The internal friction comes ahead of two pivotal moments in Alabama politics: the March 7 executive committee vote for a new state GOP chair and the May 19 primaries. The most visible strain came from a leaked recording of House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter during a closed-door caucus meeting where he said he wants what is best for the House and doesn’t give a “sh*t” about the state GOP. One of the GOP chair candidates, Stan Cooke, called for Ledbetter’s expulsion. John Merrill, another chair can