Top Ten Election Winners: #10
Every election gives us winners and losers, but some are a little more noteworthy than others. The Political Parlor presents a a start on the Top Ten Winners of the Alabama Elections.
#10. Rep. Jeremy Oden (R - Vinemont)
Rep. Jeremy Oden, a former seminarian, youth pastor, and a GOP Legislator of the Year honoree, looked vulnerable as he finished his second term in House District 11. The word is that he is too close to the House Speaker for the tastes of the House GOP leadership.
He faced an opponent in the Republican primary, David Ozment, who was endorsed by both ALFA and the Business Council of Alabama. Many predicted that Oden would be in trouble and would be in a run-off if not defeated outright.
Challenger Ozment raised more money than Oden did (even though incumbents typically do not have trouble raising more money than their challengers) including sizable donations from the PACs of BCA and ALFA. Oden loaned his campaign $15,000 and secured $8,000 more in loans to remain competive financially. AEA’s A-VOTE PAC jumped in with a late $10,000 donation to Oden’s campaign.
ALFA endorsed thirteen legislative candidates who were not incumbents in the primary races (including run-offs), and they finished an impressive 10-3. One of the three losses was Ozment, as Oden dispatched him by a 54%-36% margin with no run-off.
His opponent for the general election, Democrat Jim Boyd, spent more money campaigning for the general election after the June primary (over $100,000) than Oden raised all year for both campaigns (almost $82,000 combined for primary and general elections). The Democrat Boyd’s largest PAC contribution came from ALFA’s PAC (i.e., ELECT).
Neither House Speaker Hammett nor interests like AEA appeared to target this potentially vulnerable Republican seat. (For example, Hammett disbursed tens of thousands of dollars at a time from his own warchest to some individual campaigns, but not to Oden’s opponent, and AEA’s A-VOTE contributed to Oden’s primary campaign.) That suggests that they hope Oden is or will be sympathetic to their interests. GOP House Minority Leader Mike Hubbard may have attempted to build a bridge with his $3000 contribution to Oden’s fall campaign.
An odd aside: In a profile on the Oden/Boyd race, the Decatur Daily reported that Oden “did not respond to THE DAILY’s repeated requests for an interview.” Why would that be?
Despite his fundraising disadvantage and his perceived vulnerability, Oden won re-election to a 3rd term by a 54%-46% margin.
Looks like Oden will have advantage in the next four year because he owes no one. I like legislators that do not have connections we will see what happens to the debt he accumulated and who will be friends to a 3rd termer that was not supported by any of the big boys…ALFA, BCA, AEA, FINE & GETTY nor Milton.
Comment by tim — February 27, 2007 @ 10:23 am