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Multiple sources are telling the Parlor that Governor Bob Riley’s appointment of Arthur Ray to a Montgomery County District Judgeship means that we will not be seeing Ray’s wife Kelli Wise run for the Supreme Court next year. The idea is that Ray would not otherwise be a top choice for the position, but that Riley is trying to help the Supreme Court candidacy of Jim Main, Riley’s Finance Director.
This may be a win all the way around for Ray, Wise, and Main, as the word heard here is that Wise was not enthused about a run for the Supreme Court. Republican Ray will face a re-election challenge in ‘08 from Democrat Jimmy Pool who has already announced his candidacy and is expected to run strong in Montgomery County where he has served as the county Democratic Party chair.
The Alabama Civil Justice Reform Association (ACJRA) is said to be not-so-thrilled with the idea of Main on the Supreme Court, preferring a justice more in the mold of retiring Justice Harold See, who is decidedly pro-business.
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Jim Main worked for Jere Beasley at the state’s biggest trial lawyer firm – Beasley Allen. That is not going to sit well with Republicans.
So Riley is backing a trial lawyer for Supreme Court…when is he going to actually support a conservative?
I assume that Republicans had no problem with Main while he has served as Finance Director for their favorite son, Bob Riley. Or when he previously served as Riley’s Senior Counsel. Or when he was Chief of Staff and Legal Advisor to Republican Fob James. You would also think think that all those pro-business Republicans would like a past President of the American Pharmacists Association. Then again, he’s no Harold See.
Actually, there were Republicans who didn’t like it when Jim Main was appointed Finance Director. Keep in mind, the positions you mentioned are all appointed positions, not elected positions.
Who said Riley is a “favorite son” of Republicans?
As for the appointment itself, don’t look for Judge Ray to have an easy time keeping his seat in a county that’s “going blue” pretty fast. In the last election, two GOP incumbents were turned out by Dem. challengers. Of course, one of the challengers was former appelas court judge Sharon Yates, which may have affected things.
I guess there are some Republicans who didn’t like Jim Main’s appointment as Finance Director. I’m sure you can find some Republicans (and Democrats, too) who don’t like anyting the Governor does. There are also some Republicans and Democrats who support most of the Governor’s decisions. Of course, the larger a political party becomes, its various factions become more diverse. And loyalists of each party love to see the other party squabbling among themselves.
Four years ago, many Democrat loyalists that I spoke to were chomping a the bit in anticipation of the anticipated Roy Moore – Bob Riley Republican civil war. It was widely speculated that the intraparty rift would lead Lucy into the governor’s seat.
I, for one, have heard very little critisism among Republican legislators (or among Republican loyalists) about Jim Main’s performance as Finance Director. I have been impressed with his overall performance as Finance Director.
[...] State Finance Director Jim Main (R) has decided not to run for the Supreme Court seat opened up by Harold See’s retirement. I suppose no one is more appreciative of Main’s flirtation with candidacy for this position than Arthur Ray. Main’s full statement, released this morning, is below. [...]