Posted by Democrat Ron Sparks has said that he will not challenge Republican Senator Jeff Sessions in 2008 if he has to run in a primary.
According to Saturday’s Sand Mountain Reporter (which actually comes out on Friday, it’s a Sand Mountain thing):
The second-term commissioner [of agriculture and industries] said the Democratic Party doesn’t need a fight to see who will represent it against incumbent Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Mobile.
“He’s going to have enough money to burn a wet dog every day,” Sparks said.
State Sen. Vivian Davis Figures (D – Mobile) is expected to announce her candidacy.
Left in Alabama transcribed Ron Sparks’ remarks to the Marshall County Democratic Club in Guntersville last week:
I said that I had an interest in looking at the United States Senate race, but I also said I would not run in a primary. And that’s where I’m still, that’s where I am today. We do have two individuals that still say they’re going to run. Senator Figures says she’s going to announce July the 24th. If that’s the case, I will not run as a candidate for the United States Senate. The reason is that, number one, we don’t need a primary in the Democrat party. The person who runs against Jeff Sessions needs every ounce of help and support they can get.
…
But we don’t need to beat up on each other, folks. Let’s pick us a candidate, let’s get behind them and let’s try to win this race in November, 2008.
Though nothing is done until it is done, it would be a surprise here if Figures decided not to run. If Sparks holds to what he has said on this, he is looking out of the race – which may serve him well in the long run. Sessions is going to be tough to beat. Sometimes a losing campaign can elevate a candidate’s profile and name recognition for future races, but other times the candidate can be so bruised as to be damaged for future races.
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“He’s going to have enough money to burn a wet dog every day,” Sparks said……..
Am I alone that when after reading this quote I say, “What the Hell?” Burn a wet dog? Woah Ron….
Cynic that I am, this is my take on Sparks’ comments. It sounds as if he hoping his remarks will cause back room power-brokers within the party to put pressure on Figures and any other potential candidate to oppose Sessions to leave the field open to him because they figure he has the best chance of any Democrat to unseat Sessions. There’s no telling what sort of propositions those power-brokers will make to Figures or any other potential candidate.
Gee, old-style populist Democrats facing African American Democrats on a statewide basis. I am sure Democratic Party leaders would just LOVE to see that play out.
CR, I tripped over that comment, too. I thought, wow, that’s different. But funny. Unless you are a wet dog.
Don, I suspect you are right on.
BTW, Don, while I think that Sparks hopes the field may clear for him, I do think he is being straightforward when he says that he does not intend to run if there is a primary.
[...] Ron Sparks has made official what we already knew… he will not challenge incumbent Jeff Sessions (R) for his U.S. Senate seat in 2008. Sparks, the state agriculture commissioner, said he decided not to run after talking with state Sen. Vivian Figures of Mobile, who is running. [...]