John Wahl

John Wahl
Politician
In office
February 27, 2021 – January 23, 2026
Preceded byTerry Lathan
Succeeded byScott Stadthagen
Personal details
BornNehemiah Ezekiel Wahl
(1986-07-30) July 30, 1986
Athens, Alabama, U.S.
PartyRepublican

Nehemiah Ezekiel "John" Wahl[1] (born 1986) is an American politician and butterfly breeder who served as chairman of the Alabama Republican Party from 2021 to 2026.[2][3][4] In January 2023, he was elected as a vice-chair of the Republican National Committee, representing the RNC's southern region. Wahl was the youngest Republican state party chair in the United States during his tenure.[3] In 2024, he was also elected chair of the Alabama Public Library Service (APLS) by his fellow board members.[5] Wahl is currently a candidate in the Republican primary for the 2026 Alabama lieutenant gubernatorial election.[6]

Early life and career

Wahl was born in Athens, Alabama.[7] He is the brother of Noah Wahl, a fellow political strategist and the current chair of the Limestone County Republican Party. As a teenager, Wahl was a door-to-door grassroots activist for the Republican Party. Wahl was later a part of WT&S Consulting, a political consulting and polling firm associated with the Alabama Republican Party.[8] He was also the chair of Stop the Small Business Tax PAC, a political action committee that defeated a local property tax increase in Athens.[9][10]

By trade, Wahl is a butterfly farmer and operates a farm in western Limestone County, a business he started when he was still in high school. Butterflies bred on Wahl's farm have supplied various zoos, botanical gardens, and exhibits across the country with over 40,000 butterflies annually.[11] Wahl has also served on the board of the International Butterfly Breeders Association.[2] Wahl's farm has been featured by various media outlets seeking to cover the niche industry of butterfly farming, including Mental Floss,[12] Simply Southern TV, and Smarter Every Day.[13] Wahl describes the industry as one of the "most beautiful" job opportunities, which he contrasts with his work as a politician.[2]

Political career

Wahl held senior roles in multiple state and local campaigns before becoming actively involved with the Alabama Republican Party.[8] In the 2012 election cycle, Wahl was selected to serve as field director for the Alabama Republican Party. Two years later, he was elected to the party's State Executive Committee. Following the 2016 election cycle, Wahl was chosen as the vice chairman for the Alabama Republican Party's division for the 5th congressional district. In 2019, Wahl was elected as senior vice chairman of the party at the executive committee's winter meeting. [7]

During the 2020 United States presidential election, Wahl was one of Alabama's nine Electoral College representatives supporting President Donald J. Trump. He also played a senior role on Tommy Tuberville's successful campaign for U.S. Senate, and later served on Senator Tuberville's transition team in Washington, D.C.[14] When Terry Lathan announced that she would not seek another term as chair of the Alabama Republican Party, Wahl ran and won the Chairmanship to replace her on February 27, 2021.[7] Wahl said that, as party chair, he would focus on tax relief, border security, election integrity, and pushing back on socialism as some of his main priorities.[2][15][16]

During his first term as party chair, Wahl oversaw the Alabama Republican Party in launching a new minority outreach team,[17] and led the "Operation Restore America" campaign, a group of volunteers assembled to assist with national and other out-of-state elections in 2021 and 2022, including the 2021 Virginia gubernatorial election, which was won by Republican Glenn Youngkin.[18][19] Wahl also managed the Republican Party's involvement in the 2022 Alabama elections, including a debate over congressional redistricting for the 2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Alabama. The conflict eventually led to a Supreme Court case, Allen v. Milligan, in which Republicans were initially granted a stay for 2022, but the district map was overturned in 2023.[20][21][22][23] Wahl was also an advocate for closed primaries[24] (which the party approved in August 2022),[25] school choice, and adoption reform in Alabama.[26] By 2023, Wahl had helped raise over $2.8 million for the Alabama Republican Party.[27]

