Welcome to the AL-05 Big List.
Similar to our 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 5th Congressional District after Rep. Bud Cramer (D – Huntsville) announced that he will not run for re-election.
Both parties’ qualifying period ended April 4, 2008. Two 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
Parker Griffith, State Senator OUT Mike Blakely, Limestone Co. Sheriff |
IN
George Barry, Sales Manager OUT Mo Brooks, Madison Co. Commissioner |
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Tom Young? Gee, he already ran for the open Callahan seat that Bonner won. Why doesn’t he run for the open Everett seat as well? Any open seat, he should run, huh? Crazy…
I bet Butler would run as a GOPer.
Maybe one of Butler’s faces could run as a Dem, the other as a Repub.
IIRC Arthur Orr lives in another district (AL-4th).
Is Mickey Hammond(sp?)in this district as a GOPer? He has a strong conservative record . . .I don’t know if he lives in the district though . . .
I wonder if Raby would have to disclose all of his financial dealings with Auburn, Paul Hubbert and whoever else he works for.
Hell Raby has given money to Mike Rogers and probably other Republicans. Why would Democrats vote for him?
I think Butler is going to switch parties very soon. He sounded very very cozy this morning with conservative talk show host Dale Jackson on his show. If he was planning to stay a democrat he wouldnt have popped up on Jacksons show this morning and acted that way.
Surely Randy’s not a serious candidate? He’s under indictment right?
Randy Hinshaw is most assuredly not under indictment, and prosecutors have reportedly assured him that he is not a target of a criminal investigation.
Sounds like political junkie is not quite the junkie he imagined.
Did Wells live in DC and run the office or did he do like Jo Bonner and run the DC office from within the district to get name and face recognition?
Carter Wells moved back to the District about a year ago . . . so he would be a candidate in the mold of Jo Bonner.
Susan Parker is truly exceptional — smart, hardworking and as ethical as they come. I’m betting she takes this one.
Parker’s always got her eye on the next office, I am always suspicious of those types.
Why does nobody want to give Ray McKee a serious shot? No reason that he has to be a political nobody whether or not Cramer’s in the race and the Fair Tax concept is a big winner in North Alabama. McKee also has NASA and Missile Defense experience(also a political winner in North Alabama).
Anon #15 – McKee is a single issue candidate – Fair Tax – he said this AM on Dale Jackson’s radio show (WVNN) that he has done his job – getting Cramer out (said tongue in cheek).
Reactionary, then do you think McKee can translate his “one issue” as you put it into something that candidates on both sides of the aisle will have to talk about? After all, if he’s smart he’ll devote the Fair Tax issue into the minds of AL-05 voters. If done right, Fair Tax can translate into more revenues for NASA/Missile Defense.
I’m a Rep. and I like Susan Parker. More power to her.
Anon #15 – to be clear, I like Ray McKee and the Fair Tax (got the t-shirt). IMO he needs more than the Fair Tax to get elected.
I’d like to withdraw my comment about Arthur Orr not being eligible – looks like he is, and that I’m not as think as I smart I am.
I attended the Madison County GOP breakfast today, saw McKee and Brooks. Mo didn’t make any announcements. The place was buzzing, of course. GOP names mentioned most were Brooks, McDonald, and Orr. Orr and Brooks seemed to be the favorites.
Dems mentioned were Parker Griffith and Susan Parker. FWIW, Susan Parker seemed to get more positive comments. Randy Hinshaw’s name came up, but mostly in the context of him taking Griffith’s Senate seat.
You might want to add Mike Blakely to the list of possibles. He is well-known across North Alabama as an agressive Sheriff would be a tenacious, skilled campaigner.
http://www.decaturdaily.com/stories/7027.html
Thank you for the heads up on Blakely. I added him.
Tom Young would have to take a major pay cut to run for Congress
Blakely is the Alabama version of Buford Pusser.
I think it is unfair to mention Buford Pusser and Mike Blakely in the same breath. Buford Pusser was honest.
LOL. I apologize then Sandman.
Blakely is just the type of guy who could hold this seat for the dems. Smart and tough.
Any info on whether Sparks would seriously consider this race? If he wants to bank on 2 terms of Folsom he could basically hold this spot for 10 years and if the Dems are still in charge he could possibly be choosing between Ag Chair in the House or Governor of Alabama. Might also open a door for him to move to the Senate, gives him quite a few options.
Butler for Congress? If Tom can’t make up his mind what party he is in now, how can we trust him to make up his mind to vote the right way. He is not the right man for this job. He has been entrenched in the Democratic party for a very long time and has had ample opportunity to switch, why now? He has done a great job of doing nothing in Montgomery. Why give up the job security?
The rumor out of Montgomery was Butler was going to swtich parties after the session, there is not time if he is going to run as a Republican because the deadline to enter race is April 3.
What about Parker Griffith, he has run for 3 offices in 4 years? VOted himself a pay raise as one of the first thing he did in the Alabama Senate. Oportunist at age 67, whats next in two years?
