Tommy Battle
67th Mayor of Huntsville[1]
Assumed office
November 3, 2008
Preceded byLoretta Spencer
Member of Huntsville City Council
from District 1
In office
1984–1988
Personal details
Born
Thomas Massengale Battle Jr.

(1955-12-03) December 3, 1955
Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse
Eula Sammons
​
​
(m. 1988; died 2020)​
Children1
Alma materUniversity of Alabama,
Tuscaloosa

Thomas Massengale Battle Jr. (born December 3, 1955) is an American businessman and politician who is serving as the 67th and current mayor of Huntsville, Alabama. His first term began November 3, 2008, and he has since been reelected in 2012, 2016, and most recently in 2020.[2][3]

Early life and education

Battle was born in Birmingham, Alabama, on December 3, 1955. When he was 14 years old, he had his first job working for his father's restaurant. Battle went to Berry High School (now Hoover High).

Battle later attended the University of Alabama, in Tuscaloosa, to study business. He participated in the Student Government Association and the debate team. Battle later joined the Alabama Republican Party. In 1975, Battle became the chairman of the university's College Republicans, and later the Alabama College Republicans.

After graduating college and holding a B.S. degree in business, Battle became a manager for Britling on the Highland in Birmingham, which he later sold. Battle later moved to Huntsville in 1980, becoming a local real estate developer, and was elected and served one term on the city council as the council's finance chair from 1984 to 1988. During this time, he met Eula Sammons, and his son Andrew was born. Battle left the council to run for the mayor's office, losing in a tight run-off against Democratic candidate Steve Hettinger in 1988.

After the election loss, Battle started Battle Real Estate and owned or became a management partner in several firms in the retail and real estate sectors.[4][5][6]

Political career

Mayoral elections

2008 election

Battle announced his mayoral candidacy against incumbent Loretta Spencer on March 26, 2008. Battle's policies were fiscal responsibility, free enterprise, education, and creating jobs. Prior to the first round of voting, Spencer was endorsed by The Huntsville Times.[7] The Committee of 100, a group of businesspeople, issued a joint endorsement of Battle and Spencer.[8]

In the municipal election on August 26, 2008, Spencer led Battle by 14,871 votes to 14,486. However, two minor candidates received 673 votes, preventing Spencer from attaining a majority, forcing a runoff with Battle.[9] In the runoff, on October 7, 2008, Battle defeated Spencer, by a vote of 21,123 votes (56%) to 16,821 (44%) for Spencer.[10]

2012 election

On August 28, 2012, Battle won with 81 percent of the vote, beating Loretta Spencer and Jackie Reed. The 2012 election had the largest margin of victory in a Huntsville mayoral election. The voting results were as follows:[11]

  • Battle: 22,838 (80.7%)
  • Spencer: 4,312 (15.2%)
  • Reed: 1,159 (4.1%)

He won in all 44 precincts citywide.[12]

2016 election

On September 23, 2015, Battle posted a statement confirming his running for a third term as mayor in 2016.[13] Battle later won against his opponents, with 80% of the votes cast for him.[14][6]

  • Battle: 13,896 (80.7%)
  • Spencer: 1,516 (8.8%)
  • Reed: 1,799 (10.5%)

2020 election

On August 25, 2020, Battle won reelection with 77.61% of the vote.[3]

  • Battle: 21,589 (77.61%)
  • Woloszyn: 2,894 (10.40%)
  • Reed: 1,729 (6.22%)
  • Shingleton: 1,607 (5.78%)

Mayor of Huntsville

During his second term, Battle, working with the State of Alabama, began the Restore Our Roads campaign and received a $250 million roads package designed to pay for necessary roadwork as well as increase economic development. To help fund the development further, a one-cent sales tax increase was proposed by Battle. The city council unanimously approved the increase and Huntsville saw the $453 million construction project grow to fruition.[15]

In 2015, Battle pushed the City of Huntsville to buy body cameras for the Huntsville Police Department, costing tax payers 1.2 million dollars.

In 2016, Battle announced that Google Fiber was coming to Huntsville, a move Battle strongly supported.[16]

Battle favored the expansion of ridesharing companies such as Uber and Lyft into the city and rewrote the vehicle for hire ordinance to make clear such companies could operate there.[17][18][19]

In the December 2017 special election for the Senate, Battle endorsed former State Supreme Court Judge Roy Moore, stating "As a Republican, we were going to support whoever the Republican party nominated during our primary. The Republicans nominated Roy Moore."[20][21]

