney Garner is also leaving ALGOP. The Alabama Republican Party wrote in a statement. “Our farewell to her is bittersweet, but we are proud of her and wish her the best in what is sure to be a long and successful career. Britney’s passion for politics and a talent for public relations served her well during her time at ALGOP, and we are confident it will continue to do the same for her in the future.”

Britney served ALGOP as Finance Director and during the crucial 2014 elections served as Political Director.

Ms. Garner said on Facebook. “Bitter sweet as I start a new chapter of my life. I have enjoyed working for ALGOP over the last four years. I am thankful to have meet and worked with so many wonderful people. I look forward to supporting the Party in other ways as I embark on a new career in governmental relations.”

Garner has accepted a position as the Alabama Government Relations Director with the Greater Southern Affiliate of the American Heart Association.

Armistead wrote, “God has provided far more than we could “ask or think” during the last four years, in so many ways. However, it was never more evident than when our faithful donors provided the funds that allowed us to purchase a beautiful ALGOP headquarters building as our permanent home. We thank God and the donors for this great provision…My greatest concern at this time is for the future of our country. Therefore, the most important task ahead of us is to ensure a strong constitutional conservative wins the Republican nomination for president in 2016. I will, therefore, be committing my energy, time and efforts in the coming days, weeks and months to seeing that this becomes a reality. And, I pray our efforts will ultimately culminate in the election of a Republican as President of the United States in 2016. May God bless our country, our State and our Party.”

Brandon Moseley is a former reporter at the Alabama Political Reporter.

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