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Republican State Treasurer Kay Ivey is telling some around her that she has made a definite, final decision to run for governor in 2010 and plans to announce her candidacy in January. One factor in her decision was polling data (from Kellyanne Conway) that show her with high positives and high name recognition.
GOP Businessman Tim James has already announced his candidacy. A GOP insider tells me that Community College System Chancellor Bradley Byrne and Troy University Chancellor Jack Hawkins will run, and that Congressman Jo Bonner is on the fence.
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I doubt Byrne or Hawkins run. Would be surprised if Joe ran, either. He should stay in his safe House seat, stockpile cash and go all in when Shelby retires.
Kay is impressive, I just wonder if she has the right message, or will stay on what becomes the right message, per her polling.
What about Tim James and his $50 million. Will that be enough to buy the nomination?
As the only woman in the race Kay will get in the runoff. The question becomes which male can take her on?!
The Kay Ivey effort should be stopped dead in it’s tracks.
I notice that Kay references a pollster. Wonder who else is under contract with Kay Ivey?
I’m glad to see that Kay Ivey has decided to run for governor- the Republican party is going to have a great slate of candidates in this gubernatorial race and she is certainly no excpetion. Also, she brings something none of the other potential GOP candidates can claim- she has proven success at carrying statewide appeal, with two wins as our State Treasurer.
Any one dismissing Kay Ivey should hold on their girtle. She is speaking to groups across the state and gives one impressive and impassioned speech. Her experience and accomplishments are incredible. Tim James will need more than $50 million to beat her.
Kay Ivey is like a mule running in the Kentucky Derby. It’s a great race to run in, and she will be running with high class company, but just like the mule, she ain’t gotta chance. If some other R doesn’t eat her lunch then Folsom will. If the R’s want to keep this seat they need someone other than Kay Ivey. It doesn’t matter what some out of state group thinks, it what the home folks think. It is a huge jump from one of the lower constituional offices to Governor even if you are popular. Ask Lucy Baxley Smith…….. Kay, save your money……
She’s got more than a chance. In a GOP primary she will be very hard to beat. I’d put my money of the lady.
This is not really a surprise after the GOP Governor’s conference.
What’s going on in South Alabama between Jo Bonner and Bradley Byrne? It’s like an internal mud wrestling match. Kay Ivey sure will benefit from the struggle for the South Alabama GOP. A delegation from there met with Alabama GOP Officials last week. They don’t understand that no one has heard for either Byrne or Bonner north of Chuckafee Bay.
Part of the Repub trafic jam is they all believe they can beat Artur Davis and they doubt Jim Folsom can on the Dem side.
i keep hearing from Republicans in Mobile that Byrne is in and that Bonner is trying to raise his profile so that he is the heir apparent to Shelby. I think Ivey is definitely running and I wouldn’t count her out..she makes a runoff and will get national help.
Not sold on Hawkins..he has no Republican base in terms of geography or ideology.
The Davis team has to be praying that Bonner is not the Republican nominee. Bonner is an attractve moderate who is pro-business and would attract suburban voters. Davis needs very specific things to win–Obama would need to be a huge enough success that white voters here feel good about him and Artur needs a rural opponent like Hawkins, James or Ivey, or a country clubber like Byrne whom labor and AEA would mobilize against.
Bonner takes a lot of that that off the table.
AEA will mobilze against any Republican, regardless of who it is.
I have studied the issues, experience, and background of each of the probable candidates. Kay Ivey tit for tat stands out.
She has been working hard visiting every small town across the state for the past eight years.
She is not a rubber stamp and has been a hard negotiator between the taxpayers and banks.
She does remind me of the teacher I had who hit me with a ruler, ouch!
A friend
I think the only one sold on hawkins, is hawkins himself. Someone above mentioned that he has no base, and I agree.
The reason Republicans are all lining up to run is that they know if Artur runs and wins the primary, the Republican nominee is the Governor unless they really step in something bad in the interim. Artur can argue all he wants to about being able to differentiate himeself from the Obama results in November, but those results spell out one thing perfectly clearly – Artur Davis cannot win in November, and if he insists on running and is the nominee 2010 will be the biggest win for Republicans in Alabama since the Baxley-Graddick fiasco. The question is if Artur Davis is concerned about anything other than Artur Davis. Let’s face it – with Obama in office, he has an easy safety net if he loses, with an almost certain appointment to a judgeship or administration position. The rest of the Democrats – in the Legislature, the courthouses, the grassroots – will be left to pick up the pieces.
