Who’d Fall on His Sword for the Governor?
What legislators would go to the greatest lengths to protect the interests of the governor? Who is often at odds with him? Who are the peacemakers, bless them?
Last week, when I was asking about the relationship between Gov. Riley and state Sen. Scott Beason (R - Gardendale), a GOP insider drew me a candid picture of the GOP family that is helpful for our understanding of the dynamics on Goat Hill.
Here is the current “family” breakdown in the Republican Party.
Gov. Bob Riley, House Minority Leader Rep. Mike Hubbard (Auburn), Rep. Jay Love (Montgomery), Senate Minority Leader Sen. Jabo Waggoner (Birmingham), Sen. Bradley Byrne (Fairhope)— all are considered the Governor’s loyalists. They fall on the sword regardless of what the Governor says without question. They are usually the Governor’s last line of defense.
Sen. Scott Beason (Gardendale), Rep. Todd Greeson (Ider), Rep. Blaine Galliher (Gadsden), Sen. Steve French (Birmingham), all are seen as a group of Republicans that are constantly bumping heads with Governor Riley. It is an eclectic group. Beason is from the far right of the political spectrum while Rep. Greeson is usually counted on as being more of a moderate.
Sen. Del Marsh (Anniston), Sen. Harri Anne Smith (Slocomb), Rep. Cam Ward (Alabaster), Rep. Paul DeMarco (Homewood), Rep. Victor Gaston (Mobile) - are usually deemed as the peacemakers of the Republican heirarchy. They have worked with both sides in the past and usually are stretched between both factions. These members are the ones who typically are involved in trying to heal party rifts before they spill into the open.
GOP insiders in Montgomery confirm for me that this “sounds about right” and “have no objection” to this characterization. One insisted that most Republicans “will agree with that line up and may even want to add some to it.”
If you’re planning a dinner party, this might help with the seating chart…
Related Articles:
Victor Gaston…a peacemaker? more like a do nothing
Comment by dan — April 16, 2007 @ 5:09 pm
Very interesting post. I need to get me some insiders who talk to me. I guess I should stop calling everyone names first. Maybe I should even stop using my occasional profanity…
Forget it.
Comment by Dan — April 16, 2007 @ 9:41 pm
You know, I thought it was quite interesting also.
Comment by Danny — April 16, 2007 @ 11:47 pm
Is everyone that comments on here named Dan??
Comment by Daniel — April 17, 2007 @ 11:06 am
LOL! At least we all either use different variations of Daniel or use different capitalization rules.
Comment by Dan — April 17, 2007 @ 11:11 am
Is there a problem?
Comment by Danster — April 18, 2007 @ 9:20 am
[…] Good. Some time ago some Republicans had characterized for the Political Parlor the factions. [Here.] Like you said, it is like family. Some people get along with one brother, and somebody will get along with another brother, but you are still family. But they characterized three groups. There is a group that was considered to be the ultimate loyalists to the Governor. The word was that they would fall on the sword if necessary. There was a group that was characterized as bumping heads with the Governor a lot, and then there was a group in the middle, trying to reach both sides. That is some of the dynamic that I have had characterized to me more than once, but I do not mean to overstate the – […]
Pingback by Mike Hubbard in the Parlor, Part Two » Doc’s Political Parlor — October 23, 2007 @ 2:33 pm