Plenty of phone calls started coming in by mid morning about this story.

Several sources tell FOX6 News that Kay Ivey will suspend her campaign for governor and qualify for lieutenant governor.

The two-term Republican is term limited as state treasurer.

Ivey has scheduled a 3:30 news conference at party headquarters in the Birmingham-suburb of Homewood.

Her campaign would not discuss the topic of the news conference before it takes place, only calling it a major announcement.

Ivey has trailed in several polls in the race for governor. The most recent, a Public Policy Polling survey released Tuesday, shows her tied with Rep. Robert Bentley (Tuscaloosa) for a distant third with 10% support. The PPP survey finds Bradley Byrne leading the field (27%) with former judge Roy Moore (23%) in second. The margin of error was 4.7%.

Sen. Hank Erwin (R-Montevallo), Gene Ponder and Dean Young are also seeking the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor.

The winner meets Democratic incumbent Jim Folsom Jr.

Read more of Rick Journey’s political blogs here.

Filed under: Elections