This week on Alabama Politics This Week, we hit the culture-war noise and the power politics underneath it — from the right’s meltdown over Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show to a fast-tracked Alabama bill that would change the Alabama Public Service Commission from elected to appointed, even as the PSC directly shapes what you pay in utilities.

Then we’re joined by Tabitha Isner, Alabama Democratic Party vice chair and a candidate for Alabama Senate District 26, to talk turnout, disengaged voters, and what it takes to build a full statewide Democratic ticket. SPLC Chief Strategy Officer Seth Levi also joins to explain why reported edits at civil rights-related national park sites (including language tied to Medgar Evers’ murder) fit a broader push to whitewash racism and slavery from public history — and what people can do to push back.

We wrap with Bonehead of the Week: Pam Bondi’s DOJ, repeated grand jury refusals, and the absurdity of calling it “treason” to remind service members not to follow illegal orders — plus a quick look at why that moment could boost Sen. Mark Kelly’s 2028 prospects.

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Music courtesy of Mr. Smith via the Free Music Archive.

The episode centers on the residency firestorm around Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s run for governor, with Josh and David arguing that state tax returns and related records are the simplest way to prove (or disprove) Alabama residency — and warning that voting and tax questions could create serious legal exposure if the fight goes to court.

Guest AshLeigh Dunham, a candidate for Alabama Supreme Court, says she’s running to bring balance to a court she views as increasingly ideological, discussing constitutional rights, the IVF decision, protest-mask proposals, and book/library censorship battles.

Rep. Neil Rafferty joins to outline Democrats’ affordability focus — healthcare, premiums, and high utility bills — and to assess whether GOP infighting creates openings. The show closes with Josh distinguishing John Wahl's residency challenge from Tuberville’s and a “Right Wing Bonehead” segment criticizing Secretary of State Wes Allen’s voter-fraud messaging and restrictive absentee voting rules.

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• 🌐 Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/alpoliticsthisweek.com
• 🌐 X/Twitter: x.com/alathisweek
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• 👍 Like this video and SUBSCRIBE
• ⭐ Rate us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
• 📧 Email questions/voice notes to apwproducer@gmail.com with your name

ABOUT OUR SPONSOR

Alabama Politics This Week is sponsored by Wind Creek Hospitality, the gaming and hospitality entity for the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, with properties across the U.S. and Caribbean — including Alabama — offering entertainment, dining, hotels, and amenities.

Music courtesy of Mr. Smith via the Free Music Archive.

This episode opens with a discussion of alleged retaliation inside Alabama’s prison system, following reporter Beth Shelburne’s updates about key whistleblowers from The Alabama Solution documentary. The hosts debate the moral, practical, and financial failures of Alabama’s corrections approach, including solitary confinement concerns and broader prison “racket” incentives.

Former Agriculture Commissioner Ron Sparks joins to explain why he’s running again, emphasizing consumer protection and the rollback of key enforcement functions like gasoline testing and fraud investigations. Sparks also highlights past accomplishments, including upgraded animal diagnostic labs across the state and rural development work such as expanding telemedicine.

The episode closes with the hosts’ “bonehead” segment criticizing legislative efforts to politicize the AHSAA and warning that school voucher policy dynamics are bleeding into high school athletics.

RESOURCES & SOCIALS

• 🌐 Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/alpoliticsthisweek.com
• 🌐 X/Twitter: x.com/alathisweek
• 🌐 Facebook: facebook.com/alathisweek
• 🌐 TikTok: tiktok.com/@alpoliticsthisweek

SUPPORT THE SHOW

• 👍 Like this video and SUBSCRIBE
• ⭐ Rate us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
• 📧 Email questions/voice notes to apwproducer@gmail.com with your name

ABOUT OUR SPONSOR

Alabama Politics This Week is sponsored by Wind Creek Hospitality, the gaming and hospitality entity for the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, with properties across the U.S. and Caribbean — including Alabama — offering entertainment, dining, hotels, and amenities.

Music courtesy of Mr. Smith via the Free Music Archive.