Posted by 
Republican Luther Strange told the Huntsville Times in a Sunday article that “he was likely to be a candidate for attorney general,” but I hear that he is definitely committed. The race for governor has to be tempting for him especially when when the Republican field is not looking as strong as once expected, but look for him to give Republican incumbent Troy King a primary challenge for the AG spot.
That AG race could be a doozy. As one GOP’er told the Parlor, “King is going to fight like hell to keep that spot, and Luther’s going to have a lot of financial support. Going to be two heavyweights going at it.”
Strange was the Republican nominee for Lt. Governor in 2006 and narrowly lost the race to Democrat Jim Folsom.
Update: Odd. The Huntsville Times article in the link above incorrectly says that Strange “was a narrow loser in that race, falling by about 1,000 votes to Jim Folsom Jr.” A couple of readers with better memories and who don’t rely on the Huntsville Times for numbers have reminded me that Folsom had 629,268 votes, Strange had 610,982, for an actual victory margin of 18,286 votes.
Legislative Dispatch
Purple Dot Connection
2010 Big List
2010 Senate Elections
2010 House Elections
Press Releases
No doubt this primary race will be one of the more heated primary races in 2010, Gov races notwithstanding. What will be the most interesting will be to see which constitutencies these candidates court for financial backing. This may be one of the most partisan primaries in history, looking more like a general race with Dem constituencies lining up behind TK and Riley backing LS. Should be slugfest.
Expect there to be no serious Dem opponent should TK win. MOney won’t be there — just ask John Tyson. Do the Dems hedge their bets against a TK loss and run a qualified candidate? If so, who?
He sure made a point in his speech at the GOP breakfast to denounce the position taken by AG King regarding gambling.
Luther with big financial backing – all I’ve heard is people who are refusing to support him. Who in their right mind would give money against a 6 year incumbent AG, in an economic recession, an open governor’s race, four supreme court seats…I doubt luther raises 600,000. This is a very bad decision for him. D. Nabors is Troy’s finance chairman with huge commitments from the lobbying community including our association. Unless TK is indicted, he will be seen as innocent by the voters. Remember if your not indicted then the grand jury found the allegations to be false.There are more important battles in Governor and supreme court. TK is not a pressing issue and most (excluding the Governor) are fine with him and not willing to invest against him.
It certainly would be tempting for Luther to run for Governor given the state of the GOP primary. But he may be smart for running for AG instead. If TK goes down with this whole grand jury thing, Luther is set. Of course, that all may have been swept under the rug by next year. I haven’t heard anything in a while.
I’m sure Luther is a good guy, but I don’t know what business he has being AG. More qualified than Troy? Absolutely. But it seems to me that a John Tyson or some other proven DA would be effective. Someone who has been in the court room and knows what the local prosecutors really need from the AG’s office.
Mr. Jinks: I have nothing against Luther, but I’m curious how he is more qualified than TK. King has served as AG for 4 years now and was elected to the post, he previously worked as a Deputy AG in the Opinions Division under Pryor, and he also served as Riley’s Legal Advisor and Fob’s Deputy Legal Advisor. While there may be other reasons to support Luther, I don’t think you can honestly say he has the experience nod over TK.
Big Luther is making a big mistake. He is choosing a residence at Buck’s Pocket rather than South Perry Street. He would have made a good governor I think, so I find his decision particularly regrettable.
I didn’t know Strange narrowly lost to Folsom. I thought Folsom won by almost 20,000 votes.
Maybe Big Luther is just looking to get his head in the trough, where ever he thinks he can. Then move up. I’m sure there are those in the republican circle who are embarrased by King, and would love to be rid of him. Then again, maybe Big Luther has some inside help, who knows something in King’s future!
Growing pains for the republican party! With a contested Govenor’s race and Attorney General’s race, lots of voters will be participating the the GOP primary. That’s sure to hurt Ronnie Sparks on the Demo ticket. His ALFA buddies will abandon him to stay true to their GOP habits!
