Dean Odle's fate will be decided today

February 15, 2026 – HOOVER, Ala. – The 21-member Alabama Republican Party Steering Committee will meet behind closed doors to decide whether or not to reject pastor Dean Odle's request to be restored to the May 19 Alabama Republican Primary ballot for Lieutenant Governor or not.

On February 1 the Steering Committee removed Odle off the ballot for allegedly running a write-in campaign against Governor kay Ivey (R) in the 2022 general election after Ivey trounced Odle in the 2022 Republican primariy.

Odle said then that he would appeal the decision, while not suspending his campaign.

"I do plan to appeal and will make further comments on all of this in the days ahead," Odle said. "For the time being, I will continue to honor invitations to speak to political groups and participate in candidate forums."

Odle is a Lee County pastor and private school master. His 2022 campaign for Governor included a staunch anti-covid vaccine stance and opposition to government shutdowns.

Odle acknowledges that he did run the write-in campaign; but maintains that was due to his principled opposition to Ivey's COVID-19 policies, which he believes were in violation of the principles of the Republican Party. Former Chairman John Wahl reportedly told Odle that the "sore loser" rule is intended to keep liberals from running as Republicans; not to keep conservatives like Odle from running.

Fellow Lieutenant Governor Patrick Bishop is urging the Steering Committee to restore to the ballot.

"Pastor Odle is my opponent, not my enemy," Bishop said.

On Saturday Odle said on Facebook, "Tomorrow is the day the ALGOP Steering Committee will decide whether or not to restore me to the primary ballot. I have heard that the acting chairperson has ordered the members of the steering committee to vote NO on all appeals. Doesn't sound very American to me. These are just a few recommendations that I received and submitted to the ALGOP."

The Steering Committee will likely also consider the challenges against State Representative candidate Doc Mancuso (who ran for officer previously as a Democrat) and Jessie Battles (who is accused of working for a Democrat running for Mayor Birmingham and of having worked for an independent seeking a state Senate seat). Battles is challenging Republican incumbent Senator Andrew Jones in Senate District 10. Mancuso is challenging popular conservative incumbent Ernie Yarborough.

The Republican primary is on May 19, 2026.

Incumbent Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth is term limited from running for another term.

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