Gary Palmer

Gary Palmer
Born	Gary James Palmer 14 5, 1954
Birthplace	Hackleburg, Alabama, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, think tank executive
Known for	U.S. Representative for Alabama's 6th congressional district; co-founder and president of the Alabama Policy Institute
Education	University of Alabama (BS)
Spouse(s)	Ann Cushing
Children	3
Website	[https://palmer.house.gov/ Official site]

Gary James Palmer (born May 14, 1954) is an American politician who has served as the U.S. representative for Alabama's 6th congressional district since 2015. The district encompasses the wealthier portions of Birmingham and most of its surrounding suburbs. Before entering elected office, Palmer spent more than two decades in public policy as the co-founder and longtime president of the Alabama Policy Institute (API), a conservative think tank based in Birmingham. A member of the Republican Party and the House Freedom Caucus, Palmer served as chair of the Republican Policy Committee from 2019 to 2025. Born in the small town of Hackleburg, Alabama, Palmer rose from modest rural origins to become one of the state's most prominent conservative voices. In the 119th Congress, he serves as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment within the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Early Life

Gary James Palmer was born on May 14, 1954, in Hackleburg, Alabama, a small town in Marion County in the northwestern part of the state. Hackleburg, with a population of only a few hundred residents, was a rural community, and Palmer's upbringing reflected the modest economic circumstances common to the area. Palmer has spoken publicly about his roots in small-town Alabama and the values instilled during his childhood.

As a young man, Palmer was an athlete. According to an account published by Yellow Hammer News, Palmer recalled playing football against teams coached by Bear Bryant, the legendary University of Alabama head coach, an experience he described as formative and one he "wouldn't trade for anything." His athletic background and connection to Alabama football culture became part of his personal narrative during his eventual entry into politics.

Palmer grew up during a period of significant social and political change in Alabama, including the civil rights movement and the economic transitions affecting rural communities across the American South. While specific details of his family background beyond his birthplace are limited in available sources, Palmer's later career in conservative policy advocacy and his emphasis on limited government and free-market principles reflected values he attributed to his upbringing in rural Alabama.

Education

Palmer attended the University of Alabama, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree. The University of Alabama, located in Tuscaloosa, is the state's flagship public university. Palmer's time at the university coincided with a period of growth for the institution, and his education there provided the foundation for his subsequent career in public policy. Specific details regarding his field of study or his activities while at the university are not extensively documented in available sources.

Career

Alabama Policy Institute

Before entering electoral politics, Palmer spent the bulk of his professional career in the realm of conservative public policy. He co-founded the Alabama Policy Institute (API), a think tank headquartered in Birmingham, and served as its president for approximately two decades. The API describes itself as an independent, nonpartisan research and education organization dedicated to the principles of free markets, limited government, and strong families. Under Palmer's leadership, the institute became one of the most prominent conservative policy organizations in the state of Alabama, publishing research and advocating for policy positions on a range of issues including taxation, education reform, government spending, and regulatory policy.

Palmer's tenure at the API established his reputation as a leading conservative voice in Alabama politics. His role at the think tank gave him extensive experience in policy analysis, public communication, and engagement with state and national political networks. The Weekly Standard described Palmer as a "conservative candidate of character, conviction, knowledge and leadership," referencing his policy background as a distinguishing credential.

When Palmer departed the API to pursue his congressional campaign, the organization selected a successor to continue its operations. His long service at the institute remained a central element of his political identity throughout his subsequent campaigns and congressional tenure.

2014 Congressional Campaign

In October 2013, Palmer announced his candidacy for Alabama's 6th congressional district, the seat being vacated by retiring incumbent Spencer Bachus. The 6th district, which includes affluent portions of Birmingham and most of its suburban communities, was considered a safely Republican seat, making the Republican primary the decisive contest.

Palmer's campaign attracted support from national conservative organizations. The Club for Growth, a prominent group advocating for lower taxes and reduced government spending, endorsed Palmer's candidacy, bolstering his profile and fundraising capacity. Palmer positioned himself as the most conservative candidate in the race, leveraging his extensive policy background at the Alabama Policy Institute and his connections within the national conservative movement.

In the Republican primary runoff held in July 2014, Palmer emerged victorious, defeating his opponents to secure the party's nomination. The runoff victory was decisive and positioned Palmer as the overwhelming favorite in the general election given the district's strong Republican lean.

In the November 2014 general election, Palmer won the seat with a commanding margin, as expected in the heavily Republican district. He succeeded Spencer Bachus, who had held the seat since 1993. Palmer's campaign financial disclosures were filed with the Federal Election Commission.

U.S. House of Representatives

Palmer took office on January 3, 2015, beginning his service in the 114th Congress. He quickly aligned himself with the conservative wing of the Republican conference, joining the House Freedom Caucus, a group of fiscally and socially conservative members who often pressed for more aggressive policy positions than the broader Republican leadership.

Republican Policy Committee Chairmanship

In January 2019, Palmer was elected to serve as chair of the Republican Policy Committee, a leadership position within the House Republican Conference. He served in this capacity under House Republican leaders Kevin McCarthy and later Mike Johnson, holding the post through January 3, 2025. The Republican Policy Committee is responsible for developing and communicating the party's policy positions, and Palmer's chairmanship placed him in a prominent role within the Republican leadership structure. He was succeeded as chair by Kevin Hern of Oklahoma.

