# Nathan Mathis > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Nathan_Mathis > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Nathan_Mathis.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_Mathis > Source revision: 1354936488 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{short description|American farmer and politician (born 1943)}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Nathan Mathis | image = Nathan Mathis (cropped).png | office = Member of the [Alabama House of Representatives](/source/Alabama_House_of_Representatives) | term_start = January 1983 | term_end = January 1995 | predecessor = Gene Daniels | successor = [Riley Seibenhener](/source/Riley_Seibenhener) | constituency = 73rd district (1983)
87th district (1983–1995) | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1943|04|18}} | birth_place = [Midland City, Alabama](/source/Midland_City%2C_Alabama), U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | party = [Democratic](/source/Democratic_Party_(United_States)) (before 2010, 2013–present)
[Republican](/source/Republican_Party_(United_States)) (2010–2013) }} '''Nathan Mathis''' (born April 18, 1943) is an American farmer and politician. He served twelve years in the [Alabama House of Representatives](/source/Alabama_House_of_Representatives), and has made several unsuccessful runs for office since. Mathis garnered national attention in 2017 when he criticized Senate candidate [Roy Moore](/source/Roy_Moore) for his past comments on homosexuality and spoke in support of his daughter, who had killed herself after being outed as a lesbian. ==Biography== Mathis was born in [Midland City, Alabama](/source/Midland_City%2C_Alabama) and graduated from [Slocomb High School](/source/Slocomb_High_School). He served as chair of the [Houston County](/source/Houston_County%2C_Alabama) Commission from 1974 until 1978, and in 1982 ran for the Alabama House of Representatives as a [Democrat](/source/Democratic_Party_(United_States)), serving until his defeat in 1994. Mathis attempted a comeback to the House in 1998; this effort proved unsuccessful. In 2002, he ran for [Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries](/source/Alabama_Commissioner_of_Agriculture_and_Industries) but lost the Democratic primary. In June 2005, Mathis declared his intent to run for [Governor of Alabama](/source/Governor_of_Alabama) in [2006](/source/Alabama_gubernatorial_election%2C_2006) as an independent. If elected, Mathis said he would build 15 casinos in Alabama in order to help fund the state.{{cite web|url=https://lasvegassun.com/news/2005/jun/22/mathis-to-run-for-governor-on-gambling-platform/|title=Mathis to run for governor on gambling platform|newspaper=[Las Vegas Sun](/source/Las_Vegas_Sun)|date=June 22, 2005|accessdate=May 4, 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://www.wsfa.com/story/3503898/nathan-mathis-to-run-for-governor|title=Nathan Mathis To Run For Governor|date=22 June 2005 |publisher=[WSFA](/source/WSFA)|accessdate=May 4, 2018}} He ultimately entered the Democratic primary, but lost to [Lucy Baxley](/source/Lucy_Baxley). In 2010, Mathis switched parties and became a [Republican](/source/Republican_Party_(United_States)). He ran that same year for [Alabama Senate](/source/Alabama_Senate) but lost the Republican primary. In 2012, he ran as a Republican for Houston County Commission. In 2014, Mathis reverted to the Democratic Party and announced his intent to run for the Alabama Senate, but his candidacy was blocked by the [Alabama Democratic Party](/source/Alabama_Democratic_Party) due to his support of Republican candidates within the four years prior to the election.{{cite web|url=http://www.dothaneagle.com/news/democrats-say-no-to-mathis-candidacy/article_a02c2d3a-9f3d-11e3-abcd-0017a43b2370.html|title=Democrats say no to Mathis candidacy|author=Griffin, Lance|newspaper=[Dothan Eagle](/source/Dothan_Eagle)|date=February 26, 2014|accessdate=May 4, 2018}} In 2016, Mathis was the Democratic nominee for [Alabama's 2nd congressional district](/source/Alabama's_2nd_congressional_district) against incumbent Republican [Martha Roby](/source/Martha_Roby).