Alabama Republican Party Chairwoman Terry Lathan, with gubernatorial candidate Bill Hightower, right, and Cullman County GOP Chair Waid Harbison and gubernatorial candidate Scott Dawson, seated at left, speaks to the crowd at the Cullman County Republican Party's annual dinner Thursday night.

Many of the area’s Republican officials and candidates got a chance to celebrate their party’s recent success and make their pitch for office as the Cullman County Republican Party hosted its annual dinner and silent auction Thursday night.

Local Republican officials and candidates for office got to make a short pitch to the crowd of several hundred who gathered in the Cullman Civic Center. Two of the four Republican gubernatorial candidates were on hand seeking support for the GOP nomination. 

Candidates Bill Hightower and Scott Dawson were in attendance, while Gov. Kay Ivey and Tommy Battle did not attend but had representatives at the dinner.

Hightower, a Mobile resident and State Senator, stressed his work as a businessman and urged voters not to accept the status quo when voting for governor. 

He said Alabama’s economy has been growing, but the state is still ranked low in many areas, and his experience working in businesses around the world would help Alabama get where it needs to be.

“Our state is not running as good as it could be,” he said. “ Don’t accept average. I want to look for something exceptional.”

Hightower also pointed out that he is the only one of the four candidates who has a voting record, and his record is clear based on his work for budget reform, protecting faith-based adoption agencies and his attempt to pass a term limit for legislators. 

“What I am is what I do,” he said.

Dawson, a Birmingham-area evangelist, said he is an outsider to politics but has a proven record based on his 30 years as a minister and respected community member.

“There’s a difference between image and integrity,” he said. “Image is the 30-second commercial. Integrity is the character that you are throughout your lifetime.”

He said his work in the ministry has put him in many positions to work with pastors and get them to agree to a common goal, and that work can translate to the governor’s seat.

Dawson said he will make all of his decisions based on a biblical world view, but people should not believe that makes him any different from the other candidates.

“Anyone in the governor’s chair will make their decisions based on some sort of authority in their life,” he said. “We just don’t want it to be special interest groups whispering in their ears.”

The local GOP took a moment to recognize members who have gone above and beyond in their work for the party in Cullman County. Those receiving awards include:

Patriot of the Year- Jane Neal Humiston

Young Republican of the Year- Nicolette Kilgo

Republican Woman of the Year- Linda Schaffner 

Legacy Award- Ken Brown

Elected Official of the Year- Matt Gentry

The party also awarded $1,000 scholarships to Alan Crisolgo, Ian Messersmith and Jonathan Peyton, who are all Cullman High School seniors who are members of the Cullman County Teenage Republicans.