In January 2023, Wahl was selected as a vice chair for the Republican National Committee, leading its southern division.[28] Wahl said that he was looking forward to working on a "fresh vision" for the Republican Party in the 2024 election cycle.[29] At the Alabama Republican Party's 2023 winter meeting, he was re-elected as chair for another two-year term. Wahl faced no opposition and was elected by acclamation.[30][27] In September 2023, Wahl was profiled in a series of NPR articles highlighting the youngest Republican State Chairman (Wahl himself) and the youngest Democratic State Chair (Anderson Clayton of North Carolina). Wahl said that his goals for the future of the Alabama Republican Party would include attracting Black voters from Alabama's Black Belt region, as well as younger voters.[3]

In March 2025, Wahl was again re-elected as Chairman of the Alabama Republican Party (ALGOP) for a third term.[31]

Wahl has also faced criticism over the alleged misuse of ALGOP funds during his time as chair.[32] In March 2025, ALGOP authorized a four-year audit of party funds and expenditures, which has not been released as of July 2026. [33][32][34] Several ethics complaints were also filed by members of the Alabama Republican Party against Wahl and his brother, alleging that their consulting group was using his position for gain.[35]

Voter ID

In fall 2022, AL.com published a series of stories reporting on Wahl and his Anabaptist family members, who objected to voter ID, calling it the "mark of the beast."[36] Wahl, who has used "John Wahl" on official legal forms in Alabama, had previously been identified by his legal name "Nehemiah Ezekiel Wahl" on his Tennessee-issued drivers license and past voter registration in Tennessee in 2025.[37] Wahl instead used "John Wahl" on a number of Alabama official legal documents, including ethics disclosures, which ask for a full legal name.[38][39] When prompted to show a valid photo ID during the 2020 election, he presented a "state employee" card identifying himself as "John" Wahl.[40] He later described this ID as legally issued by the State Auditor's office. [41]

The question of Wahl's ID attracted national attention after John Merrill, former Secretary of State of Alabama, said that Wahl's card from the State Auditor's office was not a valid photo ID.[42][43] In October, 2022, the Limestone County poll worker who inspected Wahl's ID was later fired after raising concerns about its validity.[44][45][46] Wahl stated that the ID had been approved by Limestone County's probate judge.[47] Later, he called the claims 'rubbish.'[48] Additionally, Wahl was registered to vote in Tennessee and Alabama at the same time, under two different names; his legal name "Nehemiah Ezekiel Wahl" in Tennessee, and his nickname "John Wahl" in Alabama.[38][37] Though two secretaries of state, the chief elections official in Alabama, have filed reports with the Alabama attorney general's office, there has not been a formal investigation.[49]

Lieutenant governor campaign

In April 2025, AL.com reported that Wahl was a potential candidate for the 2026 Alabama lieutenant gubernatorial election.[50] Wahl confirmed to 1819 News that he was exploring the possibility of a campaign for lieutenant governor in May 2025.[51] In January 2026, President Donald Trump drafted Wahl to run through a Truth Social post, with the President calling Wahl a "true MAGA warrior" and saying that "John has been with us from the very beginning." He ended his Truth Social post by saying, "RUN, JOHN, RUN!"[52] Wahl filed in the final moments of qualifying, joining a crowded field that included seven other Republican hopefuls.[53]

In March 2026, Wahl was criticized by his opponents for attending a Ramadan dinner at a mosque.[54] Wahl defended his visit, calling the attack a "political hit job" and claimed that the dinner was not a Ramadan celebration and the building was not a mosque, while the islamic center labeled the event a "Ramadan Iftar" and called the building a mosque.[55][56]

Wahl has campaigned on cutting the state income tax, grocery tax, and property tax. [57][58] Additionally, Wahl has stated that he is open to creating a lottery for Alabama, opening the door for casino gambling.[59] However, he recanted his position after pushback from conservatives.[60]

Wahl's entry into the race necessitated his resignation as chair of the Alabama Republican Party, which he tendered the same day. Wahl was succeeded first by Joan Reynolds in an acting capacity, then Scott Stadthagen following the latter's election as chair.[61][62]

2026 Ballot Challenge and Residency

During the 2026 Republican primary for lieutenant governor, Wahl faced a formal ballot challenge concerning his residency and past voter identification. Alabama law states that the lieutenant governor must have resided in Alabama for seven years prior to holding office. The challenge claimed that Wahl did not maintain an Alabama residence for the previous seven years, citing his Tennessee driver's license, property records, and voter registration using his legal name in Tennessee as late as 2025. [63]

