PSC Prez Sullivan Not Running for Re-election
Update: A link in the post to an incorrect location has been corrected.
Multiple sources tell the Political Parlor that the word is that Jim Sullivan (R) will not run for re-election for the PSC Presidency. I asked one in-the-know about Sullivan’s plans who said simply, “If you want to run for the Public Service Commission, now is a good time to do it.”
Speculation had been that he may opt out of a re-election race for the position he has held since 1983.
On the Democratic side, former Lt. Gov. Lucy Baxley has already announced her intention to run for the position. Attorney Ed Gentle has expressed interest in the race and should not yet be counted out. Current PSC Commissioner Susan Parker could be expected to consider a run for the vacated seat.
George Wallace, Jr., as mentioned before, may run for the Republican nomination. Given his relationship with Alabama Power, we should certainly expect that Alabama Power would support a primary opponent for Wallace. While political heavyweight Alabama Power could feel that, say, Baxley or Parker would be reasonable PSC Commissioners to work with, it would not want to be in a position where it was counting on a Democrat to win the seat, especially in a presidential election year.
Insiders were saying that Alabama Power would be comfortable with Baxley v. Sullivan in the general election because the utility felt either would be reasonable from its perspective. With Sullivan out, it undoubtedly wants a Republican to win the nomination that won’t make it unduly nervous. And Wallace is not that person.
Jim Bennett, anyone?
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Speaking of the PSC, why did Jan Cook leave her campaign signs up all over north alabama? Drive down highway 72 from Scottsboro to over near the stateline at Iuka, Ms and your going to see at least fifty of her signs still up. Her aides went wild with her signs. They even crossed the stateline and went into the Pickwick, Tn and Iuka, Ms area slapping her signs up on lightpoles. Its nothing but one huge eyesore after another.
Comment by dan t — January 4, 2008 @ 5:31 pm
The foam ones make fair insulation for sheds and while the cardboard ones can make eventually make compost.
A letter to the editor, if published, might be a good motivator too.
Comment by walt moffett — January 5, 2008 @ 10:41 am
Danny - don’t you find it interesting how we talk about who Alabama Power will support for the PSC when by law they are forbidden from doing just that? Obviously the law has no teeth but I don’t expect a single Alabama elected official to call for enforcement of any law regulating Reddy Kilowatt any time soon . . . .
Comment by Hey Danny — January 7, 2008 @ 9:49 am
[…] Republican Jim Sullivan announced this morning what we had heard in the Parlor earlier: he will not run for re-election as Public Service Commission President, an office he has held since 1983. […]
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