In April 2018,[22] a rookie[23] Huntsville Police officer, William Darby, shot and killed a suicidal man within 11 seconds[24] of arriving at a call. In August 2018, Mayor Battle urged the Huntsville city council to pay or assist with paying for Darby's defense. The city paid $89,000 for his defense.[25][26] In May 2020, Darby was found guilty of murder.[27] After the verdict, Battle released a statement[28] that says he "disagree with the verdict" and that "Officer Darby followed the appropriate safety protocols in his response on the scene." Darby was cleared of wrong-doing by the city police review board.[29] As a result, Darby was still being paid by the city of Huntsville until late July.[30] On August 20, 2021, Darby was sentenced to 25 years in jail for the murder.[31] Battle pushed to prevent the bodycam footage from being released.[32] However, the footage of the murder was released on August 27, 2021.[33]

Fifteen Huntsville-area organizations,[34] including the Alabama chapters of Southern Christian Leadership Conference and NAACP Youth Council, have denounced Mayor Battle's handling of the George Floyd protest that occurred in and around Big Spring Park on June 3, 2020.[35] Huntsville Police along with SWAT and Incident Response Team[36] used tear gas, pepper spray, and rubber bullets to end the protest.[37][38]

Controversy

Following the murder conviction of William Darby, political groups[39] and politicians[40] have called for Battle to resign.[41] Locals have also started an online petition calling for the resignations of Battle and the Huntsville Police Chief Mark McMurray.

In May 2021, a Huntsville civil rights group, Rosa Parks Day Committee, also called for the resignations of Battle and McMurray. This came after both men publicly supported Huntsville Police Officer William Darby after a jury found him guilty of murder, the officer William Derby, was sentenced to 25 years.[42] Mark McMurray announced his retirement in Feb 2022.[43]

2018 gubernatorial election

Battle unsuccessfully ran for the Republican nomination for governor of Alabama in 2018 as an "outsider" candidate; he lost in the Republican primary to incumbent Kay Ivey.[44][45]

Battle has touted strong job growth under his tenure, as well as the city's top credit rating from credit rating agencies.[46][47]

Personal life

Battle married Eula Sammons, a kindergarten teacher at Monrovia Elementary, in 1988 they had one son, Andrew Battle.[48] Sammons died on October 20, 2020, from breast cancer.[49][50]

Battle is a member of the Trinity United Methodist Church.[6]

