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 don’t understand how anyone can say either party is fiscally responsible right now. This deficit has gotten out of control and neither party has done anything to stop it, the Dems or GOP (GOP being the ones I would have expected). Both parties have failed us and it is time to start taking the matter into our own hands. We as a district have to begin to individually pick candidates that have a proven record at keeping our economy sound. Right now that person is Bright for me. I don’t care why he has had to balance the city budget ever year; the thing is he has been able to do it, unlike many governments including our neighbors to the North in Jefferson County. The City of Montgomery not only has balanced the budget but it has also maintained the recommended amount for a Rainy Day Fund incase of emergencies. Even during this souring economy Bright has demanded cuts in spending to offset the lower consumer spending. This is fiscally conservative in my eyes. Not only that, He has yet to cast any doubts in my eyes that would make me believe he would spend our tax dollars in any other way than to better his constitutes. I have not always agreed with his decisions, but he has given me no reason to think he is dishonest, and I will take that any day over a lot of this crap in Washington. He has run this City with honor and has done the same with his campaign so far.
Comment by At least half a brain — August 7, 2008 @ 5:38 pm
David Grimes is a whack job.
Comment by Anonymous — August 7, 2008 @ 3:57 pm
What does that even mean? I fact check and read about economics. Guess that makes me a looney, eh? Fine, call me crazy, I could care less. My crusade for free markets won’t end until I’m dead, and I will throw all of my resources against anyone who I see endangers my economic and political freedoms. Currently, that’s Barack Obama, Vivian Figures, and Bobby Bright.
Comment by Thomas Jefferson — August 7, 2008 @ 1:56 pm
Thomas Jefferson has indeed gone INSANE!!!
Comment by LD — August 7, 2008 @ 1:47 pm
Thomas Jefferson,
Go ahead and add the WSJ to that list
Comment by Anonymous — August 7, 2008 @ 1:33 pm
My sources? the Cato Institute, National Review, National Journal, Council on Foreign Relations, National Interest, Heritage foundation, etc. Bam!
Comment by Thomas Jefferson — August 7, 2008 @ 11:38 am
Anytime i make an assertion about economic policy or records of the Marxists or lap (blue)dog wimpy “conservatives” held at leash by their masters in the new socialist Democratic party politburo I will always provide facts, personally, as long as we’re bragging about our extensive knowledge of the political process etc. I may be a radical for capitalism, but you can always fact check too and realize I am awesome and correct always. Anyways, 1/2 a brain’s comments can always be assumed irrelevant and redundant in his delightful “bipartisian” stance. That’s a bunch of bullcrap. in the 2008 cycle, there is a need for partisianship. I don’t want my tax dollars stolen from me to build a Robert Byrd high school in assville WV. I don’t want freedom of speech trampled on by the “fairness doctrine”. I don’t want our military to be downsized. I don’t want slower economic growth due to out of control entitlement spending on socialized medicine ‘cough’ I mean Medicare and Medicaid/ Social Security which in 2020 or so will constitute using a third of the USA’s GDP. I dont want it to cost me 200$ to fill up my Jetta in 2015 with no offshore or ANWR drilling suffering the whims of the anti-capitalist extremists in the Green crowd that so desperately love their dear leader His greatness Barack Obama. I don’t want windfall profits taxes on any corporation, cause that raises the prices I pay and may cost me being laid off. Screw that! Partisian capitalism supporting terrorist killing drilling drilling drilling conservatism in 08 I say!
Comment by Thomas Jefferson — August 7, 2008 @ 11:25 am
1/2 Brain: “I take pride in my own reasoning ability and don’t need a political party to guide me.”
LYING and making false allegations is not “reasoning”.
But as for bragging about not needing guidance, say you’re a born liar and it comes natural, huh? Well, I wouldn’t brag about it if I were you. But then if I were you, I’d probably shoot myself.
Comment by Purveyor of Pragmatism — August 7, 2008 @ 12:09 am
1/2 Brain: “Purveyor of Pragmatism…… I believe I have referenced over three sources in the past 2 days.”
No, you have provided no sources for this condemning quote you atttributed to Jay Love:
At least half a brain — August 1, 2008 @ 3:39 pm: “Love trying to turn this race into a Democrat –v- Republican battle is a huge turn off right now. Give me someone that is not going claim to “toe the party line” no matter what party and that will put us first.”
I have repeatedly challenged you to provide a credible reference for that alleged comment by Love. You have failed to provide any reference, credible or otherwise. Instead, you pontificate about the credibility of links to online references, blather on about other topics (including the color of the sky) and blah blah blah…
That you now claim to have provided “over three sources in the past 2 days” when again challenged on the alleged Jay Love “I’m going to toe the party line” quote is a classic example of the double-talk, tap-dancing, obfuscation, ducking and just plain outright lying that people like you perform on a routine base.
You’re such a crooked liar you probably have to screw your pants on.
Comment by Purveyor of Pragmatism — August 7, 2008 @ 12:06 am
Dear Atleast Half a Brain - Jay Love will be working with the GOP most all the time and that is fine with the folks in Alabama. It is what Bonner, Everett, Aderholt, Rogers, Bachus, Sessions and Shelby do. Likewise, davis and cramer work with the dems all the time. The only thing not making sense here, is that bright says he will be elected as a dem yet vote with the Republicans (on drilling, abortion, gun rights, tax cuts, etc.) Hmmmmm, interesting how he will be the only member of congress to do such. Amazing that he expects us to believe that. Blue Dog as he likes to call it is cover for him yet he will be follwing the dem party leadership in DC. And if Jay follows the GOP leadership on issues? Well, believe it or not half brain, most folks in district 2 want him to follow the GOP because that is what we believe in - those values and those positions. Wake up. If Bright truly feels like he says he does on issues, he should have run in the GOP primary and not taken the easy way out and try to slide in the back door as a dem. but i don;t think he really hold the beliefs he says he does….he wants cover so he can slide in and then do what all blue dogs do, sit and wait for pelosi to give them a bone.
