See also the AL - 05 Big List.
Welcome to the AL - 02 Big List.
This list has been an attempt to keep up with everyone in either political party who has been credibly mentioned (in public or private) as a potential candidate for Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District since Rep. Terry Everett (R - Rehobeth) announced that he will not run for re-election.
Both parties’ qualifying period ended April 4, 2008. Three Democrats and six Republicans qualified for the primary race, and they are listed below. The primary is June 3.
The Political Parlor will update the Alabama Line (found in the sidebar) for the race, though perhaps not as fast as you like since input from a wide array of people is sought.
| Democrats |
Republicans |
IN
Bobby Bright, Montgomery Mayor
Cendie Crawley, Dentist, Troy native
Cheryl Sabel, Alabama NOW President
OUT
William Boyd, Montgomery Mayoral Candidate
Seth Hammett, Speaker of the House
Jimmy Holley, State Senator
Jimmy Lunsford, Troy Mayor
Gary McAliley, Pike/Coffee Co. DA
Wendell Mitchell, State Senator
Scott Ninesling
James Perdue, Crenshaw Co Probate Judge
Cooper Rutland, Union Springs Atty
Ron Sparks, Agricultural Commissioner
Terry Spicer, State Representative
Glen Zorn, former Florala Mayor
|
IN
David Grimes, State Representative
Jay Love, State Representative
John W. Martin, Retired Army (Dothan)
Craig Schmidtke, Dothan oral surgeon
Harri Anne Smith, State Senator
David Woods, President, WCOV-TV (Montgomery)
OUT
Greg Albritton, former state Representative
Wes Allen, former candidate for Auditor
Kenneth Boswell, Enterprise Mayor
Bobby Bright, Montgomery Mayor
Terry Butts, former Supreme Court Justice
Jim Byard, Prattville Mayor
Steve Clouse, State Representative
Mark Culver, Houston County Commissioner
Larry Dixon, State Senator
John Giles, former Christian Coalition of AL President
Jack Hawkins, Troy Univ. Chancellor
Jimmy Holley, State Senator
Tim James, Greenville businessman
Troy King, Attorney General
Ben Lewis, State Representative
Barry Mask, State Representative
Charles Nailen, Dothan businessman
Steve Pelham, former Everett staffer
Jim Sullivan, PSC President
George Wallace, Jr., former PSC Commissioner
Dot Waller, Autauga County Bd. of Ed.
Greg Wren, State Representative
|
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In response to those expressing concern over sending a representative for the 2nd with no experience. Poll after poll indicateds that the public as a whole is fed up with the status quo. And by sending a current member of the Alabama Legislatue, it is exactly more of the same. The Alabama Legislature has accomplished near nothing in the last 2 sessions, well except for a raise. And just so I know, does anyone know when the EBay auction for party affiliation ends for Bobby Bright?
Comment by Scott Ninesling — January 4, 2008 @ 5:14 am
Erin, unless there is a surge in republicans across the country, looks like we will have a minority party candidate from the district.
Comment by William Wyatt Wallace — January 3, 2008 @ 4:14 pm
Good point “Just what we need.” Here’s another: Do we want someone representing us who is in the minority party? Talk about having no ability to get anything done. A freshman in the minority party doesn’t even get the microphone.
Comment by Erin — January 2, 2008 @ 4:31 pm
Compare the effectiveness of Richard Shelby to (you name them “Political Outsider”). While the experienced pols take all of the benefits of government, all of the people who elect “political ousiders” end up with zilch. Sad but true.
Comment by Just what we need . . . — January 2, 2008 @ 4:30 pm
I am going to agree on the comment about zero political experience. Congressman Everett hurt himself with his lack of political experience and he is just now able to turn things around and become part of the establishment and further himself in DC. We need a Congressman that knows how to play the game so that there is a smaller learning curve on his arrival in DC.
Comment by William Wyatt Wallace — January 2, 2008 @ 3:37 pm
You actually want someone with zero political experience to represent us in CONGRESS? Think about that for a moment. Do you want a doctor with zero experience operating on your child? Congress is deadly serious business and novices are disasters there. Love it or hate it, we need legislative real world experience in congress.
Comment by Just what we need . . . — January 2, 2008 @ 1:26 pm
John Martin, during the time that I have known him, has proven to be a man that I would be happy to have representing our Congressional District. As someone noted earlier, he is not a professional politician (which in itself is quite refreshing); he is however a capable Republican with strong convictions and beliefs that mirror my own, and probably the great majority of the voters in District 2. If you, as voters, aren’t familiar with him, please take the time to educate yourself about this man before making your final decision about who to vote for. No candidate should be discounted simply because he/she is not the most recognizable name in the mix.
