Nathaniel Ledbetter to retain Mark Tuggle as Chief of Staff

Last Wednesday, State Rep. Nathaniel Ledbetter announced that he will retain Mark Tuggle as his chief of staff when he is elected as the Speaker of the Alabama House of Representatives.

Ledbetter was elected as the choice of House Republicans in their post-election Caucus meeting of the House Republicans. Since the GOP maintained its’ commanding 77 to 28 supermajority lead in the November 8 election, the choice of the Republican Caucus is going to be the Speaker of the House when the Legislature meets in an organizational session, likely in January. 

Tuggle is a former member of the House who has served as Chief of Staff for outgoing Speaker of the House Mac McCutcheon. Tuggle is a professional forester and a retired employee of the Alabama Power Company.

“Mark was an outstanding legislator during his time in the Alabama House, and he has proven himself to be an equally talented chief of staff under Speaker McCutcheon,” Ledbetter said. “I know that Mark will be a source of wise counsel and sage advice as we work to tackle the challenges that Alabama faces in the coming quadrennium, and I look forward to working alongside him if elected speaker.”

Tuggle was part of the 2010 class of Republican legislators, who were elected in a wave election that gave Republicans control of the House after 135 years of Democratic control of the body. Tuggle represented House District 81 for eight years and served as Chairman of the House State Government Committee.

Tuggle has served as the Speaker’s chief of staff since leaving the Legislature in 2018.

“As a member of the Alabama House, Mark set himself apart as a leader and proved a valuable source of wise counsel, so I’m pleased to continue utilizing his talents as my chief of staff,” McCutcheon said in a statement when he first appointed Tuggle. “Alabama faces many challenges that the Legislature must resolve, and Mark will play a large role in developing and passing needed solutions to those important issues.”

“When I decided against seeking another term in the House, I assumed my work in state government had ended, but Speaker McCutcheon convinced me to continue serving the citizens of Alabama in this new role,” Tuggle said. “As a former member, I’ll be able to advise the new House members with the perspective of someone who has once held the same responsibilities, and I will work with the returning members as someone they already know and trust.”

Tuggle has a bachelor’s degree from Auburn University and a master’s degree from Faulkner University. He and his wife, Michelle, have one daughter.

Ledbetter will be the third Republican Speaker of the House, succeeding McCutcheon, who was elected Speaker of the House in 2016 after Speaker Mike Hubbard was found guilty of felony ethics violations by a Lee County Grand Jury. Seth Hammett was the last Democratic Speaker of the House.

Democratic nominee Phillip Ensler successfully unseated incumbent Rep. Charlotte Meadows in the midterm elections. However, Republican nominee Rick Rehm successfully unseated incumbent Democratic incumbent Dexter Grimsley. Thus, there was no net change in the Republican-dominated Legislature.

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