AL-02 Race News
Prevailing rumors from the grapevine are that Rep. Greg Wren and Greenville businessman Tim James, both Republicans, will not run for Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District. I have not been able to confirm. Word is that James is particularly eyeing the 2010 Governor’s race.
Strongly sourced polling data indicate that state Sen. Harri Anne Smith on the Republican side and Montgomery Mayor Bobby Bright on either side are the two names showing to be most competitive at this early date. Undecideds lead the way, and of course we are a long way off.
Indications are that Bobby Bright really wants to run as a Republican and is apparently trying to figure if he can make that work. He also is reluctant to announce his candidacy for the seat so soon after being sworn into a new term as Montgomery Mayor.
I continue to hear that Republican David Woods, President of WCOV-TV in Montgomery, intends to run.
Republican Wess Howell of Enterprise has served in Congressman Everett’s intern program and is telling people that he is going to run. (Someone has edited a Wikipedia entry to say as much). I expect his impact to be in William Boyd territory, i.e., small. Rep. Terry Spicer (D) defeated Howell handily in Spicer’s first re-election bid for House District 91 in 2002.
A commenter at the Parlor asked about Democratic lightning rod Larry Darby, the Holocaust denier and once-but-no-longer-atheist who ran for Attorney General in 2006. Darby told the Montgomery Advertiser in 2006 (link no longer available) that he would run for AL-02. He told the Parlor recently that he is reconsidering that though he “could beat any Democratic candidate.” He added, “It’s tempting to run for the sake of forcing the Marxists who own the Democratic Party into a position of trying to prevent me from being on the ballot.”
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Bright was sworn in a couple of weeks ago. This post says it was this week.
Comment by Anonymous — November 29, 2007 @ 2:05 pm
Oops… not sure why “this week” slipped out. Thanks for the heads up.
Comment by Danny — November 29, 2007 @ 2:13 pm
Bobby knows he can’t run as a Repub, and he doubts he can win as a Dumbocrat. Proverbial Rock and the Hard Place.
Comment by Anonymous — November 29, 2007 @ 2:18 pm
With the condition Washington is in now, I’m not sure I want another “politician” sent there. Not saying that Everett was a “politician” but some of the apparent big names on the District 2 list are. Someone like Woods would be a great compromise, and he seems to have his priorities straight. Love & Smith better watch out.
Comment by Everett Fan — November 29, 2007 @ 2:58 pm
If Tim James is out I think it means Harri Anne Smith is looking stronger than ever in this race. I think she is fast becoming the “outside Montgomery” candidate.
Comment by TJ and Harri Anne — November 29, 2007 @ 4:10 pm
It does seem that every week that goes by Harri Anne Smith becomes more and more a frontrunner, although the real campaign hasn’t started yet.
Comment by Anonymous — November 29, 2007 @ 4:38 pm
Harri Anne does benefit by James not being in the race.
And in terms of Bright’s rock and a hard place — that is very true.
Comment by JT — November 29, 2007 @ 4:53 pm
A Democratic win may be unlikely, but Bright was downright foolish if he ever thought he could waltz to the Republican nomination .
Comment by SamfordDem — November 29, 2007 @ 8:07 pm
Agree that Bright is not that “bright” if he thinks Republicans will accept him in the primary. He should just run as a dem and hope for a really weak rep candidate. but even then, the chances are slim a dem can carry district 2.
Comment by JT — November 29, 2007 @ 8:14 pm
The bottom line, I believe, is that Bright has a better chance to end up in the United States Congress if he enters the Democratic primary. Still, you’d have to give him no better than a 1 in 5 chance.
Comment by SamfordDem — November 30, 2007 @ 12:31 pm
I agree - his best bet is to roll the dice and run as a dem. he will lose the rep primary if he tries to nudge his way in there. best deal is to be the dem nominee in the general election. he can win the dem primary hands down.
Comment by Anonymous — November 30, 2007 @ 1:23 pm