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State Senator Roger Bedford (D – Russellville) tells the Political Parlor that he is not going to run for Governor in 2010. He said that the polling showed he could be competitive, “but I didn’t think that was what the Lord had for me. I look forward to continuing in the Senate, expanding children’s health care, protecting our seniors, and working on economic development for the state of Alabama.”
Bradley Byrne, however, has resigned the Chancellorship of the two-year college program and will make an announcement May 27, presumably to announce his candidacy for the Republican nomination for Governor.
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ah shoot…
Is Bill Clinton going to contribute to Byrne’s canpaign just like Bradley did to his?
I do think it matters that Bradley thought that Bill Clinton was the right guy to be president, and thought that so strongly that he gave Clinton $500.
Did he back out because Cobb is running?
“but I didn’t think that was what the Lord had for me. I look forward to continuing in the Senate, expanding children’s health care, protecting our seniors, and working on economic development for the state of Alabama.”
I just threw up in my mouth…
Hilarious, Common Sense!
If Republicans don’t learn to welcome defectors, they aren’t going to have as many legislators switch over in 2011 once the writing is on the wall. And, granted, we may not want all of them, but we’re going to want most of them, so we might as well not pick on Bradley who has proved his bona fides with his tear through two-year corruption.
Politically, I am NOT on Bedford’s team, but from everything I know, Roger Bedford is an active member of First Baptist Church of Russellville–a good church with a fine Pastor.
I do know that Roger has a testimony as a Christian. Please be careful in declaring his motives. I feel certain that Roger Bedford did seek to determine the Lord’s will in the manner.
Maybe I shouldn’t, but I’m assuming the “Byrne=libtard” comments are coming from James supporters/staff. Here’s my question: is James going to try to win this primary simply by playing the “my opponent used to be a democrat” game? Or is he going to grow up and offer ideas about the future of the state?
Again, maybe I’m assuming too much.
There are two ways the GOP could lose the Governor’s office in 2010. The First is Artur Davis outperforming even his best expectations (this probably must happen regardless).
The second is the GOP falling flat on its face by allowing something like ideological purity to get in the way of winning.
I agree with you post 8, James better have something other than Byrne is a closet democrat or he will have a hard time. Personally, I am glad Byrne is getting in the race.
As for Bedford’s comments, I could not agree more about it being a total throw up moment. It is almost as bad as when harri anne smith speaks. The insincerety is almost too much to take…
“Honest” Roger Bedford, who got his name on a building by “donating” tax money to the Univ of Alabama
Prince Lib, if Bedford was getting out because of talk that Cobb would get in the race, he would have gotten out three weeks ago. That talk has cooled substantially since then. Cobb has not been talking lately, nor has anyone else.
And as for Bedford – he wouldn’t have made a very good governor. He’s been turning a blind eye to the state’s problems for years.
I think this makes it much more likely that Cobb is getting in. She has had a couple of weeks to digest her polling at this point, and she may be trying to clear the field to make it a two man (person) race.
If Sparks drops or reiterates that he is running in the next week, expect a Cobb announcement shortly after that.
Cobb has been in DC meeting with Democrat consultants. The Democratic Governors Association has promised her support if she will enter the race by the end of June.
“The Democratic Governors Association has promised her support if she will enter the race by the end of June.”
Geez, congrats to the DGA to offend Artur Davis like that.
Considering the quality of the folks on goat hill, conversion from one party to another is not what is needed for the Republican party or the state.
The fact most reps and senators of both parties needed to be replaced.
Most are simply out for themselves and have no real principles and little or no ability.
In the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king!
I’m not talking “ideological purity” and I don’t think party-switchers are out of the question as leaders. However, Bradley Byrne is (in point of fact) a former Democrat elected official who backed almost all of the biggest tax hike in American history and who backs a constitutional convention, among other things. Bradley is – according to those close to him – a “moderate.” The question here is: does the Alabama GOP want to define itself as a moderate GOP or a conservative GOP? That same question is being answered by the national party as well.
The direction chosen is important.
Is Bradley concerned about the legislature passing a bill to study his work with the 2 years colleges? The timing of this seems very strange. Why would he care or worry what Paul Hubbert will find?
