Author

Chip Brownlee

Chip Brownlee is a former political reporter, online content manager and webmaster at the Alabama Political Reporter. He is now a reporter at The Trace, a non-profit newsroom covering guns in America.

State / Elections / News

Report: Though improving, Alabama remains one of country’s most corrupt states

Alabama has been ranked again as one of the country’s most corrupt states, according to a new survey conducted by Illinois State University’s Institute Corruption Studies, though the ranking this year is a major improvement from last year. The new survey lists Alabama as the fifth-most corrupt state in terms of illegal corruption — or … Continued

Chip Brownlee

November 1, 2018

Maddox: Next week’s election is winnable with high Democratic turnout

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Walt Maddox told a crowd gathered at Auburn University Monday night that next week’s election is winnable if he and other Democrats are able to garner turnout similar to that in last year’s special election for U.S. Senate. Speaking to the Auburn University College Democrats, Maddox said his campaign’s internal data and … Continued

Chip Brownlee

October 30, 2018

Republicans continue to outraise Democrats with a week to go

The final batch of mandatory weekly campaign finance filings shows Republicans continuing to outraise Democrats in all but two of the major statewide races with only a week to go until voters head to the polls on Nov. 6. Republicans dominated Democrats in the races for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and secretary of state, … Continued

Chip Brownlee

October 30, 2018

In recording, Maddox seems to acknowledge Soros donations

Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox seems to acknowledge receiving donations from billionaire Democratic donor George Soros in a short recording released by Gov. Kay Ivey’s re-election campaign Wednesday. In the recording, Maddox can be heard saying, “I was glad that we did.” Following his event this week at the University of Alabama, Walt Maddox was asked by … Continued

Chip Brownlee, Brandon Moseley

October 25, 2018

Report: 146,000 Alabamians with pre-existing conditions could lose coverage, see premium increases

Note: This piece was originally published in October 2018. As many as 146,000 people in Alabama who have pre-existing conditions and purchase their health insurance coverage through the individual market could see premium increases or lose their coverage if the Affordable Care Act is overturned in court, according to a new report from the House … Continued

Chip Brownlee

October 24, 2018

Senate, House leadership divided over calendar realities of passing gun safety bills

The two top leaders of Alabama’s Legislature seemed somewhat divided Thursday about the realities of getting gun and school safety legislation out of their chambers before the fast-approaching end of the legislative session. House Speaker Mac McCutcheon, R-Monrovia, was more optimistic about the chances of school and gun safety legislation getting out of the House, … Continued

Chip Brownlee

March 9, 2018

After Parkland shooting, Alabama lawmaker wants to arm teachers in the classroom

An Alabama lawmaker wants to arm teachers in classrooms across the state. Guntersville Republican Rep. Will Ainsworth plans to drop a bill that would allow teachers to carry concealed guns at schools if they are trained to a state standard. The introduction of the bill would come after a mass shooting at a school in … Continued

Chip Brownlee

February 16, 2018

Democrat Doug Jones’ win is one for the history books

Alabama politics did the only thing Alabama politics knows how to do: take the unexpected and make it into a reality, with Democratic candidate Doug Jones pulling off a historic upset. The election places a Democratic senator from the Yellowhammer State in Congress for the first time in a quarter-century. The newly elected senator and … Continued

Chip Brownlee

December 13, 2017

For Moore’s core supporters, this election goes much deeper than policy or politics

MIDLAND, Ala. — For Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore’s core group of voters, this special election is about much more than politics or policy. At its core, Tuesday’s vote isn’t about taxes, and it’s not about Steve Bannon, Donald Trump or even Democrat Doug Jones. When Moore’s staunchest supporters walk into a polling place Tuesday, … Continued

Chip Brownlee

December 12, 2017

In campaign’s final days, Jones works overtime to turn out black, millennial voters

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Nicole Bennett, a 45-year-old Navy veteran, saw a man trekking down U.S. Highway 80 between Selma and Montgomery on Thursday, only a plastic bag and a beanie shielding him from a cold, persistent rain — a small flag in hand. Bennett, thinking the man was a veteran, pulled over, rolled down her … Continued

Chip Brownlee

December 10, 2017