Greg Cook running for Alabama Supreme Court

Current Alabama Republican Party counsel Greg Cook has announced his intention to run for the upcoming vacancy on the Alabama Supreme Court in next year’s election.

“I believe in public service,” Cook said. “This is a way I can serve. The people of Alabama deserve justices that are experienced and hardworking.”

Cook, a U.S. Air Force veteran, is also a volunteer with the Boy Scouts and an active member and ordained deacon at Dawson Memorial Baptist Church in Homewood. He and his wife, Kimberly, have three children, and Kimberly serves on the Vestavia Hills City Council.

Current Justice Mike Bolin’s term expires next year, as Alabama justices cannot take office after they turn 70 years old. Cook, 58, would be eligible to serve two full terms.

Cook said the state has been blessed to have Bolin on the bench, and he needs to be replaced by someone who has extensive legal experience. Cook has been involved in every election since 1992 as counsel for the state GOP and has tried results on behalf of the party.

“I have deep experience in election law,” Cook said. “Election law is where all of our democracy begins.”

Cook said he believes deeply in the integrity of elections, and said the state of Alabama has done well, unlike its neighbor, Georgia.

Cook said he believes the legal process matters and doing justice and acting fairly requires having the best legal rules, the best people and the best equipment. In his role on the Supreme Court’s rules committee, he’s helped craft rules for civil procedure, improving those rules, including the ability to have simultaneous testimony, allowing witnesses to speak via Zoom, a huge help during the COVID-19 pandemic, he said.

While it would be easy for him to keep doing what he’s doing now, Cook said he is committed to helping the state of Alabama by ensuring election integrity and improving the rules and processes in the state’s courts.

“People may say I’m boring and predictable,” Cook said. “I believe that’s what good judges are.”

Cook said good judges are like umpires who simply enforce the already-written rules.

Cook isn’t shy about his conservatism, and says he is “Trump tough” in reference to the former president. However, Cook said he plans on resigning as counsel of the GOP when qualification for the Supreme Court race begins, and said while he has his opinions, he has an open mind and listens to all sides. His intent on the bench, he said, would be to go with the “plain meaning” of the law.

Cook said he does not have an agenda and said his friends who differ from him politically could testify to his objectivity.

When Cook’s wife ran for City Council in 2016, he got to see her campaign, which inspired him to run for office.

“Running for public office can be scary,” Cook said. “She (Kimberly) came away with great faith in the system and faith in the people of Vestavia.”

Cook said since he’s announced his candidacy, he’s heard from many Vestavia residents who have encouraged him in his race.

Seventh Judicial Circuit Court Judge Debra Jones is also running for the Republican nomination for Supreme Court Justice, according to Alabama Political Reporter. The Republican primary is currently scheduled for May 24, 2022.