The Writing's on the Wall: Jeremy Oden's Political Career is in Jeapordy

Alabama Public Service Commissioner Jeremy Oden

By Christopher M Peeks June 10, 2025

Place 1 Public Service Commissioner Jeremy Oden's recent actions reveal a politician who knows he is underwater.

A few weeks ago, he applied for the vacant ADEM position. Oden did not even make the cut. Not being a finalist is very telling. The board probably wanted a director who showed up to work. According to people in the know, Oden doesn't show up to work for weeks at a time, while drawing his $110,000 a year. That salary also comes with insurance, a state car, and a cell phone. Lots of perks for a man who shows up to the office one day a month.

More recently, according to unnamed sources, he lobbied Governor Ivey for appointment to PSC President.

Maybe Oden wanted the more prestigious position because of stature. Or maybe he does not want to face Cullman County Sheriff Matt Gentry in next year's 2026 GOP primary.

Oden, never an overly popular candidate, usually ekes out a victory. In 2018, his victory remained in doubt until 2:00 a.m. when Cullman County pushed him over the top. What is notable about this speaker is that Oden almost lost to a candidate the Alabama Republican Party had disqualified for making racist and anti-Semitic comments.

In 2014, Kathy Peterson pushed him. In 2022, 66% of Republicans voted against him in the primary. He even had to resort to falsifying and circulating a campaign finance report on his opponent using a state computer, aided by his consultant, Montgomery County operative Tim Whitt.

Tim Whitt, at the behest of then-Governor Bob Riley, carried out the political hit on Alabama Attorney General Troy King.

What had Oden sweating bullets is that the power brokers seem to be lining up behind the Sheriff, and they are probably tired of bailing Oden out every four years. With Gentry having $196,000 on hand, the powers that be see an opportune time to replace Oden.

Jeremy Oden is running scared. I would be too.

Christopher M Peeks

Reporter and Columnist

Alabama Political Contributor