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Cullman County Commissioner Wayne Willingham, the “Republican establishment” candidate for House District 12 according to one source, has been identified in years past as a member and candidate of the Southern Party. While many news accounts from years ago are not readily available online, here is one from the UK’s The Guardian on September 18, 2000:
Last week the Southern party, which advocates secession, won its first mayoral victory, in a village in Alabama.
The party is an offshoot of a group called the League of the South, which says there has been a surge in its membership as white southerners become disillusioned with the “multiculturalism” of the main parties. The league is led by academics and cites as its inspiration such separatist movements as the Northern League in Italy.
[...]
As the League of the South is not a political party, some of its members formed the Southern party, which now has 2,000 members. Last week Wayne Willingham, 37, became its first successful candidate in a mayoral election, in the village of West Point, Alabama, where he beat the incumbent by a single vote. Mr Willingham described himself as “just an old country boy who’s tired of things being done the way they are”.
The seat to represent House District 12 became vacant when Neal Morrison (D – Cullman) resigned to become the president of Bevill State Community College.
Hat tip to reader H.
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As I said on my blog Ive dealt with Willingham a few times and I just didnt come away with a favorable
impression of the man. I didnt know about his involvement in the southern party but it doesnt shock me.
Hey, give the guy a break. Involvement in white supremacist organizations is just a part of the culture in Cullman. Like dog fighting was for Michael Vick.
Who decided he was the “establishment” candidate?
Gov10, a knowledgeable and observant source close to the situation stuck his wet finger in the air and told us which way the wind was blowing from his vantage point.
Of course, we must acknowledge that the wind can shift directions, or that perhaps our source didn’t have the best vantage point, but this source is pretty familiar with the lay of the land.
:)
Speaking of the League of the South, the Alabama chapter of it is headed by Mike Whorton of Wetumpka. He is rather prominent in an article @ http://prattvilleprogress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070906/PROGRESS/709060305/1040 in which he’s quoted as speaking out at length against self governance and the Elmore County Comprehensive Plan that the county commission is working on, saying that this community is headed in the wrong direction into “out and out communism” and has been for some time. The interesting thing is that his father Don Whorton is on of the commissioners and at one time was the chairman of the commission when it tried to convince citizens to vote to approve the idea of the commission having a sorry form of Home Rule. The article makes no mention that his father was there, or if he was, if he opened his mouth.
Is Wayne related to Judge Terri Willingham Thomas?
League of the South info: http://www.splcenter.org/intel/intelreport/article.jsp?aid=250
Involvement in white supremacist organizations is not part of the culture in Cullman. I can attest to that.
Interesting, Don, thanks!
Roy, I’ve wondered the same thing, and the persons I have asked do not know of a family relationship.
Thanks, OC.
SamfordDem, I understand your point and hate to see negative stereotypes being reinforced.