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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Thank you, TH. I can always respect a person who is able to say, “Let’s just agree to disagree”.
And as for you, Seriously, you said you would release the imaginary photos last Tuesday. If you ever had any creidbility with the folks on this blog, you lost it on Wednesday morning, not that you ever had any with me. You kind of shot yourself in the foot, there, buddy….
Comment by MH — May 30, 2008 @ 5:47 am
MH, you have stated your case and I have stated mine. I loved that Jimmy Stewart movie by the way!
Your last post was well thought out and I respect your opinion. Let’s all pray for the best for our district before next Tuesday. And may the best person win.
Comment by TH — May 30, 2008 @ 5:43 am
MH, please get off your soap box. Give it a break. You’ve got better than this last post. By the way, I’ve decided to release those promised photos on Saturday at 11:59am. As promised you will get notified here at 11:49am.
Comment by Seriously — May 29, 2008 @ 9:59 pm
TH,
I’ve known Smith long enough to know that she is who she is…period. However, I will say one thing about appearances vs reality…that little lady is not ‘dumb’. She may come across as naive, but there is a lot more going on inside her head than you think.
It’s true that she doesn’t have the polished veneer of the professional liars that abound in Washington…but that is why we want her to go there. A hole lot of people in this area (as well as throughout the entire nation) are sick and tired of seeing our government destroy our country’s morals and values, trample our rights, and take the food out of our mouths in order to line their own pockets. We’ve had it with the filth that goes on in Washington, and we’d really like to see some home town values return to our nation’s capital.
My ancestors didn’t settle this country and fight in the Revolutionary War in order to create a nation that would be turned into Sodam and Gomorrah… by the very people we have entrusted to protect us from such things. Nor did my ancestors fight in the War Between the States to have a bunch of shysters take away our rights to own and carry weapons.
Sometimes we need to reach back into the past to find our moral compass and recalibrate it. Right now, this country seems to have lost its way…and I think the little lady from Slocomb, Alabama has just what it takes to remind those slime balls in Washington what this country is all about.
Have you ever seen the movie starring James Stewart titled Mr. Smith Goes To Washington…well, this time it’s Mrs. Smith who is going to Washington…and she is going to teach those liars and cheats a thing or two…. the same way Jimmy Stewart did in the title role of that movie. They thought he was ‘dumb’ and ‘naive’ too…but he sure reminded the crooks why they went into politics in the first place. I see Senator Smith dong the same thing….only in her own way, and without all the Hollyweird melodrama.
I don’t know what poll your numbers are coming from, but the numbers I have heard have Smith leading, with Love behind her, and Woods bringing up a distant rear…the rest of the pack are so far behind in the polls that all the leaders would have to be struck down, simultaneously, by lightening for them to have a chance. From what I understand, Smith’s numbers are up something like 10% from the previous poll. (and I don’t mean 10% over her last numbers…I mean she has gained 10 percentage points over where she was in the previous poll!)
And as far as signs go…her signs are also being stolen and/or vandalized…so either another candidate is behind it, or the kids are out of school and are already bored. My guess is that it is the latter…..don’t you? I mean, I seriously doubt if Jay Love is running around town vandalizing Smith’s signs…nor do I believe that he would stoop to the level of having anyone working for him to do it. It makes a lot more sense to me that bored adolscents… roaming the streeets at night, looking for something ‘cool’ to do to celebrate their ‘freedom’ from school… are behind the problem; and we would be better served to remember what is reallyimportant in this race, rather than to throw baseless accusations at each other.
Comment by MH — May 29, 2008 @ 7:34 pm
I was for Thompson. However I’ll vote for the war hero with pride!
Comment by Paul C — May 29, 2008 @ 3:49 pm
Paul - If we can send a 71 year old with a history of health problems to the White House, why not Grimes to Congress?
Comment by JRay — May 29, 2008 @ 3:22 pm
IF Jay’s signs are being torn down (big IF there) it is probably by his people attaching those silly “Christian Conservative Values!!!” signs to them . . .
Comment by Anonymous — May 29, 2008 @ 3:21 pm
I am not aware of health issues, and I wish the man well. However, in that case, all personal feelings aside, should we send him to D.C.? I wish him all the best.
Comment by Paul C — May 29, 2008 @ 3:03 pm
Paul C. - Please back off on Grimes. There are health issues in play that you may not be aware of.
Comment by JRay — May 29, 2008 @ 11:37 am
I’m told that on day three of the special session that David Grimes has yet to be seen. We elected him to represent us in the legislature and he’s not there! It’s not like he has to drive from north or south Alabama he lives right here! Both Smith and Love have been there all three days. Do you really think Grimes will trouble himself with going all the way to D.C. if he can’t make it to downtown Montgomery? Are we really paying this guy? Not only do we not need to send him to D.C. we need to replace him in the State House!!!
Comment by paul c — May 29, 2008 @ 10:28 am
MH, your dedication and devotion to Ms. Smith is so very touching. You drink her “kool-aid” on a daily basis and that is certainly even more touching.
MH,I would like to know how long you have known Ms. Smith. All her life? ten years? four months? My hunch is that you have not known her too terribly long. I agree, she can be a little charming at a first or second meeting. She is indeed a nieve, humble, country girl. And in some circles, she might be somewhat typical of your southern lady who might live next door.
