In a power move that could rewrite the rules of party leadership, Shelby County GOP Chair and State Executive Committee member Joan Reynolds on Wednesday began gathering signatures to change the Alabama Republican Party’s standing rules—clearing the way for Chairman John Wahl to run for lieutenant governor without stepping down from his post.
Under the current bylaws, the chairman must resign before entering a contested statewide race. But the rule change pushed by Reynolds would carve out a new exception: Wahl could simply take a “leave of absence” while running, then return to power once the campaign ends.
The petition—circulated via email with the subject line “Petition for Rule Change”—includes a JotForm link and instructions to sign using a finger, not an e-signature. “We need to get 50 signatures before an email goes to entire EC to vote on the rule change,” Reynolds wrote. “Please do this today if possible.”
The proposed amendment tweaks a key line in the standing rules:
“…the chairman and secretary may not be candidates in a contested primary election for a public statewide office or for member of congress. In the event the Chairman or Secretary chooses to become a candidate in a contested statewide or congressional primary, he or she must resign or take a leave of absence for the duration of the campaign…”
That one line—“or take a leave of absence”—is the legal backdoor that could allow Wahl to remain party chair in everything but name. While technically out of office, he’d retain influence over internal operations, messaging and relationships that could prove invaluable on the campaign trail.
Wahl foreshadowed the move in a letter to Executive Committee members on Tuesday, saying, “I am seriously considering a run for Lieutenant Governor.” He claimed the bylaws “are not entirely clear” on whether a leave of absence would satisfy the rules, despite the current language clearly requiring resignation.
If successful, the change would allow Wahl to leverage the full weight of the party’s infrastructure while running for higher office—a move many see as unprecedented and ethically murky. Past ALGOP chairs have resigned before launching campaigns to avoid even the appearance of impropriety.
Critics inside the party worry the amendment erodes long-standing boundaries between party governance and personal ambition. Supporters argue Wahl is a proven leader who shouldn’t be forced to walk away just to run.
But if the Executive Committee agrees, it won’t just be a rule change—it’ll be a green light for turning the state party into a personal campaign arm.
