The two announced candidates for a vacated Mobile City Council seat in west Mobile both vowed they will serve the remaining three years of the term, are both supportive of annexation, and are supporters of the current mayor.

Kyle Callaghan, 60; and Josh Woods, 36; are introducing themselves ahead of an unlikely special election set for July 25. The election is set to replace Councilman Scott Woods to the Mobile City Council District 6 seat after Woods abruptly resigned from his seat last month.

Before that, the District 6 seat was long represented by Bess Rich.

The two candidates spoke during a Port City Republican Women luncheon Monday in downtown Mobile.

“I want to represent District 6 of the City Council, move the city into the future,” said Woods, executive director of The Grounds. “Me and my wife are committed to Mobile.

Callaghan said he has lived in Mobile his entire life, and will continue to do so. He retired in 2015 after spending 30 years in law enforcement.

“I have served our community for 40 years,” said Callaghan, a current member of the Mobile County Board of Registrars and player security liaison with the Reese’s Senior Bowl. “I will continue to serve my community.”

Callaghan, who has secured some key early endorsements in the race including current Mobile County Sheriff Paul Burch and former Council President Reggie Copeland, said the No. 1 issue in the race is crime. He said he is concerned about attrition within the Mobile Police Department.

“Losing 50 to 60 officers a year, that’s a lot of (personnel) and money leaving out of the city of Mobile,” Callaghan said. “We have to work as a team.”

He added, “Our first responders are very important to the city, but if you don’t stop the criminal element in the city, county and state (then) everything else is a moot point. Businesses won’t come and neighborhoods won’t thrive.”

Woods said his candidacy’s platform involves three points: Good government, great communities and an excellent future.

He said one of his priorities are fixing traffic along Hillcrest Road, and supporting pro-business efforts to streamline regulations. He also is supportive of public safety efforts and wants to see continued growth at the University of South Alabama.

“We have to make sure we retain our talent and, at the end of the day, that leads to an excellent future for Mobile,” said Woods, a father of three young children.

Callaghan also said that fixing drainage and traffic congestion are a priority.

Both candidates support the city’s efforts to annex properties west of Mobile’s city limits. The council is poised to vote on whether to allow a special election for annexation next week.

“We’ve got to grow,” said Callaghan. “We have got to let people to vote.”

Said Woods, “Annexation is huge. We are pro-annexation and pro-growing of this city.”

Woods and Callaghan have both run for office before. Woods’ run is the most recent. He lost to Jones during the 2021 runoff for the Mobile City Council District 6 seat.

Callaghan last ran for office in 2006, losing in the Republican primary to then-winner Sam Cochran.

There is enough time for other candidates to jump in. Candidates who want to qualify to run for the seat with the Mobile City Clerk’s Office can begin to do so on June 6. The qualifying period is open until June 20.