Former state Sen. Myron Penn, D-Union Springs, announced Tuesday that he will not run for the chair of the Alabama Democratic Party.
This turn of events leaves current Chairwoman Nancy Worley unopposed ahead of a scheduled election.
Penn told the Montgomery Advertiser that he was leaving the race in response to recent additions to the state Democratic executive committee.
Worley already won re-election this summer, but the Democratic National Committee invalidated that election and ordered a new election in May, alleging that some members of the state Democratic Party did not have the appropriate credentials to be voters.
Worley and Vice Chair Joe Reed’s leadership skills have been criticized by U.S. Sen. Doug Jones, D-Alabama, who supported insurgent candidates in the summer battle for control.
Worley is a former Alabama secretary of state and former Alabama Education Association president.
Some Democrats have blamed Worley for their election losses. In 2018, Democrats lost every statewide race and every seriously contested state legislative race.
Jones is the only Democratic candidate to win a statewide race in Alabama since 2008.
