Paul Lee Reelected Alabama House Majority Leader

House Republicans returned Dothan's Paul Lee to a full term as majority leader after Scott Stadthagen stepped down to seek the state GOP chair.

Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Elections

Paul Lee Reelected Alabama House Majority Leader

Alabama House Republicans reelected Rep. Paul Lee of Dothan to a full term as majority leader during a House GOP meeting on Wednesday afternoon. Lee was first elected to the post in February after Scott Stadthagen stepped down to campaign for chair of the Alabama Republican Party.

Why it matters

The vote settles Republican leadership in the state House for the remainder of the term and gives Lee a longer tenure at the top of the chamber's majority. Stadthagen's departure to lead the state party shows how legislative leadership can shift as members pursue party-level roles.

Lee was reelected in an internal caucus process following his February selection as majority leader, which the extraction does not quantify with a vote count. Lee has been in the Alabama House since defeating longtime Rep. Joe Carothers in 2010, and he will serve as majority leader until 2030.

The players

Paul Lee

Paul Lee is a Republican state representative from Dothan who previously served on the Dothan City Commission and is the only remaining member of the 2010 House freshman class.

Scott Stadthagen

Scott Stadthagen is a Republican Alabama House member who stepped down as majority leader to run for chair of the Alabama Republican Party and now holds that office.

The details

Lee, a Republican from Dothan, was reelected during a meeting of the House GOP on Wednesday afternoon. He succeeded Scott Stadthagen, who stepped down in the final year of his term to run for chair of the Alabama Republican Party and now holds that post.

2010: Lee defeated Joe Carothers to join the Alabama House.
2015: Lee became chair of the House Health Committee.
February of the current year: Lee was first elected majority leader.
Wednesday of the current week: Lee was reelected to a full term as majority leader.

Political Context

Stadthagen's exit to lead the Alabama Republican Party shows legislative leaders moving into party-organization roles while the House majority is reshuffled behind them. Lee's reelection keeps the chamber's leadership stable as it moves through the remainder of the term.

For Alabama voters, the leadership vote determines which Republican leads the House agenda through the remainder of the term and into 2030. Residents of Dothan and the surrounding district will see Lee continue to represent them as majority leader.

The takeaway

Leadership changes in the state House can ripple outward as members move into party roles, so watch who fills vacated posts. Lee's longer tenure signals continuity for House Republicans through 2030.