Nicole Wadsworth is staying in the state lieutenant governor race “to fight for the hardworking people of Alabama” her staff said Friday after her campaign stumbled this week with the departure of her original campaign team members amid questions about her academic titles.
“This campaign has always been about giving every Alabamian a voice — and that mission is far from over,” an email from the Republican candidate’s campaign to Alabama Daily News said.
But court records obtained by Alabama Daily News show this hasn’t been Wadsworth’s only recent conflict. A two-year legal battle over a real estate deal in Madison County resulted in a large judgment against her last year that was set aside in April. It may raise more questions for the real estate broker turned political hopeful.
Wadsworth is married to Rep. Tim Wadsworth, R-Arley. He’s up for reelection next year and may again face a GOP primary challenger. Tim Wadsworth is listed as Nicole Wadsworth’s campaign treasurer on her campaign finance report. He was also listed as an attorney for her in a Madison County real estate dispute.
$837,030 judgement, later set aside
Nicole Wadsworth has recently gone by Nicole Jones. In September 2024, Nicole Jones and Nicole Jones Commercial Real Estate was ordered by a Madison County Circuit Court to pay damages for making a known false representation to the plaintiff about the ownership status of a piece of property in Huntsville. The plaintiff in the 2022 case had made payments on the property to Jones’ client, but he didn’t own the site, according to filings.
“It is clear from the evidence that the defendant, Nicole Jones individual and on behalf of Nicole Jones Commercial Real Estate, did make a representation to the plaintiff as to the status of the title to the property … which was false and which she knew was false.”
The court ordered Jones to pay $837,030 in compensatory and punitive damages. The court upheld the decision in a November order but vacated it on April 1 of this year, dismissing the case.
Attempts to reach both Wadsworths on Friday were unsuccessful. Her campaign did not answer questions about the lawsuit.
Credential questions
Nicole Wadsworth announced her campaign last month and made a $20,000 personal loan to the effort, according to state campaign finance records.
In her initial campaign materials, said she had four degrees and two certifications as an economic developer, economist and real estate developer.
Last week, her campaign sent an email to the media asking that she be referred to as a doctor.
“Dr. Nicole Wadsworth has earned her academic and professional titles and should be addressed accordingly in all future correspondence and press materials,” it said. “Going forward, we respectfully request that she be referred to as ‘Dr. Nicole Wadsworth’ in all headlines, articles, captions, and related content.”
Alabama Daily News and most news organizations follow Associated Press style and use “doctor” only for those with medical degrees.
YellowHammer News’ Grayson Everett early this week reported that Wadsworth’s campaign said her degrees included a PhD in economics from the University of Alabama. Her staff later walked that back. Her PhD is from North Central Theological Seminary – a Florida-based, online religious organization, Everett reported.
The next day, Wadsworth’s campaign staff quit, citing “persistent misinformation.”
“Nicole holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Alabama in Huntsville, completed some graduate coursework at the University of Alabama, and went on to earn two master’s degrees — an MBA and a Master of Science in Acquisition and Contract Management — from the Florida Institute of Technology’s Huntsville campus,” her campaign said Friday. “She later earned a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) from North Central Theological Seminary. The degrees were rightfully earned through the required testing and evaluations and any suggestion otherwise is simply false.
Nicole Wadsworth faces a tough GOP primary next year. Her competition is current Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen and Agriculture Commissioner Rick Pate.
She’d briefly launched campaigns for state senate and then commissioner of agriculture in 2017.
Rep. Wadsworth
The Wadsworths’ marriage appears to be relatively new. Tim Wadsworth listed her as his wife on his required 2024 statement of economic interest filed a few months ago.
He’s represented the north Alabama House District 14 since 2014. In 2022, he faced two GOP primary challengers and was forced into a runoff with Tom Fredricks. Wadsworth received 55% of the vote in that contest. Fredricks told ADN on Friday he now lives outside the district and would not again seek that seat. Cory Franks, the Oakman, Ala. mayor who came in third in the GOP primary, said he may run again in 2026.
“I am considering it, I haven’t decided yet, but I am considering it,” Franks told ADN on Friday. “I haven’t fully committed to it, but I am leaning toward it.”
The district includes portions of Winston, Walker, Jefferson and Cullman counties.
This story was updated to correct the counties included in House District 14.