One of the candidates seeking to lead the Alabama Republican Party has exited the race and endorsed a rival ahead of the March 7 vote.
Stan Cooke, a longtime pastor at Kimberly Church of God in Jefferson County, announced he is withdrawing from the contest for state party chairman, citing a family health emergency.
Cooke ran for state auditor in 2022 and advanced to a Republican primary runoff before losing to Andrew Sorrell.
“Due to a health care crisis in my family, it will be impossible for me to dedicate the next few months to the ALGOP duties that need full-time attention,” Cooke said in an email.
Cooke endorsed State Representative Scott Stadthagen of Hartselle in the election. Stadthagen resigned as House majority leader to seek the party’s top job, a position he held for three years.
Members of the Republican State Executive Committee will choose the next chairman during a meeting in Hoover.
Other candidates include Joan Reynolds, the former vice chair who became acting chair after John Wahl resigned, and former Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill.
“Scott Stadthagen will advance the Republican Party into the future and defeat the enemies of UNITY,” Cooke wrote. “Scott will take a strong stand against corrupt elected politicians and corrupt Party leaders. We as Republicans cannot elect a Chairman that is not capable of managing the complexities of the Party nor should we elect an individual that is morally bankrupt.”
The chairmanship became vacant in January when Wahl stepped down to run for lieutenant governor after receiving an endorsement from President Donald Trump.