References

  1. ↑ Before 1916, the office was known as "President." Battle is the 11th to hold the title of "Mayor."
  2. ↑ "Tommy Battle - Mayor of Huntsville, AL". Bama Politics. 23 October 2018. Retrieved 2020-08-26.
  3. 1 2 "2020 Huntsville, AL Mayor Election Results". Bama Politics. 20 November 2019. Retrieved 2020-08-26.
  4. ↑ "Former Councilman Battle Seeking Mayor's Job". The Huntsville Times. March 27, 2008. p. 2B.
  5. ↑ "Candidate Profile: Tommy Battle". WHNT-TV.
  6. 1 2 3 "Meet Tommy – Battle For Alabama". Battle For Alabama. Retrieved 2017-09-25.
  7. ↑ "For Huntsville Mayor". The Huntsville Times. August 17, 2008. p. 20A.
  8. ↑ "Committee of 100 Endorses Spencer, Challenger Battle". The Huntsville Times. August 22, 2008. p. 2B.
  9. ↑ "Spencer, Battle to Meet in Oct. 7 Runoff for Mayor". The Huntsville Times. August 27, 2008. p. 1A.
  10. ↑ Roop, Lee (October 7, 2008). "Battle's Victory over Spencer Decisive". The Huntsville Times.
  11. ↑ "City of Huntsville, Alabama *** Huntsville *** Alabama *** HuntsvilleAL.gov". www.huntsvilleal.gov. Retrieved 2016-03-31.
  12. ↑ "Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle's 81 percent vote total a modern-day record". AL.com. 29 August 2012. Retrieved 2016-03-31.
  13. ↑ "Huntsville mayor Tommy Battle will run for re-election in 2016". AL.com. 24 September 2015. Retrieved 2016-03-31.
  14. ↑ "Huntsville Election Results". City of Huntsville. Retrieved 2020-08-26.
  15. ↑ "Mayor Battle touts job creation, entrepreneurs and Huntsville's quality of life in 2015 State of the City address". WHNT.com. 6 November 2015. Retrieved 2016-03-30.
  16. ↑ "Google Fiber is bringing its ultra-fast Internet service to Huntsville". AL.com. 22 February 2016. Retrieved 2016-03-30.
  17. ↑ "Uber ridesharing service not coming to Huntsville anytime soon". AL.com. 31 March 2015. Retrieved 2016-03-30.
  18. ↑ "Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle extends olive branch to Uber". AL.com. 12 June 2015. Retrieved 2016-03-30.
  19. ↑ "Huntsville City Council approves Uber ordinance". AL.com. 12 February 2016. Retrieved 2016-03-30.
  20. ↑ "Huntsville mayor endorses Moore for Senate". Waff.com. 21 October 2017. Retrieved 2019-12-11.
  21. ↑ Roop, Lee (27 October 2017). "Tommy Battle responds to pushback at home for endorsing Roy Moore". AL.com. Retrieved 15 December 2017.
  22. ↑ Beachum, Lateshia (8 May 2021). "Alabama police officer convicted of murder for shooting suicidal man in 2018". The Washington Post. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  23. ↑ "Huntsville Police Officer William Darby takes stand in his murder trial". CBS 42. 6 May 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  24. ↑ "Huntsville Police Officer William Darby found guilty of murder". Nexstar Media Inc. WHNT News 19. 7 May 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  25. ↑ "Huntsville says it has paid $89,000 for William Darby's murder defense, disciplinary hearing on indefinite hold". WHNT News 19. 20 May 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  26. ↑ Torres-Perez, Alex (18 May 2021). "City won't say how it's paying for legal fees of Huntsville police officer convicted of murder". WAAY 31 ABC. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  27. ↑ Remkus, Ashley (7 May 2021). "Huntsville police officer William Ben Darby convicted of murder for shooting Jeffery Parker". AL.com. The Huntsville Times. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  28. ↑ "Police Chief, Mayor release statements on Murder conviction of Officer Darby". WHNT News 19. 7 May 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  29. ↑ "Jury convicts Alabama officer of murder in 2018 shooting". FOX News. 7 May 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  30. ↑ "Officer convicted of murder still gets paid in Alabama". The Associated Press. 11 May 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  31. ↑ Remkus, Ashley (20 August 2021). "William Ben Darby, Huntsville officer convicted of murder, sentenced to 25 years for shooting Jeff Parker". The Huntsville Times. AL.com. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  32. ↑ Gattis, Paul (Jun 10, 2021). "Huntsville city council, mayor's office at odds over police body cam video". The Huntsville Times. AL.com. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  33. ↑ Remkus, Ashley (28 August 2021). "Judge releases video of Alabama police officer shooting and killing suicidal man". The Huntsville Times. AL.com. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  34. ↑ "Coalition of Huntsville-area groups respond to Mayor's statement on protest". WZDX-TV FOX 54. Fox News. 5 June 2020. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
  35. ↑ "UPDATED: Downtown Huntsville protest ends with riot gas, arrests". WAFF 48 News. Gray Media Group, Inc. NBC. 4 June 2020. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
  36. ↑ Lightfoot, Franklin & White, LLC (22 April 2021). "Report by Independent Counsel to The Huntsville Police Citizens Advisory Council" (PDF): 50 of 248. Retrieved 29 August 2021. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  37. ↑ Klapp, Caroline (23 April 2021). "Breakdown of 248 page report on Huntsville Police response to June 2020 protests". WAFF 48 News. Gray Media Group, Inc. Station. NBC. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
  38. ↑ Remkus, Ashley (23 April 2021). "Protest review finds 'unprofessional' behavior, policy violations by Huntsville police". The Huntsville Times. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  39. ↑ Divers, Bridget (19 May 2021). "Civic group again calls for Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle's resignation". WAAY 31. Allen Media Broadcasting, LLC. ABC. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  40. ↑ Moon, Josh (20 May 2021). "State lawmakers, civil rights group renew calls for Huntsville mayor's resignation". Alabama Political Reporter. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  41. ↑ "Rosa Parks Day Committee again calls for Mayor Battle's resignation after statements made in support of convicted HPD officer". WHNT News 19. Nexstar Media Inc. CBS. 19 May 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  42. ↑ Levenson, Michael (2021-08-20). "Former Alabama Officer Is Sentenced to 25 Years for Murdering Suicidal Man". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-04-06.
  43. ↑ Montgomery, Charles (18 February 2022). "HPD Chief Mark McMurray announces retirement". waff.com. Retrieved 2022-04-06.
  44. ↑ "Battle loses primary".
  45. ↑ Lyman, Brian. "Tommy Battle stresses outsider status in race against Kay Ivey". Montgomery Advertiser.
  46. ↑ "No. 1: Huntsville, Alabama". www.kiplinger.com. Retrieved 2016-03-31.
  47. ↑ "Touting 16,000 new jobs, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle kicks off reelection campaign". AL.com. 19 May 2016. Retrieved 2016-05-23.
  48. ↑ "About Mayor Battle". City of Huntsville. Retrieved 2019-12-11.
  49. ↑ Roop, Lee (2020-10-20). "Eula Battle, wife of Huntsville mayor, dies at 65". The Huntsville Times/AL.com. Retrieved 2020-10-21.
  50. ↑ Moseley, Brandon (October 21, 2020). "Eula Battle, wife of Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, has died". Alabama Political Reporter.
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