Alabama Forestry Association Endorses Judicial Candidates for 2026 Primary

The Alabama Forestry Association (AFA) has revealed its selected candidates for the Appellate Court Race, which will be part of the Alabama Republican primary on May 19, 2026.

The AFA plays a significant role in leading Alabama’s forestry sector, contributing $36 billion to the state’s economy.

“Supporting the rule of law is fundamental to our mission,” stated Chris Isaacson, president and CEO of the AFA.

“Each of these judges has demonstrated a strong commitment to maintaining a fair legal system. We appreciate having state judges who recognize the immediate effects on Alabama’s businesses and understand their essential role in promoting forestry and rural economic growth.”

The AFA has endorsed the following candidates:

Alabama Supreme Court

Civil Appeal Court

Criminal Appeal Court

Judge Brad Mendeme has been serving on the High Court since January 2018, following an appointment, and later took a different position in December of the same year after Tom Parker became a Supreme Court Justice.

Before his time on the Supreme Court, Mendeme was a District Judge in Houston County and then a Circuit Judge for the 20th Judicial Circuit. He graduated with a JD from Cumberland Law School at Samford University.

Judge Greg Shaw initially won a seat on the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals in 2000 and was later elected to the Alabama Supreme Court in 2008. He is also a Cumberland Law alumnus.

Fridy was elected to the Citizens’ Appeal Court in 2020, having previously served in the Alabama House of Representatives from 2014 to 2020, also with a JD from Cumberland School of Law.

Borden was appointed to the Civil Appeal Court recently, replacing Judge Bill Lewis, who resigned to run for Alabama Attorney General.

Lewis, nominated by President Trump as a US District Court judge for the Central District of Alabama, is awaiting a confirmation vote from the US Senate.

Following his confirmation, Governor Kay Ivey will appoint a new judge.

Mary Wyndham has been a judge on the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals since 2008 and was elected presiding judge by a colleague in 2012.

Wyndham has a background as a US assistant attorney for the Southern District of Alabama and as deputy Alabama Attorney General, obtaining her law degree from Thomas Goode Jones School of Law at Faulkner University.

Judge Elizabeth “Beth” Kellam was first elected to the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals in 2008, with re-elections occurring in 2014 and 2020.

Kellam’s experience includes working as a staff attorney for both the Court of Criminal Appeals and the Alabama Supreme Court, as well as in the Attorney General’s office. She holds both a bachelor’s and a law degree from the University of Alabama.