I like Tom (despite being an AL GORE delegate in 2000) and I hate to see him end his political career running last minute in a race he can’t win and in a party he’s always said he can’t fully support. What a shame. I sense a degree of desperation on the heels of a very public Montgomery filibuster and a 2008 democratic party represented by Obama and Hillary. Maybe his conscience has finally caught up with him in the twilight of his public service. Too late my friend…
I agree, Tom Butler is a nice guy. If he made it to the General Election, he would have a decent chance at winning this race. But there is NO WAY that he is going to win a Republican Primary against a true conservative like Wayne Parker. I hope he does switch parties, however; it will open up his State Senate seat for 2010 (I don’t believe he can win a Republican Primary for that seat, either).
Rumor has it he is going to switch parties this week and have several GOP legislators standing with him at the announcement. Then those same GOP legislators will be standing with him when he announces his bid for Congress. Good grief. What is going on? Republican legislators endorsing someone who was a Democrat a week before he announces his candidacy, and an Al Gore delegate in 2000. This just smells of some Montgomery good ‘ol boy back room deal.
Gee, is anonymous have the intials S.R. and is rumored running for office with money from the gambling interests?
Any Republican legislators that stand with Butler IF he makes this grand announcement need to have their heads examined. This guy isn’t going to win a Republican Primary; no way. Just another embarassment for the Gov.
Still no news on if Sparks would actually consider this race?
I hear that Jeff Sikes is in
A dumb question: If Jeff Sykes does jump into this race, what does that mean as far as his business commercials go? Is he still allowed to mention his name (i.e., Jeff Sykes Mazda) or is this deemed an unfair advantage? Inquiring minds want to know.
Jeff Sikes has been pretty tight with Siegelman in the past. Making contributions to his gubernatorial campaigns and also to the lottery campaign. In return, Siegelmen appointed him to an industrial development board. Not sure why he would run in a Republican primary. He sounds like more of the Democrat persuasion.
Former State Representative Angelo Mancuso to announce he will run for Congress tomorrow in the Republican Primary
Deepthroat -
If what you are saying is true then Mancuso is an idiot. I don’t believe that someone as well-liked and fairly conservative as Tom Butler could win a Republican Primary, and I know for a fact that a borderline-lib like Mancuso surely can’t.
Well, Deepthroat, it looks like your sources hit this one on the head. I am still amazed that Mancuso thinks he can win as a Republican.
With six candidates on the Republican side, I think this all but guarantees a runoff. I still think Parker heads up the ticket, and I would say Guthrie will get second based solely on Name ID.
Mancuso has a good base in Limestone County and Madison City where he has always won. Wayne Parker may have money but the Republican Party insiders are not excited about Wayne and his inability to articulate the issues. Look for Mancuso to do well in debates with him and to spend enough money to get into run off. Mancuso is the best bet for Republicans to win in the fall. Doctor vs. Doctor. Don’t count Mancuso out.
Deepthroat
Do you know anything about Mancuso’s personal life? It is not pretty. Plus isn’t he a Democrat? Not sure how that will play in a Republican primary.
Mancuso had an unfortuante incident with his wife when she had cancer and wasnt herself. He took the blame and suffered for it. He served in the legislature as a Democrat, but just liked Richard Shelby, Ronald Reagan and Bob Riley, he saw the light and switched parties.
When did he switch parties? Did he run as a Democrat in 2006 against Bobby Day for the Alabama Senate?
Unfortunate incident?
He dropped the democrat party after the State Senate race because the way he was treated by members of the party and the attacks they used on him during the campaign.
Heard all six GOP candidates speak this morning (each got to speak for four minutes) – this is what I remember:
George Barry – doesn’t like parts of NAFTA, GATT, Patriot Act, REAL ID Act. Noted that many countries refund taxes on exports but that US taxes put US companies at a disadvantage. National debt is bad. Close Border, stop anchor babies, deport illegals.
Cheryl Baswell-Guthrie – quoted Reagan, ‘GOP loves July 4, Dems love taxes’. Recalls life as military wife, recalls her grandfather’s service in Congress. Bring back moral values. Illegals, ID theft, border unprotected against terrorists, “silent invasion”.
Mark Huff – Fair Tax, Enforce Immigration Laws, Term limits. Says that both Democratic Presidential candidates are Socialists. Need to “stop socialism and push back hard”.
Doc Mancuso – optimistic, economic development, immigration / border security. Soldiers should “never be outgunned or outmanned”. Soldiers should be honored for service – no more Vietnams. Notes his Health Care Policy Fellowship, no universal health care, need affordable health care, protect Medicare.
Ray McKee – ‘take power away from Washington, return it to the people’ through Fair Tax and Term Limits. War – “swift and decisive victory”. Need Govt R&D for Energy alternatives to oil. World peace. ‘No foreign aid until every man, woman, and child in the US is fed and housed’.
Wayne Parker – said his first run in 1994 caused Bud Cramer to become more conservative. Believes in free enterprise, individual responsibility, limited government, strong national defense, and values. Secure borders, employer verification, enforce laws.
The ‘Republican Women of Madison’ held a forum for House District 5 GOP candidates on April 29. All six primary candidates (George Barry, Cheryl Baswell-Guthrie, Mark Huff, Angelo Mancuso, Ray McKee, Wayne Parker) were allowed ten minutes, followed by Q&A.
Highlights here:
http://www.flashpointblog.com/2008/04/30/republican-women-of-madison-forum/
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