Kay has no chance at Governor. Bad choice of race. This will end her political career when she could have won Lt. Governor.
Alabama won’t elect Aunt Bea Governor. her chances are less than zero.
Kay Ivey has evidently bought staff that will spend time on blogs making comments.
If Kay Ivey has visited every town, then people in every town know what a fruitcake Kay Ivey would be as Governor.
This lady was bought and paid for by the banks when she ran for Treasurer.
Besides, ol’ Emmett has a bead on Ms. Kay.
Go for it Kay. Governor Kay Ivey would be a huge asset for the state. The woman has experience with economic issues, with development, and has experience. She will be our next Governor.
Kay Ivey: Run for Lt. Gov = political career past 2010 for maybe another 8 years. Run for Governor = political suicide and permanent retirement in 2010.
Bad decision. She has no chance at this office.
Kay Ivey Governor? Has she been drinking…
You don’t hear much about her husband. What does he do?
she can’t be governor, she drives a minivan
Kay Ivey = Lucy in 2006 but worse . . . no chance of being guv.
Kay: She is from Wilcox County. She is wiley fox from Wilcox.
Well then who has the shot to be gov if Kay doesn’t? Tim James? He already blew his load on the rainy day amendment
Kay’s popularity among GOP faithful and her money give her a strong base to win. It’s only 2008. If she has an additional $1 million this time next year. She’ll be hard to stop.
Additional $5million is more like it
#22 asks an interesting question. We find no record of a husband anywhere or anytime for Ms. Ivey.
She does have some rather strange characteristics. For example, I notice a fair amount of dandruff on her shoes.
What is it about Kay Ivey that elicits such passion! I am all for it!
a friend
I met Kay Ivey when she worked at ADO during the first James administration. I have followed her career and have been impressed by her actions. We could certainly do worse for governor — and have, frequently.
Kay’s work in ecnomic development is remarkable. She’s helped many small communities bring industry to town. No wonder she has such a large following among mayors and county commissioners.
Maybe it’s time for a no-nonsense lady. I encourage her to do it!
If you know her tell her what I said. If you don’t know her try to meet her at a small town.
Tell her what Don Diego de la Vega say.
Kay Ivey can’t be no-nonsense as a governor’s run by her is, by definition, nonsense.
I would like to issue a disclaimer to follow my comments:
Please take everything I say with a grain of salt, or a few grains for that matter, I grew up with Kay and had a crush on her. I asked her out, but she turned me down because she was dating “real guys”. From that day forward I decided that since I would never be successful in life I would do what I could to make sure she is as big a loser as I am. Sadly my plan has not worked like I thought it would and I am the only loser.
with all due respect, Emmett, word was that you died in 1999?
emmett you sound good and i agree with your take on kaye ivey . she has never done anything noteworthy and about that dandruf on her shoes i bet that is why her husband is missing i would run for the exit if a woman came my way with such a severe condition. i bet that would make a nice ski slope for some lonesome crabs.she would be as likely to win as that gay senator from idaho with the wide stance . the good voters of al. are to wise to vote for dekaye ivey . they did not support hussin obama and artur like kaye are going to waste time and money on a loosing venture.
# 35 is Faux Emmett.
Actually, Kay never married. No man would tangle with this crazy woman.
Experience as State Treasurer? This woman has never passed legislation nor dealt with the legislature in a positve manner.
Tis the season to be jolly and although i have been deceased for many years i will have to say my political career has more life in it than kaye ivey will ever be able to get in hers.I drank alot and i was a rabid alabama football fan but i bet i did better in my runs for governor than kaye will do . I was talking to bear bryant and he agrees with me that she is really just kidding about running or she is drunk again or maybe she got confused again and took 3 pills 3 times per day instead of 2 pill 3 times a day .She needs to listen to dr john and emmett they are the best politicians i have ever known.The good people of this great state will show her she will bounce off the other republicans like i did off gov. george wallace .The difference in my candidacy and hers is i knew i could not win and she must not be as smart as i was she thinks she has a chance boy go figure that out . as always roll tide SHORTY
I hope she can govern the state as well as the AL PACT program has been run. She’s already got 48,000 Alabamians voting for anyone that runs against her.