In response to the residency allegations, Wahl addressed the issue, stating that his Tennessee properties were tied to the operational logistics of his commercial agricultural business located in a border county, and claimed that his primary legal domicile has consistently remained in Alabama.[64] Regarding the voter identification controversy, Wahl maintained that his use of a State Auditor press credential at the polls had been previously vetted by the local probate judge, a claim supported by former State Auditor Jim Zeigler, who publicly authorized the official badge, despite two secretaries of state declaring that the card was not an approved voter ID.[64][43] When asked why he was registered to vote in Tennessee as late as 2025, which requires two proofs of residency and a signature verifying residency, Wahl gave no comment.[37]

In late January 2026, the ALGOP Steering Committee convened to formally review the residency and ballot challenges. Following the review process, the committee split in a 9-9 tie, with Wahl's former vice-chairwoman Reynolds casting the tie-breaking vote as acting chairwoman to dismiss the challenge.[63]

Alabama Public Library Service (APLS) Board

In 2022, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey appointed John Wahl to the Alabama Public Library Service (APLS) Board.[65] He was later elected chairman of the board during its September 2024 meeting.[5] Wahl has faced criticism from activist groups for advocating the relocation of books alleged to contain sexually explicit material from children's and youth sections of public libraries.[66]

Personal life

Wahl resides in Limestone County, Alabama, where his butterfly farm is located.[8]