Tax Reform

Palmer was a supporter of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, the major tax legislation passed during the 115th Congress. He voted in favor of the bill when it came before the House in December 2017. Palmer argued that the legislation would have a positive economic impact on Alabama, citing projected benefits for the state's taxpayers and businesses.

Social Issues

On social policy, Palmer has taken positions consistent with the conservative wing of the Republican Party. During the 2014 campaign, Palmer expressed his opposition to abortion, marijuana legalization, and same-sex marriage, articulating positions that aligned with the values of his district's conservative electorate.

Following the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges in June 2015, which legalized same-sex marriage nationwide, Palmer was among the Alabama representatives who expressed criticism of the decision.

Palmer also took a critical stance on certain congressional spending measures. In 2016, AL.com reported on Palmer's remarks criticizing what he characterized as excessive government spending, with the headline quoting him as saying "they have lost their minds" in reference to spending proposals.

Energy and Commerce Committee

In the 119th Congress (2025–2027), Palmer assumed a significant committee role as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment within the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. In this capacity, he has presided over hearings on a range of environmental and industrial issues.

In May 2025, Palmer delivered an opening statement at a hearing on the critical minerals supply chain, reflecting the committee's focus on securing American access to minerals essential for national security and advanced manufacturing.

In July 2025, Palmer chaired a hearing on advanced recycling technologies, exploring legislative and regulatory approaches to waste management and material recovery.

In November 2025, Palmer joined with Representatives Brett Guthrie and John Joyce in launching an investigation into the California Air Resources Board (CARB), requesting information regarding the board's regulatory activities and their impact on national policy. That same month, Palmer and Joyce sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) requesting information on alternatives for the critical minerals supply chain, signaling continued attention to resource security issues.

In December 2025, Palmer presided over a hearing examining the statutory and regulatory landscape governing PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), chemicals that have been the subject of increasing environmental and public health concern.

Palmer and Guthrie also announced a legislative hearing to consider modernization of America's chemical safety laws, further underscoring Palmer's active role in shaping environmental and industrial policy from his committee position.

Recent Legislative Activity

In early 2026, the House passed the SAVE America Act, legislation reinforcing voter identification requirements for federal elections. Palmer voted in favor of the measure.

Personal Life

Palmer is married to Ann Cushing, and the couple have three children. The family resides in the Birmingham metropolitan area, within Alabama's 6th congressional district. Palmer has maintained a relatively private personal life compared to some of his congressional peers, with public disclosures focused primarily on his professional and political activities.

Palmer's connection to his hometown of Hackleburg and his experiences growing up in rural Alabama have been recurring themes in his public statements and campaign materials. His recollections of playing football against teams coached by Bear Bryant during his youth reflect a connection to Alabama's sports culture that he has referenced publicly.

Recognition

Palmer's election to the chairmanship of the Republican Policy Committee in 2019 represented one of the most significant recognitions of his standing within the House Republican Conference. The position placed him in the party's elected leadership, responsible for articulating and coordinating Republican policy positions during a period that included significant legislative debates over taxation, government spending, and social policy.

His appointment as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce in 2025 further elevated his profile, giving him a leadership role on issues of environmental regulation, chemical safety, critical minerals, and advanced recycling.

Prior to his congressional career, Palmer's leadership of the Alabama Policy Institute earned him recognition within conservative policy circles. The Weekly Standard profile describing him as a candidate of "character, conviction, knowledge and leadership" reflected the regard in which he was held among national conservative commentators and organizations. His endorsement by the Club for Growth during his 2014 campaign further signaled his standing among fiscal conservative advocacy groups.

Palmer has been reelected to Congress multiple times since his initial victory in 2014, consistently winning by wide margins in the safely Republican 6th district, reflecting the alignment between his policy positions and the preferences of his constituency.

Legacy

Palmer's career spans two distinct but related phases: his role as a conservative policy advocate through the Alabama Policy Institute and his service in the U.S. House of Representatives. His trajectory from think tank president to congressman illustrates a pathway from policy research and advocacy to legislative office that is relatively uncommon but not unprecedented in American politics.

At the Alabama Policy Institute, Palmer helped establish an institutional voice for conservative policy in Alabama over a period of approximately twenty years. The API continued to operate after his departure, maintaining the framework he helped build. His work at the institute provided a foundation of policy expertise that distinguished his congressional campaigns and his subsequent legislative work.

In Congress, Palmer's membership in the House Freedom Caucus and his chairmanship of the Republican Policy Committee positioned him within the conservative wing of the House Republican Conference during a period of significant intraparty debates over the direction of the Republican Party. His role on the Energy and Commerce Committee, particularly as chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment, has placed him at the center of debates over environmental regulation, chemical safety, and critical minerals policy—issues with significant implications for both national economic competitiveness and public health.

Palmer's consistent electoral success in Alabama's 6th district since 2014 reflects the durability of his political position in one of Alabama's most Republican constituencies. His career demonstrates the influence that state-level policy organizations can have in shaping the pipeline of conservative political candidates at the national level.