Cavanaugh’s Inside Track
Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh has served as state GOP chair and in Gov. Bob Riley’s office, so it would not be a huge surprise here if she is the party establishment’s choice to pick-up the GOP nomination for PSC President. Indeed, the word heard here is that her competition for the nomination, Matt Chancey and Jack Hornady, are shut out of a Montgomery County GOP event next Monday, even though all GOP candidates for the Court of Criminal Appeals were invited along with Cavanaugh.
Update: A clarification that may or may not be useful… While I am interested in the dynamics at play here, I don’t meant to suggest that the Alabama Republican Party itself is backing or endorsing one candidate over another in this situation.
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Twinkle, Twinkle, little star
GOP darling is what you are
Up above the ticket so high
Others can’t get too nigh
Twinkle, Twinkle, little star
GOP darling is what you are
Comment by Anonymous — April 16, 2008 @ 5:01 pm
If it is a GOP event, they should not be taking sides in the primary portion of the race. That is wrong.
Comment by GOper — April 16, 2008 @ 7:39 pm
Twinkle was the worst Party Chairman in the history of the Alabama Republican Party. It has taken Mike Hubbard 18 months to get the party out of debt and in the black. She has never had a real job and would be a joke on the PSC. Her personal finances are in shambles and she needs a job. What experience does she have to regulate utilities in Alabama? ‘nuf said.
Comment by BlueDog — April 16, 2008 @ 9:33 pm
no wonder your name is bluedog.
Comment by getreal! — April 16, 2008 @ 10:12 pm
“She has never had a real job and would be a joke on the PSC. Her personal finances are in shambles and she needs a job. What experience does she have to regulate utilities in Alabama?”
All this applies to Lucy Baxley.
Comment by BlueDog — April 16, 2008 @ 10:12 pm
I have nothing to say against Twinkle.She is a nice person and did serve well as Chairman.
However, Matt Chancey is an excellent man with a sound view of the limits of government.
www.mattchancey.com
Comment by John Killian — April 16, 2008 @ 10:23 pm
I saw Chancey on television in Birmingham working for the Ron Paul for President campaign. That proves that Chancey is a nutjob and far out of the Republican mainstream!
Do an Google search and you’ll see that Ron Paul is for legalizing marijuana and prostitution. It makes me wonder if Matt Chancey is a pot smoking whoremonger.
Comment by Anonymous — April 16, 2008 @ 10:47 pm
As someone who only observes GOP infighting as an amused bystander, I still have to laugh at “anonymous’” claim that supporting Ron Paul automatically makes one a “pot smoking whoremonger.” Among the dumber things I’ve heard lately and I often get laughs at the expense of Ron Paul supporters.
Comment by SamfordDem — April 16, 2008 @ 11:33 pm
>>It makes me wonder if Matt Chancey is a pot smoking whoremonger.
Are you in favor of outlawing homosexuality? No? Does that make you one? How about jail time for infidelity? No? Does that make you a cheater?
So you can’t think of anything that you would not criminalize but that you wouldn’t personally do? Typical lefty…
Comment by Onelife — April 16, 2008 @ 11:37 pm
Typical lefty? Really, Onelife? Sounds to me like that comment came from a Twinkle supporting Repub.
For the record, despite being a proud lefty, I agree with your comment up until that point.
Comment by really? — April 16, 2008 @ 11:56 pm
Isn’t this the same Matt Chancey that tried to manage Tom Parker’s campaign and slate of candidates for the Supreme Court in 2006? Every single one of those guys got crushed. I wonder if he is smarter now?
Comment by ParkerGotCrushed — April 17, 2008 @ 12:27 am
The “pot smoking whoremonger” reference was obviously an attempt at humor. But truth be told, I am concerned that Chancey would work actively for a couple of nuts like Ron Paul and Tom Parker. People do judge you by the company you keep.
Comment by Anonymous — April 17, 2008 @ 7:15 am
There is only one qualified candidate for PSC President and that is Jack Hornady. In fact, he is the best qualified candidate for the PSC in the history of the body. That isn’t just me saying that either - look at all ther state newspapapers who endorsed him when he ran two years ago; he was a near-unanimous choice.
And before you say he can’t win - Hornady got almost 100,000 votes and 28% of the total in 2006 without spending a dime, which is better than Twinkle did for state tresurer in 2002 despite running up nearly $100,000 in debt - which she has apparently never repaid.
Comment by PSC needs a qualified president — April 17, 2008 @ 7:57 am
This just smells. The person or persons here who ought to be ashamed are Twinkle and her insider supporters. By the way, exactly what would actually qualify Twinkle to oversee the PSC? Can any of her supproters cite anything? Is it true about her leaving the GOP in debt? That should be addressed. She would appear to have zero qualifications for the job - and less than zero assets from the debt she has amassed previously.
