Senator Donnie Chesteen, R-Geneva, qualified Thursday to seek the Republican nomination to continue to represent District 29 in the Alabama State Senate. The district covers portion of Houston, Dale and Geneva counties.
“I am proud of the work we have done to help the people of Alabama. We have cut taxes by more than $1.5 billion, slashed the state grocery tax in half and have worked to become the most veteran-friendly state in the country,” Chesteen said. “But there is still more to be done and I am asking the people of District 29 to send me back to Montgomery to continue to do the work that makes this a great place to live, work and raise our children and grandchildren.”
Since taking office, Chesteen said he has worked hard to improve the district’s economy. In the last three years, his efforts have led to investments of more than $300 million and 900 new jobs in the region with $44 million of state funds returned to wiregrass, according to Chesteen’s press release. The addition of the Dothan campus of UAB Dental School, the Wiregrass Innovation Center and a Mental Health Crisis Center have all occurred during Chesteen’s tenure in the Senate.
“Our corner of the state is thriving,” Chesteen said. “I am committed to ensuring the positive growth and endless opportunity continues.”
Chesteen serves as the chairman of the Senate’s Education Policy Committee, and under his leadership, “the state has seen incredible improvements in math and reading scores. The latest assessments show that 88 percent of Alabama third-graders are reading on grade level. Math scores show that Alabama students made the biggest gains in the nation last year with Alabama now ranking 32nd nationally in math and 34th in reading,” his release stated.
“The gains we have made in education are nothing short of remarkable. We still have more to accomplish but we are very clearly moving in the right direction,” Chesteen said. “With the improvements in math and reading and partnership with the Two-year college system resulted in the GTECH Center, I am excited about what the future of education looks like for Alabama’s young people.”
Chesteen also points to advancements that have been made in technology and infrastructure while in office. As the chairman of the Digital Expansion Authority, he played a part in investing the resources needed to expand broadband service into homes and businesses in underserved areas. He also points to physical infrastructure improvements including the 4-laning of State Road 52 from Hartford to Dothan and the Ross Clark Circle project which is scheduled for completion in 2026.
The Republican primary election will be held on May 19, 2026.