You hear conflicting rumors about Cobb. But the most common one is, that even if the Trial Lawyers leadership backs her running for governor, their members are going to be so mad at her for resigning as Chief Justice to run – and letting Riley appoint a pro-business fanatic – that they won’t respond when the hat is passed to finance her campaign. They dug deep to put her where she is, not to give her a stepping stone to another office. They’re afraid of the Legislature going Republican if Davis is the nominee, and they’re nervous about a governor of any party (such as Sparks) who is close to ALFA. But in the end, they’ll decide their best interest is in a Sparks-led ticket that can retain control of the Legislature, and maybe pick up a Supreme Court seat.
Marcus which bill are you talking about? Do you have a number or sponsor? I haven’t heard about anything like that.
Byrne represents continued special interest control of the government. He will run a campaign funding by the Business Council and he will be devoted to them.
Now if you are a hard core Riley lover – the Byrne probably is your man.
But if you want our state government to serve the people – no way that’s happening with Byrne.
Byrne has no sense of the proper role of government, the ways of our founding fathers etc….
This is all a career for him – just like a man moving up the corporate ladder.
No principles involved just doing what you have to do.
A complete and utter empty suit.
Another small man with a big ego.
And for his pragmatic record. Well, despite the PACT board having been warned trouble was coming – pragmatic went along to get along with Ivey and blew the warnings off.
And we see were that kind of pragmatism gets this state.
Petelos out per AL.com
Marcus, Byrne said he’d announce what he was doing after the session, he did.
That dodo resolution by the same cockroaches that robbed the system blind and thus deprived Alabama citizens of the services to which they were entitled is poppycock.
Amazing isn’t it that the roaches didn’t think anything needed looking into before Byrne got there. Testimony during the Schmitz trial showed how these same night crawlers started trying to cover up and hide things when the media started nosing around investigating all the wrongdoing.
They want to look into things to enable the system ” to regain its stature as a preeminent service provider within the state” what a laugh. Send in the clowns.
Byrne made the system return to its core functions and serve students, employees, taxpayers, businesses and not just a few bad thieves who felt they were entitled to rob the system blind. No one knew where all the money was going before Byrne got there, because the scumbags didn’t want anyone to know. Now the system checkbook’s online and you can see where the money’s going. They didn’t even do audits because they didn’t want anyone to know what rat holes the money was disappearing into.
Make no mistake the creepy crawlies are not happy. Reform is on its way through Alabama government and they don’t want that spreading. They will do anything to stop it, but the lights are on and there’s no place to hide.
A rigged committee is nothing more than the evil doers trying to find a way to scuttle the reforms of the past two years and get their evil claws back in the system. The roaches got beat and they don’t like it and will stop at nothing to regain their lost power.
Byrne’s shown he’s not afraid of them. He didn’t back down and that doesn’t sit well with these folks and they sure don’t want him implementing reform statewide.
And princeliberty, not even his worst enemies really believe Byrne is unprincipled. You better bark up another tree.
I know you guys don’t like little things like facts getting in the way so you’d rather change them to match your inventive theories.
It’s nice to see Byrne has you all stirred up. That simply means he’s doing the right things.
The college scandal broke first, then there was major media attention and then Byrne was brought in.
He has basicly done the things that no one was seriously prepared to stop.
No putting himself online. A whole more talk about making changes that real changes actually happening.
Boy, Prince I feel sorry for your delusional state. But that’s what happens when you drink too much Kool-aid.
Prince, if he hasn’t done anything – why are you and the roaches so upset? And you’re timeline is out of whack. Dream on.
Your doing the elite classic gameplay.
The media proclaims Byrne is a brillant white knight this cannot be challenged.
I am only allowed to say he is not conservative enought and then you say “your’re not being big tent enough.”
And for your cockroach remark. Nobody here is more against Paul Hubbert and all the corrupt types.
I am simply pointing out that Byrne is not the noble crusader you claim he is.
Further, you completed dodged the question of his behavoir on the PACT board.
As for my timeline.
The scandal began in 2004! You can google and find that in many places.
