As Alabama’s 2026 gubernatorial race begins to stir, one candidate is running not just for office but for something larger: the belief that government can still serve regular people. Chad “Chig” Martin, a businessman from Enterprise, Alabama, has decided to campaign one last time. After running once before with almost no support and finishing exhausted, he vowed he wouldn’t do it again.
“This will be my second and final attempt at office,” said Martin. “You do something like this because you want to. They said, ‘You need to try it one more time. So here I am.”
His openness also extends across party lines. Though running as a Democrat, Martin says his supporters include Republicans, Libertarians, and independents. Martin’s campaign is grounded in lived experience, not political pedigree. Over his lifetime, he built multiple small businesses and eventually founded Honeysuckle Hemp, Alabama’s first hemp company.
“When I started small businesses, I was sales, accounting, shipping, receiving—I did it all. That’s what makes me really a multifaceted businessman,” said Martin.
That foundation informs his approach to governance. He believes leadership means listening and surrounding yourself with smart, humble people. What Martin wants to do with that leadership is focused and direct.
A major priority is job creation, especially in underserved areas like Alabama’s Black Belt, where economic opportunity has been neglected. He believes the state should invest in infrastructure that attracts industry, specfically top-earning technology and manufacturing jobs. He stressed that economic development is not just about numbers—it’s about dignity, healthcare access and community stability.
“Gainful employment is how you solve these things naturally. Without subsidies. Without handouts,” said Martin.
As a hemp business owner, Martin was personally impacted by HB 445, the bill that effectively banned smokable hemp products in Alabama. He’s critical of what he sees as an unfair and inconsistent approach to medical cannabis in the state, where expensive regulations block small businesses from participating.
“It’s been over three years, and we still can’t get a natural product that grows in the ground into people’s hands. That’s government inefficiency, plain and simple,” said Martin.
He sees gambling and a state lottery as logical solutions for funding schools and driving entertainment dollars back into Alabama.
“I’m tired of building schools in Georgia and Tennessee while ours crumble,” said Martin.
Martin’s campaign is centered around direct voter engagement. Without major donors or a fundraising machine, he holds events in public parks, streams Facebook Lives and takes questions until the very last one is answered. For Martin, this run isn’t about flashy ads, endorsements or consultants. It’s about connection, character and commitment.
“Nobody can ever say I won’t answer their question,” said Martin.
Ultimately, Martin’s candidacy rests on a simple premise. He’s not trying to build a career in politics. He wants to do a job and then move on, saying it “isn’t about being governor for life”
If there’s one theme that ties his campaign together, it’s that politics doesn’t have to be cynical.
“You don’t have to be angry to be in politics. I just want to bring people together, and if we can do that in Alabama, maybe we can do it anywhere,” said Martin.