Big Luther may well be a wonderful man–people tell me that he is! But all I know from his last campaign is that he is tall, played basketball, and called George Wallace a liberal.
Never before have so many television ads had so little substance.
Riley’s spat with King will force Nabers to distance himself from King and resign as his finance chair. Luther will raise $1 million from the business community by the end of December.
The Nabers connection to King does seem strange. They are not peas in a pod. Anyone checked to see how much business Maynard Cooper is getting?
Even though Folsom’s margin was a more substantial 18,000+ votes, I would say that 50.7% to 49.3% is a narrow win.
Luther does not need to court rednecks! They would not know grey poupon from frenchs!
Troy is toast. I imagine the Democrats will try to find a serious candidate. Tyson ran a terrible race, he barely tried.
The Democrats hope the race between King and Strange gets ugly. It will and King will be the one going ugly in a desperate attempt to save himself.
Strange is way more qualified he is experienced attorney of many years.
Troy position at the AG’s office gave him very little knowledge of anything.
He was only a legal advisor to Riley for only very short time.
Troy is legal lightway who gets and deserves no respect for the members of the Alabama bar.
And he is corrupt. If he did manage to get the general electione even a weak democrat would defeat him.
But even going negative will not save him in primary, the only thing he might do is hurt Strange enough to give a serious democrat a chance.
And millions of dollars will be wasted in Republican primary that could go to help Republicans in other races.
But that’s King’s fault not Strange. King has to be shown the door.
Let me put it another way. If you had to hire either King or Strange to represent you on a personal case that was very important to you who would you pick?
Can anyone seriously say King? So when it comes to working for the entire State it even more important to choose Strange and send King home and let the Feds then take him to prison.
Luther: Sophisticated, urbane, silk stocking law firm, knows how to use a knife and fork,good Etiquette , knows a good wine and how to swirl it in his glass!
Go Luther Go ! Troy King has been in way over his head in this office. You would think with things like “head” going around that Troy would not run again. King has made too many mistakes. And what is going to happen if he is indicted by the grand jury? Interesting times…..interesting. Maybe Harri Anne Smith and Ronnie Gilley will at least support him. I think we can count on that !
Prince,
You must not appreciate the politics underneath this race for AG. I will give you a nutshell. TK is backed by typical Dem constituencies, such as trial lawyers (like those he hired for the Exxon litigation) and gambling bosses (like those he is working with to prevent a decision in the Supreme Court outlawing electronic gaming). Strange is backed by the typical Republican constituencies, like big business, APCO, ALFA, etc. The primary between these two will be a slug fest, much like a general race with these two constituencies sinking loads of money into their respective candidate.
The Dems have no incentive to field a good candidate if TK wins the primary. There will be no money for the general, with the typical Dem constituencies staying on the sidelines (see Tyson’s race). The only incentive the Dems have to field a good candidate is if they think TK may lose the primary to Strange, which right now is not beyond the relm of prossibility.
The question remains, how do the Dems recruit a qualified candidate when there is no guarantee there will be money for the general?
Actually, there was a campaign last time with less substance than Big Luther’s. I’m too young to remember when L’il Jim was Governor, so all I know about him is that he never played tennis at the the Mountain Brook Country Club. Also, Sue Bell Cobb likes gospel hymns.
Prince (#15)-
Name one case (NOT a general legal matter, or lobbying representation), but an actual matter of litigation, with a judge, and preferably a jury, that Luther Strange has actually tried. And good luck. Oh, and by the way, I am not sure that Troy King is far ahead in that manner, but it is pretty sad that the two choices on the Republican side are neither one experienced in a courtroom – and, as an attorney, I can assure you that I would not hire either one on a matter that was personally important to me or someone important to me.
Luther know the gambling issue is deadly against Troy in the primary.
Luther was partner in on the leading law firms of the state and then founded his own law firm.
His practice has centered on business rather than litigation. And he has had great success.
He has practiced law for 29 years longer than Troy’s been adult plus a decade.
All Troy’s done is brown nose politicians and contributors.
