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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I never said she did. What I said was, he personally helped make sure that she got the funding for the center… If he was so opposed to the grants, and yet helped her ascertain the funding, she pulled a big coupe. It might not look ike it from your side of the fence, btu anytime you get a sitting governor to throw his support behind something he is publicly opposing, it syas a lot about your influence and ability to get things done.
Furthermore, it is not just the local political pundits who are saying she will be ‘the one to beat’. All (or at least most) of them are saying it. Here is an interesting quote about her from the charrisGOP blog:
“Senator Harri Anne Smith is a GOP rising star because she is tenacious, she’s smart, she has strong principles, and she has courage. Also, she’s a Republican who has consistently proven an almost uncanny ability to win where Democrats far out number Republicans. This characteristic more than any has drawn the attention of pundits and baffled Republican and Democratic opponents. She has an aptitude for being able to sell a partisan agenda beyond its partisan audience. It’s all about the issues — the issues Harri Anne stands for. Also, she works closely with constituents. She tells the truth. If she says she’s going to do something, she does it. She listens to people. Every time she comes home to the wiregrass she listens to anybody that wants to tell her something”. –Charles Harris
Comment by MH — October 23, 2007 @ 12:43 pm
MH, of course she does well in the polls locally - her name is recognized because she is the sitting State senator from this area - not because she has done a great job. She has warmed the chair so to speak and is a noce lady, but handing out community grants is not anything to brag about. And believe me, Harri Anne was not the one to defeat the Governor’s attempt to stop community grants.
Comment by JT — October 23, 2007 @ 12:35 pm
Awww…Pookie, You poor thang. I don’t know wht is worse, having to read my ‘tired’ old posts, or having someone behind the scenes make you read them. I do apologize for boring you, but I’m just not going to be goaded into doing your homework for you and posting the Senator’s many fine attributes on here. As I said, before, when, and if, she deicdes to throw her hat in the ring, I’ll be glad to set up a website all about her many laudable accomplishments. Perhaps you will do the same for your chosen candidate.
I think I should point out, though, that having the governor support her on the one senior citizen’s center in an atmosphere where you guys have so aptly pointed out he was trying to close off the door to such fine contributions to the social and healthful benefits of our seniors, speaks volumes to her ability to work the system. Seems to me if she can get the governor to go against his own stance, she will do just fine swimming in the Grown Up Pool with the Big Kids.
I do think it is interesting the number of people on this blog who would like to dismiss her as a viable candidate when all the polls and professional political analysts show her as being ,‘the one to beat’ in this area. Could it be that this blog is ’salted’ with folks who are afraid of her and are trying to minimize the impact she would have on the race? A Lady can’t help but wonder…..
Comment by MH — October 23, 2007 @ 11:52 am
ALFA and Steve Pelham “sneaky”…Imagine that!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Comment by GOPer — October 23, 2007 @ 10:15 am
Steve Pelham will not run due to dirty laundry.
Comment by Ivan — October 23, 2007 @ 9:28 am
MH your posts are tired. Somebody as informed as you supposedly are about the “many” accomplishments of Senator Smith ought to be able to point to something more
than a senior center. Every legislator in the state has these things in every corner of their district. MH you can do better, come on!
To the 2nd race:
Smith and Nailen better keep an eye on Steve Pelham. He is building a sneaky coaltion they may very well come out of no where to grab the nomination.
Granted he is not a personally wealthy candidate but he is building an interesting coalition that may very well include ALFA. Remember he does not
have a voting record to defend which is tough for any politician.
Comment by Pookie Wilson — October 22, 2007 @ 8:33 pm
Thank you, Josh. I appreciate you saying that. It means a lot to me.
Comment by MH — October 19, 2007 @ 6:35 pm
You are correct MH. I recall reading that comment about Senator Smith and the Enterprise tornadoes. I did not make the comment, nor would I, and whoever did so was wrong.
Comment by Josh S — October 19, 2007 @ 6:20 pm
In answer to your question/comments, Josh, I was asking legitimate questions. I’m glad that Danny was able to clear up the Republican rule for me.
I suppose only the election will answer the other legitimate question. I have yet another one, but am afraid to ask it for fear of being accused of being nasty again. However, I would like to say tht no matter what I have said on the blog, nothing comes close to the rumor about Smith taking advantage of ‘those dead children’ in Enterprise in order to be a ‘glory hog’. But nobody has said a word about how absolutely horrible (and outright untrue) a statement that was to make.
Comment by MH — October 19, 2007 @ 12:51 pm
Thanks for clearing that up Danny. I had heard that some sort of rule had been passed, but none of my friends could tell me if/how it would apply to this situation.
I really appreciate the info and clarification.