{{cite web|url=https://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/news/2016/10/27/mathis-challenges-roby-congressional-district-2-preview/92529788/|title=Mathis challenges Roby: Congressional District 2 preview|author=Yawn, Andrew J.|newspaper=[Montgomery Advertiser](/source/Montgomery_Advertiser)|date=October 27, 2016|accessdate=May 4, 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://www.wsfa.com/story/33628623/roby-mathis-face-off-for-alabamas-2nd-congressional-district-seat|title=Roby, Mathis face off for Alabama's 2nd Congressional District seat|publisher=[WSFA](/source/WSFA)|date=November 3, 2016|accessdate=May 4, 2018}} Despite the district's heavy Republican lean and Republican presidential nominee [Donald Trump](/source/Donald_Trump) winning the district a nearly 2–1 margin, he lost the election by only 8 percentage points.{{cite web|url=https://www.al.com/news/montgomery/index.ssf/2016/11/martha_roby_who_condemned_trum.html|title=Martha Roby, who condemned Trump, ekes out re-election win to Congress|author=Gattis, Paul|newspaper=[The Birmingham News](/source/The_Birmingham_News)|date=November 8, 2016|accessdate=May 4, 2018}} Mathis ran as a Democrat for Alabama's 2nd congressional district in 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wtvy.com/content/news/Candidates-file-2020-papers-as-Alabama-qualifying-window-closes-564688041.html|title = Candidates file 2020 papers as Alabama qualifying window closes| date=9 November 2019 }} He lost the primary election. ==Personal life== Mathis and his wife, Sue, had 2 children; both of whom are deceased.{{cite web|url=https://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/15972/nathan-mathis|title=Nathan Mathis' Biography|publisher=Project VoteSmart|accessdate=May 4, 2018}} His son, Joey, died of a prescription painkiller overdose in 2004; his daughter, Patti Sue, committed suicide in 1995. Mathis resides in [Wicksburg, Alabama](/source/Wicksburg%2C_Alabama), where he operates a peanut farm. Mathis attracted considerable attention in 2017, during the [special election campaign for the U.S. Senate](/source/United_States_Senate_special_election_in_Alabama%2C_2017). He protested the candidacy of [Roy Moore](/source/Roy_Moore) and particularly homophobic remarks made by Moore.{{cite web|url=http://www.dothaneagle.com/news/local/nathan-mathis-says-now-what-he-wished-he-said-a/article_eef3dc1a-df9e-11e7-a31e-d3d3bad77921.html|title=Nathan Mathis says now what he wished he said a long time ago|author=Cook, Jim|newspaper=[Dothan Eagle](/source/Dothan_Eagle)|date=December 12, 2017|accessdate=May 5, 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/politics/wp/2017/12/11/how-is-my-daughter-a-pervert-alabama-dads-plain-spoken-rebuke-of-roy-moore-strikes-a-nerve/|title='How is my daughter a pervert?': Alabama dad's plain-spoken rebuke of Roy Moore strikes a nerve|author=Rosenberg, Eli|newspaper=[The Washington Post](/source/The_Washington_Post)|date=December 11, 2017|accessdate=May 5, 2018}} His daughter was a lesbian, and had [come out](/source/Coming_out) to a friend who later informed Mathis. Mathis did not take the news well, and his daughter committed suicide years later. He expressed regret, saying in a 2012 letter, "sometime after Patti died, I attended church and a visiting preacher was preaching. About 10 minutes into the sermon, he bashed gays the rest of the way. As soon as the invitation song was given, I went out the door with one of the worst headaches I had ever had. I was ashamed of myself for sitting there and not defending Patti. I have not been much since."{{cite web|url=http://www.dothaneagle.com/news/letters_to_editor/letter-soul-baring-thoughts-on-gay-bashing/article_a1a6b423-82df-5bff-92fd-46e1e1a12ece.html|title=Letter: Soul-baring thoughts on gay-bashing|author=Mathis, Nathan|newspaper=[Dothan Eagle](/source/Dothan_Eagle)|date=August 22, 2012|accessdate=May 5, 2018}} Buzzfeed News did a follow-up to his story about a year after the Roy Moore video went viral & his appearance on the [Ellen DeGeneres Show](/source/The_Ellen_DeGeneres_Show). This showed his continuing advocacy for the LGBTQ community by attending Rocket City Pride and being a guest speaker at Unlimited Ministries of Alabama.