Luther’s mistake in the last election was not driving home the point that he worked to pay his way thru college, instead of letting Folsom define him.
I think you write off the Demos too fast. I expect there will be a strong Demo AG candidate, especially if TK wins the Repub nomination since he is seen as very vulnerable. You can also bet the Trial Lawyers will hedge their bets and give to the Demo nominee as well.
Look for a sitting DA (not Tyson this time) who will have the full support of the ADC
Maybe Billion Dollar Bob should throw the former Jeffco D.A. in the race!
Maybe zeb little will run for the dems, oops, nevermind…
My bet is that the Dems will have a candidate for AG that is, or has been a D.A. None of the D.A.’s care for King.
I cant recall the if, and, or buts about it but there was a case in Shelby County regarding the death penalty about a year or so ago where King stepped on the D.A.’s toes. If I remember correctly there was a unified effort by all the D.A.s in the state (with the exception of 1) to stand up to King.
Also, dont count out James Anderson. He is well liked across the state, is a Dem., ran for the Sup Ct. in 2002, and his brother in law is State Rep Greg Wren. He would be a strong candidate for the dems
JD Hogg, both the campaign ads you mentioned did contain personal elements, but Folsom’s ad hammered home the fact that he brought Mercedes to Alabama as governor, while Sue Bell Cobb’s ad reminded voters that she put criminals away as a trial judge instead of working for insurance companies. That’s what made those two ads so great. They were very personal and designed to be entertaining, but they weren’t just fluff. They were little narratives that contained real substance.
Attorney James Anderson is likeable level headed guy, he would be a good candidate.
His only problem, I am not sure he will be to ugly enough, he may be too nice of a guy.
He almost beat See in 2002 and probably would have if had been willing to go more on the attack.
It’s never good when even the guy who appointed you is for the other guy!
Strange will walk all over TK. Most of the Dem constituencies will support Troy, just as they did over John Tyson in 2006.
But Strange has most of the Republican establishment and money on his side.
He also has Troy’s innate incompetence and corruption. Don’t count those two out. Voters tend to not like incompetence and corruption, or have we been too insulated from the 2006 and 2008 Federal elections around the country?
with friends like harri anne smith and ronnie gilley how can king lose? Oh….wait a minute…..my bad.
Losers unite !
king won’t lose, sport..
Take King and Harrie Smith add cheese, what you have?
A toasted cheese sandwhich!
Harrie Smith is one Senator who you can sure will not be getting another term.
The people of her district are absolutely done with her.
ahhh yes, isn’t it wonderful how two honest people can get singled out and trashed by the anti bingo crowd…if i were senator smith i’d tell the republicans to go F themselves and run as a dem…
Well, who’s going to run for governor?
Me
I would not be shocked if harri anne smith did announce a run for governor. her ego is only out weighed by her…well, never mind. lest we forget, she was going to run against riley back in 2006 in the GOP primary. Can we please just usher her out of office soon….. the novelty of her is so done.
But back to King / Luther. If the Grand Jury spells trouble for KIng, Luther has it freakin’ made. I think Luther is counting on that but even without such an event, King is on shaky ground.
why don’t we just cut alabama off just above troy and give south alabama to florida…be fine with me…what the hell does our governor do for us anyway…all he does is take care of the yanks…king and smith are the only two that give a damn about the southeast..
#36 Sounds like a good idea to me, although you are wrong to think King is on your side. It may be what he’s saying at the moment, but…
#26 You are right about the furor over the death penelty case and the DA’s but I would venture a guess that King did more than step on toes, he actually launched some pretty nasty personal attacks. Did not endear him to any with the exception of Houston Co.’s Valeska, I believe. Maybe that’s why King has been accomodating H.C. up to now?
Smith only cares about herself. And what is she doing for Houston County.
There has been a marked decline in taking care of the county in comparison to Chip Bailey.
King only cares about the people who can help him.
What is he doing for the Southeast?
“king only cares about the people who can help him?” And your from WHERE? Show me a politician without that trait and I will show you someone that works for a living!