Alabama Public Service Commission President Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh will face challenger Robert McCollum in a bid to keep her position.

Cavanaugh and McCollum will be on the ballot statewide in the March 5 Republican primary for PSC President. The winner of the GOP contest faces no opposition from the Democratic Party in November’s general election.

The Alabama Public Service Commission is a three-member elected body responsible for regulating most utilities in the state, including electric companies, gas companies, telecom companies and certain wastewater operators.

The Commission, which has to approve rate increases for these utilities, is facing increased scrutiny this year as many Alabamians complain about high power bills

McCollum is a business owner from Dadeville who has no formal experience in government. He unsuccessfully challenged Alabama PSC Commissioner Chris “Chip” Beeker in the 2022 Republican primary, getting roughly 37% of the votes in that election to Beeker’s 63%.

Cavanaugh was elected to the Public Service Commission in 2010 and became PSC president in 2012. On her PSC bio, she describes herself as a “wife, mother and small business owner.” Before becoming PSC President, Cavanaugh chaired the Alabama Republican Party and worked as deputy chief of staff to former Gov. Bob Riley.

Cavanaugh ran for lieutenant governor in 2018, narrowly losing in a hotly contested Republican primary runoff to Will Ainsworth.

On her campaign website, Cavanaugh describes herself as “a fighter committed to defending our conservative values here in Alabama against socialism and the liberal “woke” ideas infiltrating our country.”

McCollum, in social media postings, has criticized Alabama Power’s high profit margin, which is set by the PSC, and argued that Alabama should end the solar fees charged to Alabama Power customers who install solar panels on their homes or businesses.

Polls will be open on March 5 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voters must have a photo ID to vote at their polling place, or by absentee ballot. Absentee ballots returned in-person must by received the day before the election, March 4. Ballots sent by mail must be received by noon on March 5.