Paul R. Hubbert (December 25, 1935 – October 14, 2014) was an American politician and Democratic gubernatorial candidate from the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...

. From 1969 to 2011, he was executive secretary-treasurer of the

Alabama Education Association The Alabama Education Association (AEA) is a statewide professional organization that represents public school employees in the state of Alabama. It is based in the state capital of Montgomery. The AEA is the largest education association in Ala ...

, a

professional association A professional association (also called a professional body, professional organization, or professional society) usually seeks to advocacy, further a particular profession, the interests of individuals and organisations engaged in that professio ...

for

teacher A teacher, also called a schoolteacher or formally an educator, is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence, or virtue, via the practice of teaching. ''Informally'' the role of teacher may be taken on by anyone (e.g. whe ...

s. The organization serves many of the functions of a

trade union A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits ( ...

, and is often referred to as such by

news media The news media or news industry are forms of mass media that focus on delivering news to the general public or a target public. These include news agencies, print media (newspapers, news magazines), broadcast news (radio and television), and th ...

and political opponents. State law prohibits public employees from being represented by a union ''per se,'' hence the designation. As president of the AEA, he exerted significant influence upon Alabama politics. In 1990, he ran as the Democratic nominee in the Alabama gubernatorial election, and lost to

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

incumbent

H. Guy Hunt Harold Guy Hunt (June 17, 1933 – January 30, 2009) was an American politician, pastor, and convicted felon who served as the 49th governor of Alabama from 1987 to 1993. He was the first Republican to serve as governor of the state since Rec ...

. Four years later he was an unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic nomination for governor. He was co-chair of the Alabama Democratic Party, and a target of criticism from the state's Republican party and leadership. He resigned that role in 2011, after Republicans took control of both chambers of the

Alabama Legislature The Alabama Legislature is the legislative branch of the state government of Alabama. It is a bicameral body composed of the House of Representatives and Senate. It is one of the few state legislatures in which members of both chambers serv ...

, which greatly diminished the influence of the AEA. Born in

Hubbertville, Alabama Hubbertville is a rural incorporated area of Glen Allen located along the west bank of the Sipsey River in north-central Fayette County, Alabama, United States. Education * Hubbertville School is in Hubbertville. Notable people *Paul Hubbert ...

, Hubbert was an alumnus of the

University of North Alabama The University of North Alabama (UNA) is a public university in Florence, Alabama. It is the state's oldest public university. Occupying a campus in a residential section of Florence, UNA is located within a four-city area that also includes ...

, which at the time of his attendance, was named Florence State Teachers College. He died in a

Montgomery, Alabama Montgomery is the capital city of the U.S. state of Alabama and the county seat of Montgomery County. Named for the Irish soldier Richard Montgomery, it stands beside the Alabama River, on the coastal Plain of the Gulf of Mexico. In the 202 ...

hospital following complications of a fall October 6, 2014.

References

1935 births 2014 deaths People from Fayette County, Alabama National Education Association people Alabama Democrats University of North Alabama alumni Candidates in the 1990 United States elections 20th-century American politicians {{Alabama-politician-stub