Just a few thoughts from me; carry on.
Comment by J. McCrummen — January 1, 2008 @ 12:34 pm
It’s been a week and nothign has been said, sad.
Comment by William Wyatt Wallace — December 31, 2007 @ 9:16 am
Steph, Erin…,
In answer to Erin’s message… The reason for the delay in your comments being posted is that they go into a moderation queue. You posted at least three comments under three different names after I asked you nicely (twice, even) to stop creating a conversation among different names that were all you. That is why your comments now go into a queue to be moderated before being posted.
Your message was addressed to Kahuna. I am not Kahuna. Kahuna is another reader and has nothing to do with this.
All the best and Merry Christmas!
Danny
Comment by Danny — December 23, 2007 @ 12:05 am
By the way, I’m back blogging again. The bug got me.
Comment by William Wyatt Wallace — December 22, 2007 @ 5:16 pm
If you have questions about Martin, send him an e-mail through his site, he is quick to respond. I am impressed with the response he gave to me.
Comment by William Wyatt Wallace — December 22, 2007 @ 10:29 am
288 — Nobody tells me how to vote, because I read the paper, and I waste time on blogs. But… like you… I am the rare exceptions. Most people get what little news they get from TV. Pathetic, but just the way it is today. We need to educate our children to seek the truth. Until then… and mark my word on this… we may end up with Bloomberg as the president. Thank you for the reference. A perfect example. He signs up as a republican in an overwhelmingly democratic city. The dems fight a brutal primary. He buys TV ads and courts the moderate dems and the independents. (He even did Spanish TV, which costs $$$ in NY!) He wins. A republican in a liberal city. Watch Bright. If he has no primary and more money than the republican, he’ll win. As for the rep. primary, the person with the most money who talks the conservative talk — “I hate immigrants the most” — will win. As you say, money buys advertisements. But as the facts bear out, advertising buys votes. At least until the rest of the world reads the blogs.
Comment by Steph — December 21, 2007 @ 8:47 pm
Steph,
Who tells you how to vote? Anyone?
I’m glad you provided us with a definition, however.
Grassroots is defined as the folks at the bottom who think for themselves and make their own decisions.
Jay Love has a number who voted for him.
Harri Anne Smith has a number who voted for her.
Greg Wren has a number who voted for him.
David Grimes has a number who voted for him.
So what’s new? They’re elected (professional) politicians.
Money buys advertisement, not votes. If it were that simple Michael Bloomberg or Bill Gates would be president.
I certainly don’t agree with your last two verbs…. hate and attack. Politics is not a gladiator sport for personal entertainment, though we’ve raised a couple generations who believe that idea. Use your Playstation or Xbox to fill that void if need be.
Alabama has long been a home to honor and dignity. Let’s keep our politics in the same house. Therefore we may all prosper and benefit from the value of our character.
Comment by Kahuna — December 21, 2007 @ 8:03 pm
There is no such thing as a “grass roots network” in a race for Congress.
“Grass roots network” is code for “no money,” which translates to
“nobody believes enough to write a check.”
Love has a solid number of people who have voted for him in the past.
Smith has even more people. They also have money to expand that number.
Unless someone with lots and lots more money can tout even more conservative credentials — hating abortion, gay people and immigrants and loving guns — and unless that person can effectively attack Love and Smith as not conservative enough, there is nobody else who can win the republican nomination.
Comment by Steph — December 21, 2007 @ 3:58 pm
Ok so I ask again and please can someone give me a serious answer on this one, who is this guy? Is he a legitimate candidate that Love and Smith need to look out for or is he a no-name that wants to do this and could gain support through a dothan grassroots network?
Comment by William Wyatt Wallace — December 21, 2007 @ 12:17 pm
If John W. Martin is a “Total Nobody”, who is “Anonymous”? Kind of speaks for itself, don’t you think?
He can’t go away. He’s a visible part of the Wiregrass.
Comment by Kahuna — December 21, 2007 @ 8:39 am
Thanks for making that decision for us. Excuse us if we choose to ignore you. BTW, Anonymity is for perverts.
Comment by Kingsley Paquette — December 20, 2007 @ 10:05 pm
Stick in there, Marty. Everything #282 says is true… so stick in there and muck away.
Comment by Steph — December 20, 2007 @ 6:09 pm
Martin is a zero. Total nobody. No chance. Mucking up the race. Should go away.
Comment by Anonymous — December 20, 2007 @ 5:59 pm
Is he a Republican, where did he come from?
Comment by William Wyatt Wallace — December 20, 2007 @ 4:06 pm