Byrne left the senate and took charge of the 2 year college system in May 2007.
He did not break the scandal, nail the cockroaches etc..
FWIW, like Bedford’s remark, I thought of the Lord when I saw that headline. As in, “Thank the good Lord, he won’t be our governor.”
John in post 7. The BTK serial killer was a deacon at his church and he also sat in the front row of his church every Sunday morning.
Prince, you are entitled to any belief you want. You are entitled to say Byrne is not conservative enough for you. Everyone decides those things for themselves. Just like any other Republican candidate, some Rs will like Byrne, some will support others and there’s not a thing wrong with that. I believe people should support who they want. There will be a debate over where the Ala. Republican Party goes and there’s nothing wrong with that either.
Indictments and doing actual clean up are two different things. I never said Byrne broke the scandal – that credit belongs to Blackledge and the feds, with no help from the roaches.
Byrne has cleaned the system up and implemented the systems to make sure it won’t be so easy to rob it blind again. He’s clearly been in the line of fire for two years and if he wasn’t doing the right things, no one would have made a peep. Measure where the system was two years ago and where it is now and there’s no comparison. It’s light years ahead of where it was and now you will find people in a nationwide search that want to be chancellor of a system on its way up.
As to PACT, Byrne’s primary job was the two-year college system. You guys can’t beat up on him for the job he’s done there, so you have to try to do it with PACT. Who’s primary job was PACT – Kay Ivey’s.
Byrne has had his hands full for two years at postsecondary. While I don’t believe anyone should get a total pass on anything, Byrne was busting his hump on his primary job. That’s good enough for me. I will let others decide if Kay Ivey was doing the same and people are entitled to decide PACT is a deciding issue for them and disregard everything Byrne has done over the years if they want.
I disagree with Byrne on some things, but I don’t question his honesty and integrity. Like it or not Byrne is a servant leader who tries to do the right things. If that makes him an elitist, so be it. There aren’t that many people trying to do the right things in Alabama politics. He’s also proven he will stand and fight when he has to. You have a right to your beliefs, I have a right to mine.
Bedford’s statement made me want to vomit too. And I agree with FactFinder; Byrne has made enemies because he has been effective.
Comparing Bedford to a serial killer is not even a shade reasonable.
While I am light years to the right of Roger Bedford, no one has reason to doubt his personal desire to seek out the will of God for his life.
Conservatives don’t have a corner on a relationship with the Lord.
Who took the Bedford challenge seriously again? Unless he turns out to be a really bad politician (I have a feeling he won’t) then Byrne is definitely the strongest candidate the GOP has and they would be fools not to nominate him.
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I for one am dissapointed Bedford’s not running – he would certainly ad some color and some fun to a sad race of losers and also rans!
As for those questioning his statement and his faith – that’s so low it’s not even worthy of a comments section using an anonymous email.
Agreed politiki.
Question-
If Chancellor Byrne resigns effective August 31, and begins campaigning and raising money in June, will his political activities be any different than the employees of the two year system he has worked to get out of the political process?
http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/article/20090519/NEWS02/905190323/1009/rss04
“Byrne said Monday that he will work the next few months to make sure there is a smooth transition after he leaves and will use personal leave time if he has to do other work before his resignation takes effect.
‘If I were to do something else, I would have to take leave,’ Byrne said, adding that he wasn’t sure how much leave time he had accrued. ‘Once you’ve used up your personal time, that’s it.’”
Byrne totally failed on this so called secondary as part of the PACT Board. It was a Board not just Ivey an Ivey job.
Again, the investigation and prosecutions cleaned out all the old hands form the two year college system.
Byrne not done anything there that proves he would be a good governor.
He has not show, in fact is clearly allied with, the old special interests that dominate the state.
The only difference is he favors the more traditional special interests like the Business Council.
Before in 90s he favored the Democrats ones and switched with the political winds.
yes, post 37, it is very different. he is not and will not be double dipping and drawing 2 salaries at taxpayer expense.
Prince, Give it a rest. Live long and prosper in Roy Mooreville.