Comment by Anonymous — August 6, 2008 @ 9:45 pm
At Least,
Purveyor is in denial! He wouldn’t accept the truth if it hit him in the nostril. If I were you, I wouldn’t get to excited about his/her posts or responses. He is as aware as you and I that Jay has made those statements. By the way, he want make any more statements unless the party writes them down for him on a note pad and tells him what to say. I am sure you have already figured that one out because it is very obvious. Go figure…
Comment by anonomous — August 6, 2008 @ 6:51 pm
Oh, and another thing. A lot of what I say are my own thoughts. Not some created from poisonous campaign ads on either side (one side this year being more poisonous than the other of course). I take pride in my own reasoning ability and don’t need a political party to guide me. I suggest you try the same
Comment by At least half a brain — August 6, 2008 @ 5:58 pm
Purveyor of Pragmatism…… I believe I have referenced over three sources in the past 2 days. One a major media outlet being The Montgomery Advertiser talking about drilling, one being Jay Love’s own acceptance speech (you will have to review that one on your own, I am not posting that lengthy thing on here), and another being Love’s own “Christian Conservative Jay Love” slogan. However, keep pulling one sentences out of my post to amplify own. I will just take your lack of response to the other portions a pleading the 5th. Enjoyed it again.
Comment by At least half a brain — August 6, 2008 @ 5:54 pm
1/2 a Brain: “Back to the whole link thing….I would encourage you to go beyond the links…”
You keep ducking it but I keep grabbing you by the neck and pulling you out of your weasel hole. THIS IS AN ONLINE FORUM. If you are going to claim to quote Jay Love (or whoever), then you need to be able to provide proof of that when challenged. YOU HAVE PROVIDED NO PROOF OF JAY LOVE HAVING SAID THAT HE IS GOING TO TOE THE (GOP) PARTY LINE as you alleged he said.
No links.
No references to (specific) newspaper articles.
No references to (specific) television reports.
No references that can be verified.
You claim that internet links to quotes and other data -even those that appear at major news outlets- are not acceptably credible to you. Well, YOUR unsubstantiated and unverified allegations and accusations are even LESS CREDIBLE.
Your hypocrisy knows no bounds.
Comment by Purveyor of Pragmatism — August 6, 2008 @ 5:26 pm
Wow! Couldn’t have said it better myself!
Thomas Jefferson: “The Blue Dog democrats are a dead, politically irrelevant caucus stomped and buried by the socialists that control the Democrat party. they are simply protest voices, virtual pariahs of the party at the mercy of the Marxist leadership, used as political smokescreens to fool stupid voters in largely conservative districts only to be reigned in and slapped around if elected by the Communists under Comrade Secretary Speaker Pelosi.“
Comment by Purveyor of Pragmatism — August 6, 2008 @ 5:21 pm
Re: #1941
LD…. Welcome back. I have nto seen you on in a while.
Bright has said neither of the two, and actually supported Huckabee in the primary, just to throw that in there.
Comment by At least half a brain — August 6, 2008 @ 5:13 pm
#1943 is a reply to #1935….I assume Purveyor of Pragmatism from the similar formatting. sorry for not adding this
Comment by At least half a brain — August 6, 2008 @ 5:09 pm
1. Jay Love has made no indication that he will work with anyone besides the GOP to get things done in Washington for AL 02, and at this point I don’t think the majority of the House would be willing to work for him since it is the majority of the House that he has be criticizing in ever media piece after the run off. “The sky is blue” comment was simply made to point out you don’t need proof when something is so obvious. Bright has come out with his own agenda that takes ideas from both sides of the isle, where Jay love has followed the GOP line on every issue, of course that is when we can get him to actually talk about issues and not creating a fear of the Democrats. Your mind set and others that have this absolute GOP or absolute Dem policy in your head are what are truly hurting this district and this country. The whole idea of our democracy is allowing all the ideas to come to the table and having a representative that will pick what is in the best interest of our district. An absolute mind set that you and some others on here truly reminds me more of a dictatorship than a democracy.
2. I have done nothing but bash partisan politics on here, and have been critical those that are encouraging it through campaigns or post. Again this style of hatred for the “other group” has made this country almost come to a complete stand still in political decisions. Personally, I am truly disturbed when someone does not veer from there own political party on issues. To me it shows a lack of being able to think for one’s self or for one’s district.
3. Back to the whole link thing….I would encourage you to go beyond the links, beyond the political party agenda, beyond the people trying to divide this country on political lines. I too read the newspaper online and even watch my news online, however, and most importantly, I have been able to get beyond the political parties and think for myself. I will be waiting for the sarcastic remark from you about that too. Again, I enjoyed it and look forward to your reply.
Comment by At least half a brain — August 6, 2008 @ 5:07 pm
Everything Bright is doing is a total con job. It is how they were told to run - to act as if they will be non partisan and will side with Republicans on many issues, etc. But when it comes down to it, they don’t do that. They are scared to break from party leadership. Bright will be the same way.
Comment by Anonymous — August 6, 2008 @ 3:42 pm
Not only will Bobby vote for Pelosi for speaker, he will also vote for Obama for president. Enough said.
Comment by LD — August 6, 2008 @ 2:57 pm