Mike Hubbard (politician)

After graduating, Hubbard got a job in the Auburn University athletic department and led a successful public relations campaign for Bo Jackson’s 1985 Heisman candidacy.^[1] Hubbard left Auburn and started a new company, which then won exclusive broadcast rights for all Auburn Tigers sports and made Hubbard a millionaire.^[1] Prior to forming Auburn Network in 1994, he was a general manager of Host Communications (1990–1994), and associate sports information director for Auburn University (1984–1990).

His company, Auburn Network, owns and operates four radio stations in the Auburn/Opelika market and publishes a quarterly magazine, East Alabama Living. It also operates an advertising agency, Network Creative Media. His company sold the multi-media rights to Auburn University athletics to International Sports Properties in 2003, which merged with IMG's college sports marketing/broadcasting group in 2010.

In 1996, Patrick Nix, (Auburn's starting quarterback in 1994 and 1995), recommended that Hubbard apply his public relations expertise to Bob Riley’s congressional campaign.^[1] Riley won and, in gratitude, invited Hubbard to attend the swearing-in ceremony in the Alabama State Capitol, where Hubbard says he was impressed by the "symbols of our nation’s power."^[1]

In 1998, Bill Canary provided polling during Hubbard's first election campaign.^[2] Hubbard won, taking a seat in the Alabama House of Representatives representing much of Lee County, Alabama.^[1]

In 2002, Riley won the Alabama gubernatorial election, and gave Hubbard the leadership of the Alabama Republican Party.^[1] Hubbard would later name his youngest son Riley.^[2] As leader of the state's Republican party, Hubbard became a member of the Republican National Committee, and received invitations to visit the White House.^[1]

In 2014, a special Grand Jury indicted Hubbard on 23 ethics related to use of his office for personal gain to land consulting contracts and investment help with a failing printing company. In 2016, Hubbard went to trial on those 23 ethic counts. Former Alabama Attorney General Bill Baxley served as Hubbard's main defense counsel.^[3] Hubbard was convicted on 12 of the 23 charges. His conviction automatically expelled him as a member of the House.^[4] The Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals upheld 11 of the 12 convictions and the Alabama Supreme Court eventually overturned five of the other charges but upheld six of the charges.^[3] On September 11, 2020, he reported to the Lee County Sheriff's Office to be taken into custody and turned over to the Alabama Department of Corrections to begin his term of imprisonment.^[5] Hubbard was released from prison on January 8, 2023.^[6]

• Mike Hubbard Facebook page
• Mike Hubbard Homepage (archived)
• Alabama Legislature – Mike Hubbard (archived)
• Project Vote Smart – Mike Hubbard
• Campaign contributions: 2008, 2006, 2002, 1998