And, yes 2010 and chef, you answer anonymous #38 quite correctly. Byrne would be following the system policies. Even so, Byrne works for the State Board. The Board will decide how long he stays.
Bradley Byrne is a proven fighter and reformer. I am thankful he is running.
“Proven” is a little bit a matter of opinion as to whether Byrne is a “fighter’ or “reformer.” The new committee investigating his business deals involving state government contracts while chancellor may have something to add to that discussion.
It IS proven that Bradley Byrne voted for all of the biggest tax increase in American history, supported Bill Clinton, and wants to force property tax increases on most Alabama school districts. That IS proven by Byrne’s record – in black and white.
When opinion meets provable facts – go with facts.
Batman, the facts are the cockroach committee and their attempt at a show trial are laughable. The resolution shouldn’t be signed because it’s horse manure and you know it.
Now, one wouldn’t put it beside this bunch to manufacture some bogus evidence and trot out some under-the-table paid witnesses, but that’s the only way they’ll find anything. Clean contracts are a fact, in spite of your wishful thinking.
Byrne was at one point a Dem, that’s the only thing you get right. Byrne won’t be afraid to stand on his overall record and saving taxpayers millions of dollars by cleaning up the waste and corruption in the two-year system is a PROVEN FACT.
And from my recollection, Byrne has always been in favor of local rule and letting local people decide local issues. The slimy creatures that run things in Montgomery, certainly don’t ever want that to happen.
This campaign hasn’t even started yet and Byrne’s probable entry into the race sure has all the critters worked up.
Factfinder (ironic name) here are some actual facts for you (I noticed you did not use any):
Bradley Byrne cosponsored a bill to require every school district in the state to raise property taxes to 30 mills (source: Alabama Legislative Information System).
Bradley Byrne contributed $500 to William Jefferson Clinton in April 1992 to unseat Republican president George H.W. Bush (source: Federal Election Records).
Bradley Byrne voted YES om HB1 (the Amendment 1 tax hike referendum) and every tax in the package; although he cast one “no” vote for final passage on the property tax hike he later voted “Yes” on the huge property tax when it was brought up for final concurrence: so in fact BB voted for the entire Amendment 1 tax package.
You got any actual facts, fact(?)finder?
the fact that byrne is getting attacked on here by some folks shows they must be worried……
i am glad byrne is running and look fwd to hearing what he has to add to the race…
Some school districts are givers – some are takers – the millage increase would make things more equal instead of making people in Homewood pay for kids in Midland City to go to school. Byrne’s vote was to make the districts who are feeding off of the giver district pay their fair share into the system. Guess Batman likes income redistribution. Maybe he’s really for Artur.
Pretty sure that Amendment One wasn’t the largest tax increase in American history. If you are going to criticize other people for not using facts at least get your facts right.
20210 I am not attacking Byrne, whom I think is an OK guy even if he is a moderate. I am just balancing facts actually. Most of the people who talk about Bradley’s “record” use generalizations with no actual citation of any sources.
I would favor Byrne over any Democrat. But – and this is my point – don’t try to tell me Bradley Byrne is a) a conservative tax-cutter or b) a hugely successful reformer. I haven’t seen a lot of evidence that Byrne has reconstructed the Junior College system; instead, most of the success in changing the culture of corruption has been accomplished by prosecutors (Melton’s conviction – before Byrne ever took over the colleges- is a good example of the sort of work prosecutors are doing).
Byrne has done some good but he could have done a great deal more. And he didn’t cover himself in glory in the PACT fiasco. As facts emerge he may have been somewhat derelict in duty there.
He is, in short, a moderate, establishment, country-club Republican. That’s better than a Demo but not the best we’ll see in the 2010 GOP field.
#48 you are just incredibly wrong. Bradley’s bill would have required that EACH INDIVIDUAL DISTRICT provide tax support of 30 mills. Districts do NOT pay for OTHER DISTRICTS – it would be 30 mills of LOCAL TAX SUPPORT read carefully : LOCAL. If your district provides more than 30 mills they would continue to do that. You are just completely wrong here – there is no “income redistribution” – that was just bizarre, #48. How the hell did you come up with that?
You are wrong. Don’t ever question me on facts.