Angelo “Doc” Mancuso, a dermatologist and Republican candidate for Alabama House District 7, is urging party leaders to reject an effort to remove him from the Republican primary ballot ahead of the May 19 election, arguing that the decision should be left to voters rather than party officials.
In a statement released Friday, Mancuso said he is facing a challenge from party insiders aligned with his opponent, current state Representative Ernie Yarborough, who are seeking to disqualify him based on the fact that he ran for office as a Democrat more than a decade ago.
Mancuso said he has since aligned himself with Republican principles and now identifies as a conservative Republican. He framed the dispute as a matter of voter choice rather than party loyalty.
“This isn’t about party loyalty—it’s about voter choice,” Mancuso said. “Trying to eliminate a candidate behind closed doors denies voters their voice.”
The matter is expected to be considered by the Alabama Republican Executive Committee at a meeting scheduled for Sunday, February 15.
Under Alabama Republican Party rules, disputes over a candidate’s eligibility to appear on a Republican primary ballot are decided by the Republican Executive Committee, which has the authority to interpret party bylaws and enforce loyalty provisions. Those rules allow the party to consider factors such as past party affiliation and prior candidacies when evaluating whether a candidate has demonstrated a sufficient commitment to Republican principles, though enforcement has historically varied by case. Challenges are handled through internal party proceedings rather than by the courts unless subsequent legal action is filed.
Mancuso warned that removing him from the ballot would effectively eliminate a contested Republican primary in House District 7, leaving voters without a choice in the party’s nomination.
He also pointed to the political histories of prominent Republicans who were once Democrats, including former President Ronald Reagan, former President Donald Trump and Governor Kay Ivey, arguing that past party affiliation should not outweigh current political views.
“What matters is where you stand now,” Mancuso said. “I stand for conservative values, limited government, and individual liberty, and I believe the people of District 7 deserve the right to decide their nominee at the ballot box.”
Mancuso encouraged Republican voters and supporters of fair elections to contact the Alabama Republican Party and urge party leaders to allow the primary election to proceed as scheduled.
Party officials had not publicly commented on the pending challenge as of Sunday.
