The hopes John Wahl and other Alabama Republicans had for hosting the first-ever presidential primary in Alabama were almost dashed in mid-September after reports surfaced that the third debate was headed for Miami.

Wahl, chairman of the Alabama State GOP, remained confident in Alabama securing the debate. For weeks, he talked about the positive conversations he had with the Republican National Committee’s debate committee over an Alabama debate.

The patience for the state GOP’s chairman, the youngest Republican state party chair in the nation, paid off. Alabama is hosting its first-ever presidential debate from 7-9 p.m. Wednesday.

Still, about a month ago, there were no guarantees it was happening in Alabama, a reliably red state far removed from the purple battlegrounds that will determine the General Election in November.

As Wahl also noted, Alabama’s primary is on March 5 and long after the Republican candidates campaign through the crucial early primary states of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina.

“That’s one of the reasons why this is such a big deal,” said Wahl during an interview with AL.com last week. “It’s very rare to have one of the early debates in this process in a state that is outside the early primary (states).”

Changing venues

But with a university setting looming as a potential debate site, Alabama stood a good chance, Wahl said. .

“The question at hand was what the order would be,” he said, noting that initial conversations he had with RNC officials in early September slotted Miami for the fourth debate, and Alabama for the third. The third primary debate ended up taking place on Nov. 8 from the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County. It was broadcast by NBC.

“It was a switch between the third and fourth debate due to technical issues here in Alabama,” Wahl said.

Wahl said those “technical issues” had to do with the proposed site of the third debate site at the Coleman Coliseum, home to the University of Alabama’s men’s and women’s basketball programs.

The basketball arena was dropped, and Alabama was able to secure the fourth debate and the first-ever held within the state.

Instead of the 15,000-seat multi-purpose sports arena, the fourth Republican presidential primary debate will take place inside a 1,000-seat concert hall inside the Frank Moody Music Building.

Wahl credited David Bossie, deputy campaign manager for former President Donald Trump’s successful run to the presidency in 2016, for keeping Alabama as part of the debate talks. Bossie is chairman of the RNC debate committee.

“A lot of credit for Alabama securing the debate goes to Dave Bossie, and his work during this process,” Wahl said. Bossie, Wahl said, has a “lot of ties to Alabama,” and his son is also a student at the university.

“There were multiple options within Alabama and outside Alabama, but I am excited about the choice of Tuscaloosa and being on a college campus,” Wahl said about the setting.

Youth issues

At 37, Wahl is also the youngest state party chairman within the Republican Party.

“It’s an incredible opportunity for the Republican Party to reach out to young voters,” Wahl said.

A debate theme has not been announced and it’s unclear whether youth issues will be a focus. But the setting will undoubtedly be noticeable on a university campus. It’s the first of the primary debates to take place at a college campus.

“The cool there here is that we are actually getting to come to the college students,” said 17-year-old high school student Brilyn Hollyhand of Tuscaloosa, who is member of a new RNC Youth Advisory Council formed earlier this year. “In Milwaukee (site for the first primary debate), we flew colleges kids up there to have seats. Here, we are giving UA college students front row seats.”

Hollyhand said he was discussing the potential of having a college-setting for a debate back in January, and before he was named by RNC Chairwoman Rona McDaniel to the Youth Advisory Council.

“She was asking for suggestions and, at the time, our focus was to get everything ready for the first debate in Milwaukee,” Hollyhand said. That debate was held on Aug. 23, slightly less than one year before the Republican National Convention is held in Milwaukee from July 15-18, 2024.

“I asked, ‘Where will we do some of the other debates?’” Hollyhand recalled. “For presidential debates, in General Elections, there will presumably be some on college campuses. Historically for primaries, we go to towns that are economically conservative and support the towns there. But not college campuses.”

He added, “A month or two later, she asked, ‘What do you think about Tuscaloosa?’”

Hollyhand said while he pitched the idea about hosting a debate on a college campus, he “never in my wildest dreams” thought the party would “fly these candidates to my hometown.”

“There have been hiccups along the way,” Hollyhand said, referring to the mid-September announcement about the third debate going to Miami. He said that U.S. Senators Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville played a role in also convincing the RNC to host the fourth debate in Alabama.

“I’ve already had three of our candidates talking about taking tours of Bryant-Denny (Stadium),” Hollyhand said. “I’ve passed those requests to the university. I know they are excited.”

College atmosphere

The atmosphere before and after the debate will engulf the Quad. NewsNation is expected to broadcast in the Quad. Watch parties are expected to take place throughout Tuscaloosa.

A debate watch party hosted by the Alabama GOP is being held at WestGate SkyGate Club, 1150 Eight Street in Tuscaloosa, staring at 6 p.m. All guests are required to RSVP.

Hollyhand said he anticipate some college-atmosphere tailgates occurring before the debate.

“The issue is it’s a 1,000-seat capacity, and it’s difficult to fit everyone in,” Hollyhand said. “The largest debate was in Milwaukee, and there were over 5,000 there. Miami was 3,000. We had over 7,000 student requests for those wanting tickets to this debate. We can’t get them all in, unfortunately.”

A counter rally, called “We Dare Defend Our Rights,” will be hosted by the University of Alabama College Democrats from 6-9 p.m. at ten Hoor Hall 125.

Braden Vick, communications director with the UA College Democrats, said their gathering will be “sort of an open bar type of event” where attendees are free to speak out against the GOP.

Vick said “95% of UA students” could care less about the debate “except if we make national news.”

“Then, that number of students who don’t care goes to 80% for like a day,” Vick said. “As such, the extent of most college students’ opinions about this debate is probably annoyance at the disruption of parking and transit as a result of it.”

Tuscaloosa, University react

Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox, the Democratic candidate for governor in 2018, said that hosting the presidential debate “is exciting” for the city and state.

“The political eyes of the Nation will be focused upon our city and we are excited to show them that Tuscaloosa is an emerging city and American success story,” Maddox said.

Republican Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, who defeated Maddox in the 2018 general election, agrees. Her spokeswoman, Gina Maiola, said the governor does not have any specific debate plans yet.

“The RNC having the next presidential debate here is a real big thing for Alabama, and I am proud we will be hosting the first one in our state at the University of Alabama,” Ivey said in a statement. “It certainly shines a bright light on Alabama, and I look forward to this field of candidates taking the stage.”

Expected on stage is Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, and businessperson Vivek Ramaswamy. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie could also be on the debate stage, but a report from Politico on Thursday suggested he has not met the polling threshold to qualify to be on the stage.

Former President Donald Trump, who is the polling frontrunner in the GOP presidential primary, is not expected in Alabama on Wednesday.

Hollyhand said he is still hopeful Trump will change his mind.

“We think it’s a unique opportunity and hope he takes this opportunity,” he said. “I met with him, one-on-one in August, and asked if there was a possibility of him attending a debate in Tuscaloosa. He left it up in the air that maybe (Trump would attend) the third or fourth debate. We hope the (former) president will be there. I would be good for him and the party.”

Maddox, meanwhile, said most of the debate’s security and logistics are being handled at the University of Alabama. He said the city will “be providing support,” but that the lion’s share of direct expenses will be incurred by the University of Alabama, public institution.

The city does not plan to request a reimbursement from the RNC for any added public expenses.

“At this point no,” Maddox said. “This has been limited as compared to a presidential visit.”

Alex House, assistance director of communications at the University of Alabama, said the university is “unable to discuss security surrounding the debate,” but added that the event is not a University-sponsored activity.

The University provided a statement on Friday that said, “The University and the School of Music are not acting as a sponsor, financially or otherwise, and UA will receive direct reimbursement of expenses.