Randall Woodfin ready to play political king-maker, launches PAC for progressive Democrats

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Randall Woodfin

Not even a full year into his first term at City Hall and Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin is ready to play political king-maker. In an op-ed published Monday on AL.com, Woodfin announced the launch of his new Political Action Committee (PAC), which aims to “elect the next generation of progressive Democratic leadership in Alabama.”

“NextGen Alabama seeks to modify this antiquated approach to Democratic campaigning by focusing on movement building and longevity. We must meet voters in their communities, on their doorsteps and in their churches. That is the only way Democrats will be able to flip conservative states in the South,” Woodfin wrote.

Registered with the Secretary of State back in May, the PAC, Next Generation Alabama, or NextGen Alabama for short, hopes to essentially turn Alabama’s red tide (or crimson as it may be for some households), blue.

“If you find yourself – like me – representing a blue island in a sea of red, you have an obligation to change the tide for the communities you serve,” explained Woodfin.

Woodfin hopes to change the ground game for Alabama progressives seeking office, by prioritizing grassroots organizing and voter contact. To that end, the PAC will “only support progressive candidates that are unapologetic about engaging directly with our base and infrequent voters.”

NextGen Alabama shares its name in part with a national Super PAC, NextGen America. Created by liberal, billionaire Tom Steyer, NextGen America is a large donor behind Woodfin’s good friend Andrew Gillum, the underdog candidate who surprisingly bested his Democratic opponents and won the Democratic gubernatorial nomination just last month. Whether or not Woodfin’s venture has any ties to Steyer remains to be seen.