Alabama Politics in
Doc’s Political Parlor
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A lot of tongues are wagging this week about the changes in Sen. Harri Anne Smith’s campaign team as she competes in the runoff for the GOP nomination for the AL-02 seat.

Many are telling the Parlor that state power broker Steve Windom had a proactive role in the turnover. Some close to the campaign are saying that the former GOP Lt. Governor-turned-lobbyist called members of Smith’s campaign finance committee to tell them that she would never win the race without these kinds of changes, and that this is what instigated the turnover.

“I had nothing to do with it,” Windom tells the Parlor. “I advised Harri Anne early on, before she first decided to run that she needed a team that had a winning record in… like Jo Bonner’s team, that had done well in Congressional races in an open seat. [Her former consultant Mike] Swinehart is a good person who has done some good work for her and me.”

“I thought she needed a media team who could put her in a good light.” He added that he thought that her media team didn’t do well by Joan Reynolds who ran a quite expensive and losing campaign against Democratic incumbent Wendell Mitchell for Senate District 30 in 2006.

“I’ve given her [Sen. Smith] money, and Jay money.” Jay Love is Smith’s primary run-off opponent.

“I got a call earlier in the week from some folks who are helping Harri Anne Smith and asked what I thought about various and sundry consultants. So I told them.”

“I did call my consultant to see if he was interested in getting involved in the campaign, and I was talking to somebody who was helping the Wayne Parker race [in AL-05].” While some were unavailable, “we finally came up with one [Anthem Media] that has some experience.”

“Chris and Scott will do a good job for her.” State Sen. Scott Beason [R - Gardendale] and Chris Brown of Southern Insights are leading her new team that includes Anthem Media and Political Opinion Strategies.

“She called me the other day to see what I thought about those guys, I told them that I thought they were good. I told her I thought she needed a different team. I’m glad to see her make a change.”

“I have literally not been on the inside of that campaign at all. She called [months ago] and asked what I thought, I told her she should make a change, but she didn’t, and I think the results of last week speak for themselves.” Smith made the run-off with 22% of the vote behind Jay Love who had 35%. Craig Schmidtke finished a close 3rd with 20% of the vote, fewer than 1000 votes behinds Smith.

Does she have too much ground to make up? “It’s doable. It’s going to take a lot of effort. Jay’s working hard. He already called me today asking for money. His fundraiser Cindy Strickland was my fundraiser, and it doesn’t get any better than that.”

“I like Harri Anne. I like Jay and I have given money to both. But I was committed to Harri Anne first. She asked me way back if I’d help her if she ran for this, and I told her I would. In the end, I didn’t help much because I got involved in Mary’s campaign.” Windom’s wife Mary Windom won the GOP nomination for the Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 2, last week.

Several observers have noted to the Parlor that Windom and Smith have what one called a “very close, mentor-ish relationship” dating back to the 1998 quadrennium when Windom was Lt. Governor and Smith was a freshman state senator.

Another Montgomery GOP’er acknowledged that it was “a pretty big deal” for Smith not to work with Swinehart. “Harri Anne for 10 years has pretty much been wedded to Swinehart politically, so this is a pretty big deal.” This insider added that Beason has a lot of confidence that Smith can win this race and agreed as well that she has a chance, but added, “I never saw her getting in the run-off. Harri Anne is not a wonderful candidate in my opinion. I thought David Woods would sneak in the runoff.”

Another GOP insider offered that while Windom is “close with Gov. Riley, that does not necessarily carry over to Jay Love. He and Love are not that close because they have not had much of a working relationship in the past,” and added, “Windom’s future rests in being able to lobby the Senate not the House so if Love wins or loses, in the end he helped a Senator with her race which garners him favor in the Senate. He is a lobbyist with a bright future and Gov. Riley will be gone in two years but many state senators will still be around for years to come and remember how Windom helped out one of their own.”

That insider had no trouble believing that Windom “isn’t just falling all over himself to help Harri Ann but more likely was asked for advice and he stepped in and said what he thought. Plus with Beason now stepping in this is another chance for Windom to curry favor with another senator.”

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