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State Treasurer Kay Ivey has decided to step out of the crowded field of Republican candidates for Governor and will run for Lt. Governor. Her campaign will make an announcement at 3:30 at the GOP state headquarters in Birmingham. One source told the Parlor that she had received a lot of encouragement from the Senate and that she “wants to return the power of the gavel to the people.”
Her chances of winning the nomination for Lt. Governor are easily better than for Governor as she will become the highest profile candidate in the Lt. Governor’s race on the Republican side. Still, Democratic incumbent Jim Folsom looks quite formidable in his re-election bid, and it would almost certainly take a GOP tidal wave to wash him out of office. It’s not impossible.
Hank Erwin, Gene Ponder, and Dean Young are also running for the GOP nomination for Lt. Governor.
Probably one of her wiser decisions. Now the GOP has a legitimate hope at defeating Folsom.
How dare you say Hank Erwin is not legitimate. He loves Jesus more than you ever will. Take it back, right now.
Best move she could make…will she endorse a guv candidate?
Also, I now predict Bentley to make a strong third place finish with Kay out of the race.
I agree that Bentley picks up momentum from this more than other candidates. I also doubt she will endorse in the governor’s race.
Will Erwin now run for his State Senate seat?
I do not expect Mrs. Ivey to endorse nor do I believe that any of the gubernatorial candidate will endorse her. One thing is certain, all players in the gubernatorial race will be jockeying for favor amongst the 10% voting bloc that she currently possesses.
I have nothing against Mr. Erwin…especially nothing against his spiritual convictions. He is a great man but I do not believe he possesses the ability to defeat Little Jim.
good job kay! see you later folsom!
I think Kay can beat Hurricane Hank. A good move by Kay.
Nice of the ALGOP to reward incompetence…finding a nice soft place for Kay to land at least through November.
Shows what they really think of the true believers like Erwin…rather an incompetent insider than a principled outsider.
She has no chance of beating Little Jim. Don’t care what anybody says. Ivey is the poster child for the PACT problems, whether or not she did anything wrong.
This solves Kay’s problem. If there is one person in the state of Alabama that cannot talk about the Wallace-Folsom PACT program in an election with Kay, it would be Little Jim. He has tons of negatives in the anti-Dem environment in the state, whereas Kay can slug it out without her greatest negative around her neck.
This should be the barnburner race in the fall.
And back to CIA Member, she certainly has a better chance than Hank Erwin does (no name ID outside two counties).
Hank has a lot of name ID with everyone who remembers that Katrina was the “wrath of God”.
Good decision. This is where she should have been all along.
It will be interesting to see what Hank Erwin will do now and how that will affect Cam Ward’s decision to run for Hank’s seat.
I am leaning toward Hank, no, I am leaning both ways?
Cam will be OK. Everyone in Shelby Co. has been ready to get rid of Erwin for awhile.
Cam Ward is running a great campaign. I see him as a rising star in the Republican Party. So long as he keeps to the moral high ground, he could prove to be one of the next major power brokers in the state.
Well, the political buzz is certainly floating today!! Not sure how Kay Ivey will impact the Lt. Gov race but I know that I am running for the State Senate and will continue running for the State Senate. Just thought I would put that out there.
Cam,
That is good to hear. I wish you the best, and would vote for you if I lived in your district.
Someone must believe that latest poll, hmmmmm
loyal independent, I agree Ms. Ivey has a better chance to beat Little Jim than Erwin but not much better.
And CIA member, that is all that matters until June 1st. Its a whole new world once the fall tickets are set and Folsom is running with Artur. I’ll bet right now it is Byrne/Ivey v. Davis/Folsom in Nov. And Obama will be down here campaigning for Davis.
And, Cam, keeping going strong. Your district will be well served by you.
I think Kay will run a good campaign against little jim or atleast work harder!
Glad to hear that Cam. I live on the stateline so obviously I cant vote for you. But I wish you the best!
This is great for the Alabama GOP! Ivey has the name recognition and statewide base to scare the daylights out of Jim, Jr. Plus it gives the Kay Haters indigestion, too. (All six of them canbuy a case of Tums and share it.) So while it’s bad news for them, it’s good news for everybody else in AL. Kay, you’ll make a great Lt. Governor!
Cam, if Erwin gets back in the senate race you better ger ready for a race. Republicans thought he could not win in 2002 and won pretty easiley and he won big in 2006.
If Erwin chickens out against the supposedly damaged Ivey and tries to renege on Cam, I might even write Cam a check myself
Cam – Please stay the course. We need you in the Senate.
