Tankersley launches bid for Alabama lieutenant governor
Dr. Stewart Tankersley, a Montgomery physician, Army veteran and former member of the Alabama Ethics Commission, launched his campaign for lieutenant governor on March 30 during a prayer breakfast at his home church.
More than 100 supporters, faith leaders and community members attended the event. Tankersley, a fourth-generation physician and colonel in the Alabama Army National Guard, said his campaign will focus on making Alabama more affordable, bringing accountability to state government and expanding economic opportunity.
“The symptoms facing Alabama families cannot be ignored. Higher prices. Tighter budgets. Paychecks are stretched thin,” Tankersley said. “Families are working harder just trying to keep up, and too often it feels like government isn’t focused on solving those problems.”
He pointed to rising costs and government spending as key concerns, arguing that financial pressures are being passed on to working families.
“Everything costs more right now, and when government grows too large or spends too much, those costs don’t disappear. They get passed on to you,” he said. “Government should not be adding to the pressure. It should help relieve it.”
Tankersley cited his experience in medicine, military service and public service as preparation for the role.
“I’m not a career politician. I’m a doctor. I’m a veteran,” he said. “I will approach this job the same way I’ve approached medicine: listen carefully, make an honest diagnosis, take action, and do no harm.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Tankersley was a vocal opponent of prolonged lockdowns and mandates, advocating for what he described as a more balanced approach that protected public health while preserving individual freedoms and small businesses.
His campaign platform includes making Alabama more affordable, bringing accountability to state government, repealing recent automatic gas tax increases, supporting small businesses and expanding education and workforce development opportunities. Tankersley said he plans to travel across Alabama in the coming weeks to meet with voters ahead of the Republican primary on May 19.
Tankersley has been married to his wife, Rebekah, for 28 years, and they have three children.