State Senator “Walking” Wendell Mitchell, of Luverne, announced this week that he will be a candidate for another term in next year’s election. Senator Mitchell will be in line to claim the top seniority spot in the State Senate due to the retirement of the two incumbents who presently hold that rank.

Mitchell is known for his conservative voting record on fiscal issues, his commitment to constituent services, and his ability to bring an exceptional amount of state monies into his Senate District.

Senator Mitchell holds the title of Deputy President Pro-Tempore of the Senate, the number two position of leadership among all Senators. He is also Chairman of the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee and the Joint Senate-House Committee on Energy Policy.

As Deputy Pro-Tem, Mitchell is a member of all Senate standing committees. He is in a position with these assignments to have an impact on almost every issue in the Legislature.

Mitchell has been named “Legislator of the Year” by numerous organizations over his many years of service, and he has been chosen six times by her peers to serve as Alabama’s chief spokesman in the Southern Legislative Conference and the Council of State Governments, two of the leading national legislative organizations.

In announcing his intentions, Senator Mitchell expressed his “deep gratitude to the people of Autauga, Butler, Crenshaw, Elmore, Lowndes, and Pike Counties for honoring me with the opportunity to serve you in the State Senate.”

“I have tried to justify your confidence in me by serving with integrity and working hard for our District. My commitment to you is to continue to work hard and be an effective public servant for all the citizens of our great state.”

Mitchell is married to the former Rosalind McBride of Greenville and the couple have three adult children (and a dog named LuLu).