Kirk Hatcher

After graduating from Emory, Hatcher moved to Rye, New York, where he worked as an English teacher at Rye County Day School.^[3] After resigning his position in 2015, he moved back to his hometown, Montgomery, Alabama, where he worked in community organization. In 2018, he ran for a position in the Alabama House of Representatives in District 78, which covers downtown Montgomery.^[4] He came in 2nd place in the initial Democratic primary election held on June 5, 2018, winning 37.6% of the vote and causing a runoff.^[5] In the runoff held 2 months later, Hatcher defeated incumbent Representative Alvin Holmes by 17.4%.^[6] Hatcher decisively defeated his independent opponent, Tijuanna Adetunji, in the November general election with 83.4% to her 16.3%.^[7] Hatcher's success was backed by several lobbying groups, including the Alabama Education Association, Medical Association of the State of Alabama, Alabama Bankers Association, Alabama Forestry Association, and Alabama Rural Electricity Association.^[8] After the resignation of Senator David Burkette, Hatcher ran for the empty seat in the Alabama Senate's District 26.^[9] He won the initial open primary with 47.9% of votes, although because he did not win a majority of the vote, there had to be a runoff election. In the runoff, Hatcher triumphed over his opponent, John Knight, winning with 74.2% of the vote.^[10] In the general election, Hatcher defeated Republican William Green with over 78% of votes cast.^[11]

In 2024, Hatcher strongly considered running for United States Representative in the 2nd congressional district (which was redrawn after the Supreme Court case Allen v. Milligan), although he eventually decided not to.^[12][13]

Hatcher is a member of the Banking and Insurance,^[14] Education Policy,^[15] Tourism,^[16] and Transportation and Energy Committees.^[17]