Republican Rick Pate, Alabama’s commissioner of Agriculture and Industries, announced Monday that he will run for Lieutenant Governor in the 2026 election.
“I’ve spent my life working the land, running a business, and serving my neighbors,” said Pate. “As Lieutenant Governor, I’ll bring that same hands-on leadership to supporting President Trump and Coach Tuberville in advancing the American First Agenda—so Alabama stays a place where families thrive, agriculture prospers, and conservative values lead the way.”
Pate is term-limited as Agriculture commissioner and said he hopes to continue his public service by advocating for farmers, small businesses, rural communities and veterans.
Pate grew up on his family’s cattle farm in Lowndes County. He earned a degree in horticulture from Auburn University in 1978, and founded Pate Landscape Co., which he operated for 38 years. He served as mayor of Lowndesboro for 14 years before being elected Agriculture commissioner in 2018. He was re-elected without major party opposition in 2022.
During his tenure as commissioner, Pate launched the “Sweet Grown Alabama” branding program to promote local agricultural products, expanded the state’s Farm-to-School initiative, and led the “Thank a Farmer” campaign to increase public appreciation for farmers. He also oversaw the opening of a new Pesticide Residue Lab in Auburn and secured funding to support Alabama’s meat and poultry inspection programs.
Pate has served as the president of the Southern Association of State Departments of Agriculture, and he was elected as an RNC delegate and one of the nine Alabama Electoral College electors for President Trump in both 2020 and 2024.
“Food security is national security,” Pate emphasized. “Our farmers are frontline workers and often underappreciated, and I’m committed to ensuring they have the support they need to feed Alabama and beyond.”
Pate enters a growing Republican field for lieutenant governor. The primary election is scheduled for May 19, 2026, with the general election on Nov. 3, 2026.
