By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
Wednesday, May 31, 2017 State Board of Education member Mary Scott Hunter (R) is running for Lieutenant Governor in the 2018 election.
Hunter told the Alabama Media Group’s Mike Cason that, “I’m just at a place where I want to do something bigger. I want Alabama to be wildly successful.”
Hunter represents DeKalb, Etowah, Jackson, Limestone and Madison counties on the School Board.
Hunter’s father, Scott Hunter, was a quarterback at the University of Alabama under coach Paul “Bear” Bryant. He also played eight years in the NFL.
While Hunter has focused on education in her current job, she recently has been talking to groups across the State about restoring the American Dream in Alabama.
Hunter recently spoke to the Alabama Federation of Young Republicans where she cited a number of statistics showing that home ownership, children in poverty, joblessness, etc. were worsening across the state and for many Alabamians achieving the American Dream is becoming much more difficult.
In the past, she has expressed interest in the past in running for Governor or even the US Senate.
Hunter has been very controversial on the School Board. Some have accused Hunter of sabotaging Craig Pouncey’s candidacy so that Michael Sentance would be chosen as State Superintendent. Conservatives have widely criticized Hunter for her support of the Alabama College and Career Ready Standards, which are aligned with Common Core.
Hunter graduated from Fairhope High School in 1991. She earned both a Bachelor’s degree and a Law degree from the University of Alabama. After finishing law school, she was a commissioned as a lieutenant in the US Air Force. She served 10 years as an Air Force Judge Advocate General (JAG) first on active duty, then in the reserves and finally in the Alabama Air National Guard. She attained the rank of Major and did tours in Korea and Germany as well as a wartime deployment to the Middle East. She and her husband, Jon Shultz, who’s also an Air Force veteran, moved to Alabama in 2006. She was in private law practice for six years and now works for Intuitive Research and Technology.
State Senator Rusty Glover (R-Semmes) and State Representative Will Ainsworth (R-Guntersville) have both expressed interest in running for Lt. Governor in 2018. The office of Lt. Gov. is presently vacant as Kay Ivey was sworn in as Governor after Robert Bentley (R) resigned amidst a sex scandal.
Hunter ran for the State Senate in a 2009 special election, losing to fellow Republican Paul Sanford. She won the State School Board seat in 2010 and was re-elected in 2014.