Comment by MH — October 19, 2007 @ 12:03 pm
MH, regarding your comment #147,
You are correct that the state GOP Executive Committee passed a new rule this summer. (The Parlor was there.) It does not quite apply to the situations you are talking about. From my earlier post, the rule is (with my emphasis added) that the state GOP Executive Committee
It would not apply to Charles Nailen because he was (as far as I know) not an office holder, Republican or otherwise, when he supported a Democrat. And it would not apply to someone like Democrat Jimmy Holley if Holley decided to run as a Republican because while he was an office holder who “publicly participated in the primary election of another political party” and presumably supported Dems in the last 6 years, he was not a Republican office holder.
And regardless, there is some discretion in the application of the rule. Ballot access is not automatically denied for transgressors; the GOP Executive Committee reserves the right to deny ballot access.
Comment by Danny — October 18, 2007 @ 11:27 pm
and by the way - Foley is/was a Republican.
Comment by Josh S — October 18, 2007 @ 11:04 pm
There is no such rule within the AL Republican Party, MH. In addition, did I not read a post of yours where you suggested this blog be about ideas and not about character assasination? Once again you show you talk, or I should say type out of both sides of your big mouth. Oh sorry - was that not a post about ideas? Where is Pookie when you need him? Your trash Nailen and triumph Harri Anne is so last week. Is it it just weak?
Comment by Josh S — October 18, 2007 @ 11:02 pm
OK, I have a question about something that I really don’t understand, so maybe some of you more experienced armchair political analysts can help me out with it.
The way I understand it, The Republican Executive Committee for the state of Alabama recently passed a rule saying that anyone who had made a donation to the opposing party (ie Democratic party), during the last year/election, could not qualify in the state of Alabama to run as a Republican. So, does this mean that folks who want to run for the congressinal seat would not be able to qualify if they had so donated? Nailen made donations of $1,000 each to the campaigns of Tom Foley (he of the sexual harrassment of a male intern/page fame) and Athur (Artur?) Davis…both Democrats.
Also, wouldn’t donating to Foley’s campaign tend to mark one as being a social liberal? I mean we already know that Nailen is a fiscal liberal based on his support of Amendment 1, but being both a social and fiscal liberal would pretty much kill his chances locally…if he can even get on the ballot due to the new rule.
Would this new rule also keep the potential candidates who have hinted at changing parties in order to run as a Republican for the seat from running if they had donated to their own or another Democrat’s campaign?
Seriously, I’m asking because I don’t know and would like someone to clarify how this rule will affect the campaign that is shaping up.
Comment by MH — October 18, 2007 @ 4:47 pm
They all hand out community grants and yes, sometimes they serve really good purposes. But as Pookie said, how does that show a real accomplishment? A State Senator showed up and gave a check that required no action to secure.
Comment by JT — October 18, 2007 @ 7:26 am
Interesting since Riley, himself, helped make sure at least one of those grants was pusehed through. Maybe he is one of those really talented politicians who is able to talk out of both sides of his mouth?
In any case, these types of grants are essential to the well being of a community…especially the senior centers, which typically also provide all kinds of wellness programs for seniors who might otherwise fall through the cracks for screenings, or not have the financial wherewithal for enriching activities that help prevent or delay dementia. Anyone who has ever lost a lvoed one to Alzheimer’s or other dementias will appreciate the many good things the centers do for the members of our communities who should be resspected, cared for, and learned from.
Comment by MH — October 17, 2007 @ 10:35 pm
Just a note that many state legislators go around handing out “community grants” to senior centers and other such causes. They did nothing to secure the grant - each member of the legislator gets a pot of money to dole out as they wish. Governore Riley tried to stop this a few years back but of course the legislature would never stop such a practice.
Comment by Binformed — October 17, 2007 @ 8:22 pm
Thanks, Pookie…glad to know you missed me. I feel so special! I’m still feeling a bit funky, but starting to get better.
As for Smith’s acomplishments, I’m not really up on how to find all her votes, legistlative proposals, etc, but I do know that she had a lot to do with some of the small rural towns in our area getting senior citizen’s centers. She is a very strong proponent of our seniors, agriculture and the military.
And face, it, she’s a nice person. Something you just don’t find very often in politics these days. The fact that she does not engage in mudslinging, back stabbing, and character assasination is enough to get me to vote for her. I’m sick to death of all the nasty stuff that gets said during elections.
I had to laugh when I first moved back to the area, though. I’d been living up in Yankee Land with my late husband and we moved down here during a big election year…right about this time of year. My late husband and I would watch all the commercials, and it seemed like the most horrible, vile expletives that were thrown was the one label that heralded the death knell to local politicians…. “He/She is a Liberal!” I reckon that is the one bit of mud that no one can sling at Smith.
Comment by MH — October 17, 2007 @ 7:17 pm
Thank you Don! Finally, a rational statement on Amend 1.
Comment by JT — October 17, 2007 @ 12:33 pm
Re: Amendment 1, and the many comments regarding it. Wouldn’t it be more accurate to say that the legislature voted to allow Alabama voters to accept or reject the several proposals included in Amendment 1 and the Governor Riley approved of the legislature’s action?
Comment by Don — October 17, 2007 @ 8:28 am