By Chip Brownlee
Alabama Political Reporter
Gov. Kay Ivey’s team has filed paperwork reserving a name for a non-profit campaign for re-election. The paperwork, which reserves the non-profit “Kay Ivey for Governor, Inc.” was filed with the Secretary of State’s Office Wednesday.
The filing is further public indication that Ivey is going to run for re-election, which APR confirmed earlier this week. The non-profit entity reservation would be the first step in Ivey’s plan to run for a full term. She hasn’t filed paperwork established her principal campaign committee, but that paperwork should be coming soon.
“The Governor is seriously considering running in 2018 and she is taking the necessary steps to be successful,” said Daniel Sparkman, the governor’s spokesperson.
Birmingham lawyer Albert L. Jordan filed the paperwork for Ivey.
Ivey has pushed off questions about whether she would run for governor since she ascended to the office in April. In her first press conference, she said her priority was steadying the ship of state. At the time, she said she would decide later about running for governor.
But the number of candidates possibly running against her has been mounting since early summer when candidates could start fundraising. Among others, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle has amassed a large war chest after fundraising throughout the summer.
The waters have since been clearing for Ivey. Last week, Alabama Senate Pro Tem Del Marsh decided against running for governor, citing his desire to help Ivey in the Senate. In earlier statements, Marsh had made it clear that he would not run if Ivey was running.
Just today, Public Service Commission President Twinkle Cavanaugh changed her campaign to run for lieutenant governor instead of governor. Cavanaugh said she didn’t want to run against Ivey.
