The Southern Poverty Law Center’s Action Fund has endorsed state Rep. Barbara Drummond in the Mobile mayoral race

The SPLC Action Fund, in a news release Tuesday, endorsed the Mobile Democrat in her contest for mayor. She is competing against former Republican politicians in ex-Mobile County District Judge Spiro Cheriogotis and Mobile County Commissioner Connie Hudson. Also in the race is former Mobile Police Chief Paul Prine.

The municipal election, which is non-partisan, is Aug. 26. A runoff election between the top two finishers will be needed if none of the candidates makes more than 50% of the vote, and that is scheduled for Sept. 23.

It’s the lone endorsement from the SPLC Action Fund, so far, in an Alabama race this year. The only other endorsement from the group is for Dr. Alicia Jackson in a Public Service Commission race in Georgia.

The SPLC Action Fund, which has made endorsements before in local school board contests, said that Drummond will “prioritize opportunity, safety, and equity for all while also growing Mobile’s economy, strengthening access to health care, and investing in violence prevention responses.”

The news release cites Drummond’s work in the Alabama Legislature, crediting her for helping to secure $11.4 million in new state funding for Mobile County Public Schools, co-sponsoring the Alabama Literacy Act in 2019, and securing $15 million for the construction of the new terminal for the Mobile International Airport.

The SPLC Action Fund, which makes endorsements in political contests in the Southeast, says it seeks to back candidates for local offices who are committed to “dismantling white supremacy, strengthening intersectional movements and advancing human rights of all people.”

“Delivering results for the people of Mobile requires more than just a vision; leaders need experience working in communities to understand which policies can make the biggest impact on residents’ lives,” said Madison Hollon, program manager of political campaigns with the SPLC Action Fund.

“As a lifelong Mobilian who has worked in public service for decades, Barbara Drummond understands how to navigate government to ensure her constituents get the resources that they need to thrive,” Hollon said.

The SPLC Action Fund’s endorsement is the latest in left-leaning groups to back the state lawmaker’s bid for the mayoral seat. She has also been endorsed by former U.S. Sen. Doug Jones, and received the support from two former candidates – Jermaine Burrell and Lawrence Battiste. She has also received financial support from the Alabama Works political action committee, which backs Alabama Democratic politicians.

Drummond, the lone Black candidate in the race for mayor in a city that has a slight Black majority, has said her candidacy transcends political polarization.

Her latest campaign filings indicate support from political action committees also aligned to industry including the FGA and BIZ PACs and the Alabama Realtors. She also received funding last month from the Pride II PAC, which has backed Republican candidates including – more recently – Chris Beeker and Jeremy Oden on the Alabama Public Services Commission.

Other candidates in the mayoral race have secured endorsements within the past two months. Cheriogotis is endorsed by outgoing three-term Mayor Sandy Stimpson, while Hudson has endorsement of the Retired Firefighters Association of Mobile and former Sheriff Sam Cochran, among others.

Prine has criticized the endorsements, saying they are mostly agenda-driven by political groups or politicians.