But, MH, your missing the point on what most of us are looking for in our next congressman. We want someone we can be proud of and who has the strength and convictions to stand up for our conservative values! Is she smart! NO, she is dumb as dirt! Does she have true convictions about issues! NO, absolutely none! Can she fight for us in Washington when it comes to defense issues, agricultural issues, etc.? NO, she will not be taken seriously because her fellow representatives will quickly size her up and see that she is a dumb “country bumpkin.”
MH, myself and most of the other people who visit this site are true republicans! You have already admitted that you are, at heart, a libertarian. Ms. Smith is, at heart, a democrat. (See Geneva County Reaper articles from 1986 - 1993. Democratic volunteer and chairman!)
Another thing about that precious FAKE from Slocomb, over the last two nights, throughout this district, Jay Love signs are being torn down all over!!! Not just taken down but ripped to pieces! She is running third in all the polls! Do you think that “model citizen” that you so adore has had anything to do with that!
Drink some more “kool-aid” MH. After next Tuesday you and Ms. Smith can sit down and drink it together.
Her ass is DONE!
Comment by TH — May 29, 2008 @ 10:21 am
Ozark,
That might be what you meant, but what you said was:
“…I want a representative that answers to and represents the district, not his special interests groups, PACS, or the people who gave him the money to get there. Harri Ann is a brown noser….”
If you will go back to my post about PACs, you will see that Smith has accepted substantially less money from special interest groups than any of the other leading candidates. At the same time, no one can dispute that she has recieved more support from individual donors than any other candidate…whether it be a $5 donation or $2300…she appreciates every dollar that people give her, because she is smart enough to know that people who donate any amount have a vested interest in seeing her win…therefor donations=votes. Besides, that $5 donation from someone on a fixed income probably represents every thing they can spare.
As for her being ‘fake’ about being one of us, she grew up in a small 3 bedroom home…much smaller than the current average sized home. She went to public school. She graduated from Troy. Like it or not, she is ‘one of us’.
I really do wish you would go to one of her events and get to know her. Whether you beieve it or not, she is just plain folks…a down to earth woman from a small rural town in the heart of Dixie. She’s the kind of person that if you were her neighbor, and had a death in the family, she would bring over a pot of dumplings or some tea cakes…or some other Southern comfort food.
Some people put her down because she doesn’t sound as professional and polished as other people in this election, and yet the same people turn around and say she is fake. Seems to me that it is the people who come across as very polished, who have prrofesional announcers do their commercials and only come on at the end to say, “I’m so and so and I approved this message”…who are the fakes.
Smith puts herself out there, just as she is…warts and all. As I said, if you really gave her a chance, I sincerely believe you would change your opinion of her.
Comment by MH — May 29, 2008 @ 8:53 am
reply to post 1087
I couldn’t agree with you more, except for one thing. I think I was the one who originally called Love “Eddie Haskell”. I will let you slide this time–just kidding
I was watching “Good Morning Montgomery” this morning. Saw many ads but heard very little from callers about Smith. I wonder why people in Montgomery aren’t as interested in her as some of the posters on this web site? Has somebody stolen her thunder?
Comment by little ole me — May 29, 2008 @ 7:41 am
MH–
The “brown nosing” part had nothing to do with PACS. If you will read the post you will notice I was stating that she is a “brown noser” in general. She kisses A– everywhere she goes, and tries to make nice like she has known people for many years in areas she has never even been. I had called Jay Love the “Eddie Haskell” of the race, but am thinking that HAS is making a move to take over that position. (For you youngsters out there, Eddie Haskell was this weasel of a character on “Leave it to Beaver”)
Comment by torn in Ozark — May 29, 2008 @ 7:28 am
Dadgummit! You made me snort coffee out of my nose again….
Comment by MH — May 29, 2008 @ 7:13 am
I got a mailing from the Schmidtke campaign yesterday. I scanned it so everyone can see it. Hit the link:
http://www.monoscope.com/quickimagepost/2007/12/bp1.blogger.com__thlFYTjJbmQ_R2XPlsCgbcI_AAAAAAAADMo_AoJDewLsaDA_s640_PWpic.jpg
Comment by Anonymous — May 29, 2008 @ 7:03 am
Torn in Ozark,
Speaking of PACs…from the FEC website tonight:
PAC Contributions:
Bright $79,600
Love $17,250
Smith $ 2,500
Woods $19,300
Next time you want to talk about a candidate brown nosing with PACs, you might want to check the numbers first.
Comment by MH — May 28, 2008 @ 10:12 pm
You are right, she is such a tax hiker. I mean she voted against all the taxes in Amendment 1. The ANTI-TAX endorsed Smith because she is so pro tax hikes. And all of her pro-gambling votes.
Danny I know we are not supposed to call people names, but please forgive me, if 1081 had half a brain his/her head would tilt.
Comment by Earning their money — May 28, 2008 @ 8:38 pm
JRay, Please look at the demographics of this distrist! Do you think Obama will do well in District 2? Of course not. Once again people, the Republican nominee is THE WINNER of the race.
Comment by TH — May 28, 2008 @ 3:27 pm
Smith has the baggage. Too many tax hikes and pro-gambling votes to make it through a Republican primary AND run-off.
Comment by Anonymous — May 28, 2008 @ 3:24 pm