References

  1. ↑ https://www.alreporter.com/2025/05/20/opinion-why-is-john-wahl-using-an-alias-on-sworn-state-documents/
  2. 1 2 3 4 Cason, Mike (January 26, 2021). "Butterfly farmer John Wahl running for chairman of Alabama Republican Party". AL.com. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 Bustillo, Ximena; Moore, Elena (September 7, 2023). "This butterfly farmer wants to strengthen the Republican Party's hold on Alabama". NPR. Retrieved November 6, 2023.
  4. ↑ @ALGOP (July 30, 2024). "Wishing a very happy birthday to our Chairman and Alabama's premier leptozoologist, @chairmanwahl! 🇺🇸🦋" (Tweet). Retrieved February 1, 2026 – via X (formerly Twitter).
  5. 1 2 Yaffee (2024-09-20). "John Wahl elected as Alabama Public Library Service chairman, vows to protect children and promote reading". Yellowhammer News. Retrieved 2025-05-15.
  6. ↑ Staff (2026-01-28). "John Wahl launches lieutenant governor bid with Trump's endorsement". Alabama Political Reporter. Retrieved 2026-04-04.
  7. 1 2 3 Moseley, Brandon (March 1, 2021). "John Wahl elected as chairman of the Alabama Republican Party". Alabama Political Reporter. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  8. 1 2 3 Bunch, Riley; Henderson, Amy (February 25, 2021). "Pivotal role: Wahl seeking helm of state GOP post-Trump". The Cullman Times. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  9. ↑ Moseley, Brandon (August 17, 2015). "Athens is Next Battleground over Taxes". Alabama Political Reporter. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  10. ↑ "Voters in Athens rejected a property tax increase in a special election". www.waff.com. 2015-08-26. Retrieved 2025-09-14.
  11. ↑ Belanger, Evan (May 22, 2016). "The business of butterflies: Limestone County home to rare branch of farming". Decatur Daily. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  12. ↑ Higgins, Chris (July 3, 2013). "Inside a Butterfly Farm". Mental Floss. Archived from the original on April 9, 2023. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  13. ↑ SmarterEveryDay (2013-06-30). Butterfly Farming IS AMAZING - (Full Life Cycle) - Smarter Every Day 96. Retrieved 2025-09-14 – via YouTube.
  14. ↑ Riales, Bill (March 1, 2021). "John Wahl elected to replace Terry Lathan as chairman of Alabama Republican Party". WKRG-TV. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  15. ↑ Cason, Mike (February 27, 2021). "Alabama Republican Party elects butterfly farmer state chairman". AL.com. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  16. ↑ "Wahl elected chairman of Alabama Republican Party". Associated Press. March 1, 2021. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  17. ↑ Moseley, Brandon (October 21, 2021). "Alabama Republican Party will launch new minority outreach team". 1819 News. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  18. ↑ Moseley, Brandon (November 3, 2021). "Virginia's gubernatorial race was first victory for Alabama GOP's Restore America plan". 1819 News. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  19. ↑ Moseley, Brandon (November 6, 2021). "ALGOP Chairman says Republican wins in Virginia are wins for all Republicans". 1819 News. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  20. ↑ Taylor, Caleb (June 8, 2023). "ALGOP 'disappointed' in SCOTUS redistricting ruling; Wahl vows to 'work hard to win all seven congressional seats'". 1819 News. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  21. ↑ Moseley, Brandon (February 1, 2022). "Alabama Republican Party files motion in support of state's position in redistricting case". 1819 News. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  22. ↑ Cason, Mike (February 7, 2022). "U.S. Supreme Court grants Alabama's request to block order for new congressional districts". The Anniston Star. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  23. ↑ Sherman, Mark; Gresko, Jessica (February 7, 2022). "Supreme Court sides with GOP in Alabama election map case". Associated Press. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  24. ↑ Poor, Jeff (July 7, 2022). "ALGOP chair Wahl calls for closed primaries, county voter mapping software requirements in wake of controversial primary season". 1819 News. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  25. ↑ Holmes, Jacob (August 15, 2022). "ALGOP votes to close primaries starting in 2024". Alabama Political Reporter. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  26. ↑ Yaffee (August 12, 2022). "ALGOP chair John Wahl: School choice, closed primaries and adoption reform among next session's priorities". Yellowhammer News. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  27. 1 2 Shipley, Austin (February 27, 2023). "Wahl re-elected to state GOP chair". Yellowhammer News. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  28. ↑ "ALGOP chairman elected as RNC vice chairman". Alabama Political Reporter. January 30, 2023. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  29. ↑ Cason, Mike (January 28, 2023). "Alabama Republican Party leader John Wahl named vice chair for national GOP". Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  30. ↑ Griesbach, Rebecca (February 25, 2023). "John Wahl reelected as Alabama GOP chairman". AL.com. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  31. ↑ Staff (2025-03-03). "John Wahl re-elected as Alabama GOP chairman for third consecutive term". Alabama Political Reporter. Retrieved 2025-09-14.
