Lots of ‘local’ office holders in the South are dems. Don’t let the geography fool you.
In a small Alabama town of 2,000, the mayor is probably a Democrat, but party wouldn’t mean much either way in a town that size. Many conservative local folks still run for office as Democrats.
I have actually wondered about this myself. I have read several articles about this and not one mentioned his party affiliation, which leads me to believe he might be a Dem. If he were a Rebublican it would be plastered in every headline.