Gov. Kay Ivey on Thursday questioned why one of her opponents in next month's Republican gubernatorial primary would release his health records without answering if she would follow suit.

Ivey wondered why state Sen. Bill Hightower and his wife, Susan, have both run for public office without bringing up the issue of health records.

Beyond commenting on Hightower, Ivey did not answer a question about whether she would release her health records. Another primary opponent, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, said in a press release Wednesday that he would release a letter from his physician attesting to his fitness for office.

"I find it interesting that candidate Hightower has run for Senate twice, he's run for this - this is the third time (he's run a campaign for public office)," Ivey said. "His wife has run for a term. And he also sought the nomination for U.S. Senate. And this is the first time he's ever mentioned healthcare records."

Ivey then ended the interview by walking away with members of her staff.

Hightower last week released health records and a letter from his physician stating that the 58-year-old businessman is in "excellent physical health."

He urged his fellow gubernatorial candidates to share their person health history as well.

"When you have a CEO of a state and they're going to be a champion for the state, each of the candidates should be open about their health situation," Hightower told AL.com, "and if they're not, we should ask: 'Why not?'"

Ivey was in Hamilton on Thursday, attending an announcement of a $3 million federal grant to Tombigbee Communications to extend the company's high-speed fiber optic service in rural northwest Alabama.

Ivey joined U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt, R-Haleyville, in making the announcement.

At age 73, Ivey is the oldest candidate in the governor's race in either party.

A story last year in the Alabama Political Reporter said that in 2015, Ivey was admitted to a Colorado hospital due to stroke-like symptoms. Ivey was attending the Aerospace State Association annual meeting in Colorado Springs.

In an interview last year with AL.com, Ivey confirmed she was hospitalized during the Colorado trip but said doctors determined the cause of her lightheadedness was due to the altitude. Ivey said she never had a stroke or a mini-stroke.

The Republican primary is June 5. A poll released earlier this week said Ivey had 47 percent support among those participating in the poll with a margin of error of 4 percent.