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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And I didn’t say Bright would carry Autauga and Elmore - he will carry the TOTAL tri-county by staying relatively close in Autauga and Elmore after winning the Montgomery area of District 2 by 2-to-1.
Comment by Anonymous — April 28, 2008 @ 3:09 pm
Disagree strongly, #778 - Bright will carry the tri-counties, and I can tell you right now his consultants are planning on it. He is strong with name rec and he does have support - much more so than the casual “D” - in those counties. The “D” hurts him, but his proven support in Montgomery will keep him on top through the Montgomery metro area.
Let me put it this way - if there was a mayoral election in which the whole tri-counties could vote, who would be the frontrunner? It would be Bobby.
He will carry the tri-counties. I don’t like saying it but it is highly likely.
Comment by Anonymous — April 28, 2008 @ 3:07 pm
If you guys think Autauga and Elmpre with vote for Bright because he is from close by - you are a nut job. Those two counties will vote heavily for the GOP candidate regardless of where they are from. Bright will have a big fat “D” by his name…folks…that will matter.
Comment by BBB — April 28, 2008 @ 3:03 pm
Consider this, you have more confidence in Bright than I do. I - by no means - see him as a sure thing regardless of the GOP nominee. I do think he has to be hoping to get a Montgomery-area opponent, however. He can and I think will win the tri-counties regardless of GOP opponent, and if he doesn’t have to go up against a “native” in the Wiregrass, his odds of winning the district increase exponentially. That is why I think a Wiregrass nominee is best to beat Bright.
Comment by Anonymous — April 28, 2008 @ 2:01 pm
If Obama wins the general, we might as well get used to praying to Allah in public, and hiding our Christianity behind locked doors…and if either one of the Dems wins, we might as well get used to living in a socialist state.
“Who is John Galt?”
Comment by MH — April 28, 2008 @ 1:56 pm
I agree that it will be difficult to promote a candidate that can beat Bright. As I see it though, the Rep candidates have to campaign, probably thru a run-off, while Bright gets to “coast”. Regardless of who wins the Rep side of the ticket, they are going to be tired of campaigning and possibly low on funds by the time we get to the general. If Obama wins the Dem nomination, Bright will win. If Hillary wins the Dem nomination, it will be a toss-up.
Comment by Consider This — April 28, 2008 @ 1:40 pm
I understand your concern GOPer. But Bright has a decided advantage against candidates from Montgomery. A Wiregrass-based candidate is undeniably superior - demographically - for the GOP.
I don’t agree Smith can’t win. I think she can, warts and all. I am skeptical that Grimes or Love can win as they -quite frankly - would be underdogs in their own house districts in a match race with Bright. In fact, I believe that the facts support that they would lose their own districts to Bright.
Woods might be strong against Bright - he has Wiregrass roots.
Comment by Anonymous — April 28, 2008 @ 1:16 pm
Smith will not beat Bright. That is my concern.
Comment by GOPer — April 28, 2008 @ 1:06 pm
I think that a Wiregrass candidate is stronger than a Montgomery resident against Bright - without question. It would be nice to have stronger Wiregrass candidates in the race, but it would also be nice to have, as Austin Power said “a solid-gold toilet.”
Comment by Anonymous — April 28, 2008 @ 11:04 am
OOps - that should have read “disagree with #761″ below . . .sorry
Comment by Numbers — April 27, 2008 @ 11:51 am
Disagree with #796 below and with good reason. Let me put it this way - Love could not beat Bright if Bright ran against Love in Love’s state house district and there is polling that shows this. If Love cannot carry his own district against Bright, I don’t think he can beat him in a bigger areana.
By the way, Bright would lose to Grimes narrowly in Grimes’ district. Plling has shown that too. But Grimes obvioulsy has fundraising troubles.
Comment by Numbers — April 27, 2008 @ 11:50 am
And just to provide a nicer tone which you seem to have been whining about, Happy Hunting to you and the Smithers between now and then. I feel sorry for you so I will give you one more clue but that it is. Examine J.A. closely.
Comment by Seriously — April 27, 2008 @ 11:03 am
I’ll take my chances. I will give you that promised heads up sometime in the month of May or maybe the first day of June. You might want to revisit HAS’ travel schedule in 1999. This will be the only clue you get.
Comment by Seriously — April 27, 2008 @ 11:01 am
Let me get this straight…you are going to show up with doctored photos right before the primary; just to make sure that Smith doesn’t have time to show them to a professional who will be able to prove that they have been technologically created? I can see where this might make sense to someone who has no moral scruples. I just hope your pockets are really deep, because when the lawyers are done with you, you won’t be able to buy a cup of coffee. Just think, you and your cohorts would be funding her political career for the rest of her life!
Then again, this would not be the first time in a political race that someone has claimed to have ‘revealing photos’ of Smith. Those photos never materialized either….and when the votes were counted, Smith had an overwhelming victory over the would-be mud slinger. The thing about throwing mud is that it sticks to the person throwing it…and often misses the target completely….
Comment by MH — April 27, 2008 @ 10:37 am
You think I might be holding them until a little later in the game? Just sit back and watch the show MH. I will deliver on the promise between now and the primary date. A matter of fact I’ll give you a 10-minute heads up before they are released. Remember security cameras in gaming facilities capture EVERYTHING! This little pic not only shows Smith in a well known out of state casion it also shows her meeting with some well know special interests from Mississippi. You just go ahead and keep up the MH defense and especially her holy roller positions against gambling.
Comment by Seriously — April 27, 2008 @ 8:21 am
Uh huh…BTW, what happened to the PhotoShopped pics of Smith gambling that you promised us…or was that your evil twin? I guess your lawyer (or your evil twin’s lawyer) advised you/him that publishing doctored photos of a public figure is an actionable offense, and therefor subject to the laws of libel.
I never thought I’d say it, but I miss JT. At least he is a gentleman and argues points, rather than resorting to churlish behavior. I may not agree with him, but he can at least put together an intelligent arguement.
Comment by MH — April 27, 2008 @ 12:25 am
MH, whatever! Blah, blah, blah. Your so-called arguments are general nonsense. You’d be better off to end your time here defending Smith and get out and do some work for her campaign. Maybe you can step in and do the next debate or press conference for her. God help her she needs the help.
Comment by Seriously — April 26, 2008 @ 8:20 pm
Good heavens! I cannot believe that anyone would be offended by a gentle reminder to be polite!
A poster made a personal attck on me, rather than disagreeing with what I said. Instead of responding in kind, I tried to point out to the poster, and anyone else who isn’t aware, that there are basic rules of nettiquette that are observed on almost every forum, and have been since the internet was in its infancy. Even that has been twisted out of context.
I am appalled at the lack of common courtesy, and I find it difficult to believe that people who have been raised in the South would behave this way in public.
If you disagree with what I have to say, then be my guest and show me the error of my ways. But personal attacks do nothing but reveal that you are unable to disprove my arguments, so all you can do is resort to the schoolyard behavior of name calling and attempting to impune my character. By all means, call me names and behave like children…it just proves my point.
Comment by MH — April 26, 2008 @ 6:47 pm
I was going to tell someone what she could do with the Nettiquette Rules, but it’s not worth my time.
To everyone that isn’t on a certain candidate’s Christmas card list; have a great weekend. To the person that I said I would not address; please, GET HELP!!
Comment by Ego Sum Veritas — April 26, 2008 @ 6:02 pm
I agree that love is the best shot to beat bright.
Comment by GreenvilleNative — April 26, 2008 @ 4:12 pm