Posted by Todd Strange was able to parlay his impressive financial advantage (easily over seven times more money raised than fundraising runner-up Michael Briddell at $502,195 to $64,504 in the last pre-election report) into a victory with no run-off over five other candidates in today’s special election for Mayor of Montgomery.
The Republican County Commission Chairman garnered 52.9% of the vote. Briddell, who served as executive assistant to previous mayor Bobby Bright, also finished second in the votes department at 32.8%.
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That Mallory dude is the best this business has seen in a long time. Wonder whose Governor’s race he’ll win in 2010?
He spent 7 times as much at the next nearest candidate and got 52.9%? That isn’t overly impressive.
Granted he did what he had to do – he got Todd elected without a runoff (and a runoff would have been problematical for Strange). But this election wasn’t a slam-dunk with the amount of money and effort that had to be expended (and if you consider the lackluster campaign by Briddell).
FWIW, Dave Mowrey was doing some big talking to big Luther Strange at the event.
Spoiler alert, Big Luther would lose to Little Jim again.
viability – I have to disagree. Beating six other candidates without a runoff is pretty impressive.
Doozey,
Correction, Big Luther was seen talking to Mowery last night.
Mowery will go where he wants to go from here. He has made a name for himself, and he has earned it.
#4 Emory Folmar had the same performance in ‘99 that Todd had last night EXCEPT that the ‘99 race was the same day of the statewide lottery vote. That brought out a HUGE black vote and Folmar was JUST BARELY forced into a runoff. Emory got 49% and he was running against a former mayor (Jim Robinson) and a major challenger in Bobby Bright. So Todd’s performance is just about where it should be and scarily cloce to a runoff considering well over $500,000 spent to well less than $100,000 for all of his opponents combined.
I am not saying Mowery did a bad job. Just not an overly impressive one.
. .and I will agree Mowrey made a name for himself in the CD2 race. This was just not as big a deal.
Viability, you must be another consultant who got trumped by Mallory.
The budget is what it took to win. That is part of knowing how to run a campaign. If money made the difference, and he raised the money, Mallory looks even better.
Must be why you keep losing.
Mallory has worked his way up to being the guy. He has earned the praise. Impressive or not he won and that is what he gets hired to do. He received a lot of help from one of the best in the business in Anzalone. Of course part of being good is knowing where to go to get good advice.
This was a slam dunk election though. Nobody was willing to put any money out there against Strange cause everyone knew that Strange was going to win.
I think Mallory should avoid the Governor’s race though. He should switch to consulting instead of being the campaign manager. He can take 15 or so other races and make a lot more money than being the campaign manager for one governor’s race. Also, the next gubernatorial election in Alabama is one that career political should steer clear of. Too much bad blood going to be brought out with the black/white stuff on the Democrat side and Republicans don’t have a good front running candidate right now.
I would be surprised it Mallory switched sides and worked with Luther. I thought Mallory was a Dem all the way.
#8 I absolutely had nothing to do whatsoever with any race involving Mowrey (sp?). I just know a bit about the ‘99 mayor’s race and its relation to this one. I was impressed that he won the CD2 race. I just do not think outspending your opponents (combined) better than 5-1 and avoiding a runoff (that you HAD to avoid to win) is an enormous acccomplishment. He did what he had to do – nothing more.
That isn’t a slam. But he didn’t work a miracle here. This race went down as it should have. It was probably a bit close for comfort for Todd.
Bt in the end the result was certainly better than CD2 was for Dax, so yeah Mowrey did better than him . . . .
Avoiding a runoff in this election was impressive any way you spin the facts.
Mayoral and local elections are not always about who raises the most money. Look at Birmingham – Kincaid and Langford both won against better funded candidates.
Consider this with the fact that Montgomery has more than a 50% African American population. Strange did benefit from Willie Cook being a disaster and Michael Briddell running a lackluster campaign.
Kudos to Dave Mowrey for running a good race anyway you slice it.
Progressive E, Cook underperformed because TS took his votes. Strange ended up with between 15-25% on average in Cook’s precincts and got as high as 55% in one. Strange just ran the better campaign, and much of his success was due to Mowery’s organization.
Todd Strange won without a runoff. But everyone I know in Montgomery politics thought he would. I don’t think it is earthshaking that he did.
Money is not the “key” to Mowery’s success! Bobby Bright was underfunded and Mowery pulled off a victory in a R13 district. Bobby Bright could have gotten 53% if they could have raised more money. Mowery and Cagle are great at portraying and getting out the message that their clients want.
Hey #14 I agree that the congressional race was masterful. Strange however had everything lined up. That was Mowery’s race to lose. He won. Nothing unusual here.
15 comments of going in circles…strange won, bright won, mowery is good, cook is an idiot, briddell is a wet paper bag, someone called strange a sugar daddy, the blacks played the race card, money matters, but turnout matters more & strange won…all true. next.
No/viability aka Dax… your time has passed. Try not to show your pitiful stripes.
Strange benefitted from a very lackluster black field..Art Baylor or Quinton Ross would have consolidated the black vote. In fact, many more blacks in Montgomery voted for Bright when he faced weak black candidates in 03 and 07.
Bridell overperformed and might have made a race of it if he had gotten up one solid ad. Final point..Mowery is good and he is marketable..a point I made earlier in these postings. He would be an asset for Davis, who needs entre into Mobile and white Montgomery. The question is whether he will accept a role other than campaign manager for Davis.
On the GOP side…its true, Luther Strange is taking another look at the governor’s race.
Mowery and Cagle need to stop posting such obvious self-promotion on here. Todd Strange won because he is an assertive cameleon who paid whoever and promised whatever to win. Strange could have won easily without them.
No. 18, why would Mowery want to accept a role other than campaign manager? He has all the tools to manage a succussful statewide campaign, and he will win. I’m not sure that jumping into a heated gubanatorial race will help Mowery any, though.
I have heard recently that Folsom is going to hold off on the gov race and let Artur power forward. The idea is that Artur will pull up down ballot races, but will risk getting “chopped up” in the general. Folsom will run in 2014, and Artur will look at another statewide race, such as a senate seat. Makes sense to me, and it would make sense for all involved.
Whoever above said I am Dax, please note the small dig at Dax that I made above. Danny can verify if need be I am NOT Dax. I find that assumption somewhat disturbing actually . . .
Are Todd and Luther Strange related? Just curious…
#23, I don’t think so. I believe Todd may originally be from out of state but I am not sure.
I heard that Mallory dude is some kind of giant as well.
I heard Mallory is simply Chuck Norris with a mask on…
What is this guy’s name: Mallory, Mowry, Mowrey, Mowery? If he is as great as everyone says then we should at least know his name.
mowery
Not a giant, not Chuck Norris…Dave “Chewbacca” Mowery
mowery is a giant. seriously, he may be 7′0″
a jolly giant…
unless you piss him off.