“Definitely” a Write-In Candidate for HD 54
In an AP story Saturday about Patricia Todd’s reinstatement as the Democratic nominee for HD 54, “one Hendricks supporter, Birmingham activist Frank Matthews, said he expects there will be a write-in candidate in the race in the Nov. 7 general election.” Patricia Todd will be the only name actually on the ballot.
I wondered if Matthews had moved forward with the idea of a write-in candidate or if he was merely caught up in the moment when he said that. He knew my question before I finished it.
“We are absolutely going to have a write-in candidate,” he said. He was “85% sure” that Gaynelle Hendricks would be the candidate. She hasn’t agreed to it, but he thinks she will. “That’s the great part about a write-in candidate. They don’t have to agree to it.” But if she is not the candidate, “we will have another strong candidate.”
They are “going to do it right” and are “talking to some people in New Jersey who have won a write-in campaign.” He said he knew they would have to lean on some Republican support. He also knows that only one candidate has ever won a seat in the Alabama legislature as a write-in candidate: Sen. Lowell Barron in 1983.
“I knew that letter [from Joe Reed] was a bad idea because it polarized the district racially. I saw a first draft and knew it was a bad idea.” It allowed Todd to “hide the gay issue in the race issue.”
So then I may say that there will definitely be a write-in campaign?
“Definitely. Absolutely. Get the word out.”

(R) Jeff Sessions (1-19)
(D) Vivian Figures (33-1)
(D) Artur Davis (1-49)
(R) Mike Hubbard (13-1)
(?) David Bronner (OFF)