  32. 1 2 kwhitmire@al.com, Kyle Whitmire | (2026-02-14). "Alabama Republicans question party finances, hunt for 'Bigfoot' of audits". al. Retrieved 2026-07-27.
  33. ↑ "ALGOP, Wahl respond to 'Bigfoot' audit accusations, saying process…". 1819 News. Retrieved 2026-07-27.
  34. ↑ Moon, Josh (2025-05-14). "Opinion | The very strange John Wahl situation". Alabama Political Reporter. Retrieved 2026-07-27.
  35. ↑ Moon, Josh (2025-04-17). "Limestone Republicans raise questions about Wahl family influence, consulting business". Alabama Political Reporter. Retrieved 2026-07-27.
  36. ↑ Whitmire, Kyle (September 27, 2022). "Alabama GOP chair's family believed voter ID was mark of the beast, brother said in deposition". AL.com. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  37. 1 2 3 "Wahl's residency challenged in bid for lieutenant governor". ALDailyNews.
  38. 1 2 Britt, Bill (May 30, 2025). "Why is John Wahl using an alias on sworn state documents?". Alabama Political Reporter. Retrieved 2026-02-22.
  39. ↑ Whitmire, Kyle (May 13, 2025). "Why does Alabama's GOP chairman have a Tennessee driver's license?". AL.com. Archived from the original on 2025-05-15. Retrieved 2026-02-22.
  40. ↑ Whitmire, Kyle (October 3, 2022). "Alabama GOP chairman made the photo ID he used to vote". AL.com. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  41. ↑ JT (Jeff Tyson) (January 28, 2026). "John Wahl clears the air on 'homemade fake ID' allegations from Wes Allen". Alabama Morning News with JT (Podcast). WERC-FM. Retrieved May 10, 2026.
  42. ↑ Li Bartov, Shira (October 4, 2022). "Republican Chairman Under Fire for Using Fake Homemade ID to Vote". Newsweek. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  43. 1 2 "Merrill: 'Certain people' discussing consequences for ALGOP chair…". 1819 News. Retrieved 2026-07-27.
  44. ↑ Harry, Brittany (October 6, 2022). "Limestone County poll worker fired after concerns about ID belonging to ALGOP Chairman John Wahl". WAAY-TV. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  45. ↑ Sell, Mary (January 27, 2026). "Wahl to make candidacy announcement today; Allen raises issue with 'homemade fake ID'". Alabama Daily News. Retrieved 2026-02-22.
  46. ↑ Whitmire, Kyle (September 27, 2022). "Alabama GOP chair refused to show license to vote. That became a problem for poll workers". AL.com.
  47. ↑ Taylor, Daniel (October 3, 2022). "'Just being cruel': ALGOP chairman John Wahl responds to hit piece against his family". 1819 News. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  48. ↑ Everett, Grayson (May 15, 2025). "John Wahl shows Alabama ID as he attacks 'rubbish' claims by news media". Yellowhammer News. Retrieved May 10, 2026.
  49. ↑ Goddard, Taegan (June 12, 2024). "Alabama GOP Chair Used Fake ID to Vote". Political Wire. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  50. ↑ Cason, Mike (April 1, 2025). "Who will be Alabama's next lieutenant governor? Why it might be the 'best race on the ballot' in 2026". AL.com. Retrieved January 22, 2026.
  51. ↑ Taylor, Caleb (May 30, 2025). "ALGOP chair John Wahl 'strongly considering' running for lieutenant governor in 2026". 1819 News. Retrieved January 22, 2026.
  52. ↑ Sell, Mary (2026-01-23). "'RUN, JOHN, RUN': Trump endorses Wahl for lieutenant governor; qualifying ends today". Alabama Daily News. Retrieved 2026-03-17.
  53. ↑ "Fields take shape for Governor, Senate races (and others) as qualifying window closes". rocketcitynow.com. 2026-01-23. Retrieved 2026-01-24.
  54. ↑ jsharp@al.com, John Sharp | (2026-03-24). "Alabama Secretary of State blasts Trump-backed rival for visiting Islamic Center: 'I want no part in Islam'". al. Retrieved 2026-07-27.
  55. ↑ writer, Sherry Kughn Star staff (2026-03-07). "Anniston Islamic Center mosque hosts Ramadan Iftar". The Anniston Star. Retrieved 2026-07-27.
  56. ↑ Everett, Grayson (2026-03-24). "'You will never find me in an Islamic center': Wes Allen slams John Wahl over attending Ramadan dinner – Wahl says he's 'weaponizing Christianity'". Yellowhammer News. Retrieved 2026-07-27.
  57. ↑ "'Helps Alabama grow the right way' — Wahl pushes to make state…". 1819 News. Retrieved 2026-07-27.
  58. ↑ Cason, Mike (2026-06-11). "Alabama GOP rivals clash over tax cut promise as nasty runoff race nears an end". al. Retrieved 2026-07-27.
  59. ↑ "Wahl: 'I would struggle' with supporting a clean lottery — 'Opposed'…". 1819 News. Retrieved 2026-07-27.
  60. ↑ "John Wahl 'unapologetically opposed' to casino gaming increase in…". 1819 News. Retrieved 2026-07-27.
  61. ↑ Conlon, Riley (January 23, 2026). "Joan Reynolds named Alabama GOP chairman after John Wahl files for lieutenant governor race". WVTM 13. Retrieved January 23, 2026.
  62. ↑ Britt, Bill (March 7, 2026). "Rep. Scott Stadthagen wins Alabama GOP chair after runoff vote". Alabama Political Reporter. Retrieved March 28, 2026.
  63. 1 2 Everett, Grayson (2026-02-03). "ALGOP dismisses residency challenge against John Wahl's 2026 Lt. Governor bid". Yellowhammer News. Retrieved 2026-07-27.
  64. 1 2 "Wahl speaks on ballot challenge funded by Wes Allen, addresses Tennessee residency questions". 1819 News.
  65. ↑ Stephenson, Jemma (2024-09-20). "Alabama Republican Party chair becomes state library board chair". Alabama Reflector. Retrieved 2025-05-15.
  66. ↑ leadership, Read Freely (2025-05-12). "John Wahl is gaslighting Alabamians about library content: op-ed". al. Retrieved 2025-05-15.
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