On Tuesday, Gov. Kay Ivey congratulated State Rep. Nathaniel Ledbetter and State Sen. Greg Reed for their elections to the top two leadership positions in the Alabama Legislature.
“Congratulations to our state’s new Speaker of the House @RepLedbetter24, and to @SenatorGregReed on his re-election as Senate President Pro Tem,” Gov. Ivey said on Twitter. “I look forward to working with both of you to serve the people of Alabama in the days and years ahead.”
Ledbetter is the former Mayor of Rainsville. He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2014. He was elected with broad bipartisan support with 102 votes in an uncontested election in the Alabama House of Representatives during Tuesday’s organizational session of the Alabama Legislature.
Former Speaker of the House Mac McCutcheon presided over the election of his successor. McCutcheon did not seek re-election.
“With 102 votes, the honorable Nathaniel Ledbetter is elected Speaker,” McCutcheon said. Then he administered the oath of office to Ledbetter.
“First of all, I would like to thank my wife of 42 years,” Ledbetter said. “I would like to thank my two sons.” He also acknowledged his grandchildren. “One thing I want to recognize is that we have so many people from DeKalb County. I think thirty or forty drove four hours to be here today.”
“I pledge to you to work as hard as I am able,” Ledbetter said. “We have some of the finest people in the world serving in this body, working for our shared goal to make an already great state even greater.”
“From time to time, we will have different ideals,” Ledbetter said. “But I understand that the speaker’s gavel is not a weapon but a tool.”
“When I was growing up in DeKalb County, I did not even know that the Speaker of the House was, but I know now,” Ledbetter said. “This was probably the greatest honor I have ever received in my life.”
Greg Reed was first elected to the Alabama Senate as part of the 2010 Republican wave election that took control of the Alabama Legislature after 135 uninterrupted years of Democratic Party domination. Reed was elected to the Alabama Senate in 2021 and was re-elected to the position by the members of the Senate on Tuesday.
State Rep. Chris Pringle (R-Mobile) was elected Speaker Pro Tem 103 to 0 in an uncontested election. Pringle served as an aide to both Congressmen Jack Edwards and Sonny Callahan. He was first elected to the Alabama House of Representatives in 1994 and served through 2002. He returned in 2014 and is now serving in his fifth term.
“It has been a long time, a long journey, but I can tell you that I have enjoyed every minute of it,” Pringle said.
Republicans have commanding supermajorities in both Houses of the Alabama Legislature.
Pringle was joined by his mother and his girlfriend.
John Treadwell was selected as the new Clerk of the House on Tuesday.
State Rep. Anthony Daniels returns as the House Minority Leader.
State Rep. Scott Stadthagen replaces Ledbetter as the House Majority Leader.
State Sen. Clay Scofield returns as the Senate Majority Leader.
Both bodies passed rules for their individual bodies to operate under for the next four years. The two Houses will meet in a joint meeting on Wednesday to pass joint rules.
The Legislature will return in March for the 2023 regular session, where the Legislature will pass the 2024 budgets and consider new legislation.
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