The race for Mobile’s next mayor is off to a fiery start, with money and political alliances already drawing battle lines.

Former District Judge Spiro Cheriogotis has emerged as an early month-to-month fundraising leader, but his momentum comes with accusations accusations from Mobile County Commissioner Connie Hudson’s campaign that he’s Mayor Sandy Stimpson’s handpicked successor.

With Stimpson exiting after three terms, questions are swirling over whether Cheriogotis is benefiting from the mayor’s backing—and whether the recent $70,000 mayoral salary hike played into his decision to leave the bench. Cheriogotis has repeatedly denied any connection.

Adding to the drama, former Mobile Police Chief Paul Prine could shake up the contest with a potential bid, bringing his own high-profile feud with Stimpson into the mix.

The criticism by the Hudson camp comes after a second month in which Cheriogotis has outraised the field of mayoral candidates. According to campaign finance records, the former judge raised $97,825 in contributions in February. Hudson raised $63,150.

Hudson ended February with $283,624, ahead of Cheriogotis with $220,416 cash on hand.

Pay raise

Jon Gray of Strategy Inc., who is providing campaign assistance for the Hudson’s campaign, said that Cheriogotis is vowing to keep Stimpson’s current administrative staff in place if elected.

Gray also claims a 56% increase in Mobile’s mayoral salary, which Stimpson backed, is tied to Cheriogotis’ decision resign as a judge without having amassed the 10 years of service to be vested in the Alabama Judicial Retirement Fund. Cheriogotis served on the bench since 2018.

“The only reason you leave a job four years before a guaranteed (retirement) is because someone has a better job for you,” Gray said.

Cheriogotis has previously denied the pay raise was related to his reason to run for mayor. The council voted unanimously on Feb. 4, to increase the next mayor’s salary by $70,000, from $125,000 a year to $195,000. The increase makes Mobile’s mayor the highest paid in Alabama.

“I had conversations with my family, spiritual advisors and community leaders as I contemplated a run for mayor,” Cheriogotis said. “Unlike other candidates in the race who are able to take a free ride while being compensated by taxpayers, I stepped away from a secure job to run for mayor.”

Stimpson’s staff is also saying there is “no merit” to allegations that the mayoral pay raise was intended to benefit Cheriogotis nor any other candidate.

“The discussion about increasing the mayor’s salary began well before any candidate entered the race or announced their intention to run,” said Jason Johnson, spokesperson for Stimpson.

Stimpson has said he first discussed increasing the position’s salary not long after he announced last September that he was not seeking a fourth term in office. The mayor made the pay raise push public during the State of the City/County Address in early January.

Johnson also noted that it wasn’t Stimpson, but the council that voted to increase the salary. The salary hike came after Stimpson lobbied for it, following a review of how mayors and city administrators are compensated elsewhere. Mobile’s mayor had not experienced a significant pay raise in 40 years and the position pay scale had not been adjusted for inflation.

Gray said that Hudson did not care whether a pay raise was approved and that she was running for mayor no matter if the salary was increased. He said that Hudson, who has been in elected office in Mobile for 24 years, has the advantage in name ID and experience over Cheriogotis and others who are running for mayor.

Stimpson allegiance

Meanwhile, Stimpson has reiterated that he has not made an endorsement in the race. Gray said the mayor is poised to do so by next month and pledged $1,000 that one was coming soon for Cheriogotis.

“When – and if – he chooses to do so, you’ll hear it from him,” Johnson said.

Stimpson has met with multiple candidates about their interest in serving as mayor, including Hudson, Johnson said.

There are some early indications that the mayor might get involved. His One Mobile PAC generated $50,500 in contributions in February after not raising any funds in 2024. The PAC has also been used to support initiatives during Stimpson’s tenure in office, including annexation efforts in 2019 and 2023.

Stimpson has previously said he wants Mobile’s next mayor to be successful, regardless of who it may be. “To that end, he is willing to meet with any candidate interested in learning more about the office,” Johnson said.

He said the mayor has neither asked nor would expect any candidate to commit to retaining his current administrative staff.

“There are several talented professionals with years of experience and institutional knowledge in the administration,” Johnson said. “On several occasions, the mayor has said he believes it would behoove the next mayor and the city to retain some of his leadership team. That said, he fully respects the right of his successor to put his or her own team in place.”

Gray alleges that Cheriogotis has committed to retaining the entire existing staff.

Cheriogotis said that is not the case.

“Mayor Stimpson did not make me any promises in our discussion,” Cheriogotis said. “Furthermore, while I recognize that there are some very bright professionals who currently work for the city, I have not made a promise to keep any employees, nor have I offered anyone a job in exchange for their support.”

Wiley Blankenship, president & CEO with the Coastal Alabama Partnership – who will be announced next week as Hudson’s campaign manager – said one of the consistent behind-the-scenes themes of the early campaign is that Cheriogotis, if elected, will keep the mayor’s staff in place “because Mayor Stimpson did so many great things.”

“I always thought it was odd to say that,” Blankenship said. “I know Connie is open to talk to former staff members and discuss (potential future employment). But until you’re elected, it seems to be putting a cart before the horse somewhat.”

Other candidates

The race for mayor could be rattled in the coming week if Prine enters the fray. Prine, who lives in Saraland, has said he would announce whether he will run for Mobile mayor on March 14.

Prine and Stimpson had a high-profile falling out last year that led to his firing. Prine filed a lawsuit in December accusing the city’s highest-ranking officials of disparaging him in the lead up and aftermath of his April 30 firing by the Mobile City Council and for undertaking action that wasted over $200,000 in taxpayers’ money.

Of the remaining candidates in the race, former Mobile City Councilman Jermaine Burrell raised $17,500 in February. He loaned his campaign $25,000 on Feb. 28 and ended the month with $44,200 in the bank.

Burrell did not return a call for comment.

Former Mobile Police Chief Lawrence Battiste, who was also a former executive director of public safety under Stimpson, raised $8,000 in February and ended the month with $8,285.

Battiste said the frontrunners in fundraising – Hudson and Cheriogotis – shouldn’t be surprising given that both politicians have been involved in public office for years.

“Certainly, they both should have been in a position to catapult themselves for a run for mayor,” he said. “That’s a testament to them that they have the fundraising available and do not have to do the grassroots stuff that I have to do.”

State Rep. Barbara Drummond, a former executive in former Mayor Sam Jones’ administration, raised $2,510 in February. She announced her candidacy late last month.

Drummond transferred $30,000 from the political action committee that is set up for her seat in the Alabama House. Drummond is the current chair of the Alabama House Democratic Caucus.

“This race isn’t about who raises the most money – it’s about who has the best vision for Mobile,” said Daniel Deriso, spokesperson for the Drummond campaign. He said Drummond officially launched her campaign on Feb. 23 and is only getting started with fundraising.

Deriso cited previous examples – Randall Woodfin in Birmingham, Andre Dickens in Atlanta and Karen Bass of Los Angeles – who were outraised by opponents but who won their elections “by building real connections with people they sought to serve. That’s exactly the kind of campaign Barbara is running.”