Comment by Exclude me? — April 17, 2008 @ 9:11 am
>>For the record, despite being a proud lefty, I agree with your comment up until that point. Doh! Now I’m gonna have to rethink my position…
Comment by Onelife — April 17, 2008 @ 9:43 am
>>>>For the record, despite being a proud lefty, I agree with your comment up until that point.
Doh! Now I’m gonna have to rethink my position… (Is how this comment was supposed to read.)
Comment by Onelife — April 17, 2008 @ 10:04 am
I would like to announce my candidacy for PSC President. I am a cartoon character and as such I am just as qualified for the job as Twinkle. I am not real - and neither is Twinkle’s experience. Besides, my name is just as ridculous.
Comment by Tinker Bell — April 17, 2008 @ 10:14 am
Actually, the silly comments about Chancey having worked for an elected Supreme Court Justice and a seated Republican Congressman, sound like those typical “damnation by association” charges typical from the Business Council types.
The utilities are close associates to the people who are supporting Twinkle. Watch when the funding report comes out and I will almost promise that Twinkle will be getting money from people with links to the Power Company.
Comment by Jackson — April 17, 2008 @ 2:07 pm
The is not a “Montgomery County GOP Event”, this is the Montgomery County Republican Club that meets every month at Faulkner University Cafeteria. There are varied speakers each month with a specific keynote speaker and typically if a candidate shows they are allowed a few minutes to introduce themselves.
The next “Montgomery County GOP Event” will be Tuesday, May 13th at the RSA Activity Center. This is a Candidate Countdown Forum in which ALL statewide and Montgomery County candidates have been invited to participate.
Comment by Alarepublican — April 17, 2008 @ 5:28 pm
Just an observation: It seems that GOP women that seem to get the party leaders’ nods this election season (Harri Anne Smith, Twinkle Cavanaugh) aren’t faring too well with commenters on this blog.
Comment by Terry — April 17, 2008 @ 6:03 pm
Someone should investigate how Twinkle got where she is in the Republican party.
Comment by Anonymous — April 17, 2008 @ 6:41 pm
This one is easy! Don Fisher is the Chairman of the group having the supper for Twinkle. He is also one of the Governor’s henchmen. Riley supports Twinkle, ergo his henchman invites Twinkle and excludes other candidates. Twinkle better beware of questions about her time in DC, loans to her campaign, appointments she recommended to Gov. Riley and her financial management of the party. Should be fun to watch. Buy your ticket early.
Comment by Bootsie — April 17, 2008 @ 6:43 pm
Twinkle vs. Baxley- who wins?
Comment by Terry — April 17, 2008 @ 6:50 pm
#19 - your excuse does not cut it.
ALL the judicial candidates were invited . . .and only Twinkle for PSC.
No. That is not right.
Comment by Anonymous — April 17, 2008 @ 7:12 pm
So, anonymous #24- the Montgomery area Republicans obiviously like Twinkle better, which should be expected since she has made her career there. What’s wrong with them only inviting their favorite? It’s not an official GOP organization, simply an organization of politically like-minded individuals. They are perfectly free to invite anyone they please to their functions and it is not up to anyone else to determine whether it was “right” or not.
Comment by Terry — April 17, 2008 @ 9:20 pm
This is funny but no surpirse. Riley has his favorites, and as Governor he should. Governor Riley, however, is latching onto several of the wrong candidates in ‘08. I understand the Jay Love-love thing goin’ on; I hear that Smith and Riley aren’t…well…agreeable. But this whole thing with Twinkle is so dumb. I haven’t met anyone that really likes the woman. She has turned me off ever since I met her, and I live in Fungomery, Terry! I have to say, too, that every time I see one of her ‘envelope length’ signs I think to myself, “Hello? Those ‘not in the know’ (most everybody) can’t read what you’re running for Twinkle, much more your last name.” Is this wise? BTW has she ever won an elected position–a publicly elected position?
Comment by CherryCoke — April 17, 2008 @ 9:30 pm
Someone from Twinkle’s campaign put up some signs on the Pintlala Creek Bridge on the Lowndes County line. I guess part of her strategy is to tap into the vast Republican support in Lowndes County.
Comment by Fo-Fiver — April 18, 2008 @ 11:18 am
Twinkle is a nice person. She would make a fine secretary of state, treasurer, coroner, justice of the peace etc. However, what does she know about the economics of Utility Regulation and Law? She is not a lawyer or an economist. I am a republican mostly but I see her as a republican susan parker. all hat no cattle on the PSC. And, she wants to be president?
Well, that puts the old crook Jan Cook solely in charge doesnt it. 2 susan parkers and a thief in charge of regulating Alabama Power… HAH, Alabama is already a laughinstock.
Comment by Publius — April 20, 2008 @ 9:22 am