Winning in sports, especially college football, is a sure way in Alabama to build an essential element to winning in politics – name recognition.

AJ McCarron of Mobile , who led the University Alabama to national championships in football in 2011 and 2012, is the latest to try to turn athletic fame into political success, with his announcement last week that he will run for lieutenant governor next year.

McCarron’s decision comes as the crossover from sports to politics in Alabama appears to be expanding.

It started with former Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville , who came out of retirement to defeat former Sen. Jeff Sessions and incumbent Democrat Doug Jones for a U.S. Senate seat in his first campaign in 2020.

Tuberville decided not to seek a second term in Washington and is now the

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