{{Cite news |last=Trusheit |first=Tori |date=2018-07-31 |title=How LGBT People — And Their Parents — Are Fighting For Queer Rights In The South |url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/toritruscheit/nathan-mathis-roy-moore-lgbt-rights-in-the-south |access-date=2026-04-30 |work=Buzzfeed News}} ==Electoral history== ;Alabama House District 73 Democratic primary, 1982 * Nathan Mathis – 4,395 (39.1%) * Gene Daniels – 4,332 (38.6%) * Jack Smith – 2,498 (22.3%) ;Alabama House District 73 Democratic primary Runoff, 1982 * Nathan Mathis – 6,791 (61.4%) * Gene Daniels – 4,269 (38.6%) ;Alabama House District 73 Election, 1982 * Nathan Mathis (D) – 6,513 (100%) ;Alabama House District 87 Election, 1983 * Nathan Mathis (D) – 2,960 (77.7%) * Bill Whitestone (R) – 851 (22.3%) ;Alabama House District 87 Election, 1986 * Nathan Mathis (D) – 8,461 (72.4%) * Russ Rothrock (R) – 3,2298 (27.6%) ;Alabama House District 87 Democratic primary, 1990 * Nathan Mathis – 5,074 (62.2%) * Charles Flippo – 2,164 (26.5%) * Pat Whigpen – 926 (11.3%) ;Alabama House District 87 Election, 1990 * Nathan Mathis (D) – 7,569 (57.6%) * Eric Johnson (R) – 5,573 (42.4%) ;Alabama House District 87 Election, 1994 * Riley Seibenhener (R) – 7,974 (65.1%) * Nathan Mathis (D) – 4,277 (34.9%) ;Alabama House District 87 Democratic primary, 1998 * Nathan Mathis – 1,700 (47.2%) * Wynnton Melton – 1,376 (38.2%) * Larry Shoupe – 525 (14.6%) ;Alabama House District 87 Democratic primary Runoff, 1998 * Nathan Mathis – 1,195 (54.8%) * Wynnton Melton – 984 (45.2%) ;Alabama House District 87 election, 1998 * Riley Seibenhener (R) – 7,810 (58.9%) * Nathan Mathis (D) – 5,434 (41.0%) ;Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industry Democratic primary, 2002 * [Ron Sparks](/source/Ron_Sparks_(politician)) – 183,097 (51.3%) * Nathan Mathis – 120,861 (33.4%) * Jacky R. Warhurst – 52,670 (14.8%) ;Alabama gubernatorial Democratic primary, 2006 * [Lucy Baxley](/source/Lucy_Baxley) – 279,165 (59.8%) * [Don Siegelman](/source/Don_Siegelman) – 170,016 (36.4%) * Joe Copeland – 4,141 (0.9%) * Nathan Mathis – 4,000 (0.9%) * Katherine Mack – 3,392 (0.7%) * James Potts – 3,333 (0.7%) * Harry Lyons – 2,490 (0.5%) ;Alabama Senate District 29 Republican primary, 2010 * George Flowers – 12,783 (64.1%) * Nathan Mathis – 7,155 (35.9%) ;Alabama's 2nd Congressional District Election, 2016 * [Martha Roby](/source/Martha_Roby) (R) – 134,886 (48.8%) * Nathan Mathis (D) – 112,089 (40.5%) * Rebecca Gerritson (I) – 25,027 (9.0%) * Write-ins – 4,682 (1.7%) '''Alabama's 2nd Congressional District Democratic primary, 2020'''{{Cite web|title=2020 Alabama 2nd Congressional District Election|url=https://www.bamapolitics.com/alabama/alabama-elections/2020-alabama-elections/2020-alabama-2nd-congressional-district-election/|access-date=2020-06-22|website=Bama Politics|date=21 October 2019|language=en}} * Phyllis Harvey-Hall (D) - 27,399 (59.2%) * Nathan Mathis (D) - 18,898 (40.8%) ==References== {{reflist}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Mathis, Nathan}} Category:1943 births Category:20th-century members of the Alabama Legislature Category:Candidates in the 2016 United States elections Category:Candidates in the 2020 United States House of Representatives elections Category:County commissioners in Alabama Category:Democratic Party members of the Alabama House of Representatives Category:Living people Category:People from Dale County, Alabama Category:People from Geneva County, Alabama Category:People from Houston County, Alabama --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Nathan Mathis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_Mathis) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_Mathis?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.