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Has Republican Greenville businessman Tim James committed to joining the race for Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District? Yes and no, he told the Parlor. He’s looking at it “very seriously,” doing due diligence, not making a decision yet, and probably won’t until Thanksgiving. One consideration is that this seat doesn’t come open very often. Only two people have held it since 1964, and only eight since 1900. On the other hand, there is the Governor’s race in 2010 that he is considering, and he wouldn’t do both. “You can say that my main interest is public service.”
The Parlor had heard that he was pulling some folks together for a run. Yes, he said, he was putting a team together and had done some polling with a good Washington polling group. He was putting together a team of “Bob Riley quote world-class folks,” he said with a laugh. Don’t misunderstand him to mean that some of the Bob Riley crowd was helping him, as I did. He was making reference to Riley’s penchant for saying “world class,” and you know, Riley does.
James didn’t believe the selection process should be “smooth and pre-ordained,” saying “I believe a good rough and tumble primary is healthy for the party. It’s healthy for the country.”
“This is a very serious time in the country,” he added, noting considerations such as the war, economic signs that possibly point to a recession, and the real estate market that has been sagging. “I can’t remember a time in my life when things have been this tense.” Remarking that the Democrats had both houses of Congress and may take the White House next year, he added, “My party needs to find itself.”
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To begin, Wallace would not have defeated Folsom. With all due respect to the man, and he certainly is a great guy, he has spent his life collecting a paycheck based upon his name. His attempt at populism would be doomed to failure against Folsom, as Democrats will always win the battle when class warfare is pitted against class warfare. Further, we can in many ways blame Wallace for Strange’s defeat, as he began the whole class warfare game. In doing so, he made it all too easy for Folsom to divide Republicans on the issue, if one can even call it an issue. I would argue, and I am sure you will agree, that if Wallace conceded to Strange without a runoff, election night 2006 would have gone in a completely different route. One wonders how different the State Senate situation would be if that had been the case.
As for Byrne, I find it apalling, quite frankly, that anyone could say that because Mr. Byrne is a “know-it-all,” he stands little chance of victory in 2010. As a previous poster pointed out, Louisiana found out what happens when one scorns a candidate with original ideas by electing Blanco in 2003. I believe 2007 should show just how effective such thinking proves over time. I admire a man who does not dumb down his rhetoric when speaking to a crowd. Doing so implies he believes such a crowd is too stupid to comprehend him. Alabama, now more than ever, needs not only a reformer but a man with the ideas to accomplish reform. Let Bryne stand next to Folsom on stage in a debate. We will quickly see the difference between original ideas and tired rhetoric.
Preach on Will…. Republicans need a strong candidate against Folsom in 2010. Byrne has the brains and hopefully others will step up as well. It certainly is not Rob Riley, harri Snne or Kay Ivey that we need, although I like Kay. Byrne should look at the race but I am hoping Jack Hawkins of Troy University will consider it also. Alabama needs to move ahead, not be stuck with the past…i.e. Folsom.
The Senate would be solidly Democratic if Luther had won — part of his platform was that he would use the “bully pulpit” of the office to elect a Republican majority to the Senate in 2010. How do you think that would have gone over with the Democrats that were voting with the Republican minority to hold things up most of the last session? People like Larry Means and EB McClain would have gone back to the D’s a lot quicker, and Tom Butler and other would have found it a lot harder to work with Luther. And by the way for those that are Bradley Byrne fans, why is that the Republicans in the Senate were not sorry to see him go? Reports are that they found him very hard to work with, even on the same side of the aisle.
Byrne is doing one hell of a job now. Dems hate him because they were by far the majority of the ones double dipping. sweet jobs at community and junior colleges with doing little to no work and also sitting in the legislature. Byrne is helping the school board and riley clean up the mess and Dems hate him for it. I love him for it.
“Tim James for governor 2010″
Honesty, Integrity, a true patroit, an upholder of the constitution of the United States of America.