And to think I just saw my first Ivey yard sign today. Oh well, I guess her supporters can just slap a “lieutenant” sticker on their signs.
Once voters focus on the unstable antics of Kay Ivey, her name id will turn into negative perception.
One thing for certain–ol’ Lil’ Jim certainly is laughing up in Cullman today. Krazy Kay? No Way!
Even if Artur is the Dem nominee Little Jim should be a solid favorite against Ms. Ivey. Lucy Baxley got rolled against Gamblin’ Bob but Little Jim won his race.
loyal independent, Obama will not step foot in Alabama for Artur if Artur is the nominee. They both know that would be the death of Artur’s chance to get elected.
Maybe wishful thinking on the GOP part — but that name will be invoked at every turn against Artur. A Republican wave is headed toward Alabama.
The best for Ivey is Folsom was on the PACT board too. So he can’t use the issue.
Ivey was running as a hard core social conservative. I suspect Moore will get the most of her support. Bentley could get some as well.
James won’t now since everyone knows he is dead in the water. Tim should have gotten out the Governor’s race and into the Lt. Governor’s before Ivey did.
Of course his ego would never allow him to do that.
Cam should stay in the Senate race regardless of what Erwin does.
Kay Ivey – at the last possible moment – has to admit that her gubernatorial candidacy was doomed by the PACT ciolapse. So maybe she isn’t insane – just pigheaded.
PACT was the excuse, but the real thing that doomed her campaign was her rocky relationship with outgoing Gov. Riley and his close circle. Let’s see if they jump on the Folsom wagon or bite their tongues in Nov.?
K.I. K.Oed.
Hey Anonymous, Kay was at least won several statewide races. Tim James claims he is not a politician, and that is true. Rather, he is a likely two-time failed politician. HIS NUMBERS SUCK AFTER SPENDING $2 MILLION.
With Ivey as Lt. Gov nominee, repubs will force Folsom to spend money and provide independant voters a real choice. Hurricane Hank would hurt a straight ticket campaign.
I agree with Lyn. Hank would be bad for a straight ticket vote….Kay will not.
Not so sure, 2010 – Folsom has a negative in his position in the PACT scandal but the duo of Kay and Bradley as double-trouble PACT scandalers trumps that . . .
Tim passed 2 million well before he cut his first ad. So he has spent way more than 2 million by now. The specter of the James family haunting Alabama state government will end in June.
I predict Tim does worse than he did in 2002.
Wow!!!! I am absolutely amazed at the rhetoric and predictions of the Lt. Governor’s race.
Only 1 comment reminded everyone that Sen. Erwin won in 2002 and 2006 against heavily funded and heavy weight candidates.
He has the unanimous endorsement of the Senate Republican Caucus and is the most qualified candidate. Remember the Lt. Governor presides over the Senate. He knows what it is like to work with a Democrat Senate majority and Democrat Lt. Governor.
Ms.Ivey would have been a “winner” in many people’s eyes if she had graciously admitted defeat instead of changing campaigns.
Sen. Erwin has campaigned for 1 year in the Lt. Governor’s race. So, don’t underestimate his presence throughout the state that coupled with 20 years on Christian radio and more recently his daily TV talk show.
I am betting on Sen.Erwin. He hasn’t lost yet unlike Ms.Ivey. Also, the backlash of Obama Health Control makes the climate right for more Republican victories.
Like Sen. Erwin or not there is a large silent majority who will be heard on Election Day! HankErwin2010.com
Earth to Conservative, Ivey will kill him with name ID. And Erwin is universally disliked by his legislative brethren. He will sling mud at Kay and live up to his reputation as a thoroughly disagreeable human being.
I hate to break it to most of you but “Conservative” may have a good point. I paticularly could care less who wins the Lt. Gov. race. I personally think if Lil Jim wins again he more than likely will drink himself to death. I mean, the dude reeks with alcohol most of the time. He needs to put on more “Brute” or whatever it is people that old wear. On the other hand, Hurrican Hank, although he probably has never tasted a drop of alcohol in his life and “yes” has parted the Red Sea before, has some how managed to climb his way out two Senate races that critics never gave him a shot. With all jokes aside, what I can share with all of you lawnmower addicts’ is that over the past few weeks there has been growing tention within the Ivey campaign due to her decision to challenge Hank. Reason being, most of her loyal supporters have already given their nod of support to Hank either verbally or through contributions. It has thrown her a political curve ball to say the least……. Keep Cutting…