New Ad from Sen. Smith... um... Harri Anne

In this 60-second commercial, State Sen. Harri Anne Smith (R – Slocomb) plays just about every issue card in her deck to convince you of her conservative bona fides.

I don’t have specific numbers though I hear it’s a “heavy buy” and that she intends to stay on TV through the [...]

Who is Running? SD 33 and SD 35 Updates

Three running silhouettes

Chip Drago of the Mobile Bay Times sends email this way saying:

Victor Crawford in sd33 and Gary Tanner in sd35 have told me they are not running. Crawford’s withdrawal reverses previous statements. Tanner never announced, mulled it for months but had decided against running. also, though qualifying is not over, it appears unlikely that [...]

Chip McCallum Prepares for HD 47 Campaign

HD47

Republican Chip McCallum, attorney and son of former Vestavia Hills mayor Scotty McCallum, appears to be preparing for a campaign for House District 47, according to this Facebook page.

The seat is held now by Republican Jack Williams of Birmingham.

As always we try to keep up with these matters for you on our 2010 [...]

Robert Bentley 2nd Commercial

GOP gubernatorial candidate Robert Bentley has a second commercial online. Has anyone actually seen this ad on TV? Until I hear otherwise I am inclined to believed that it’s not on the air right now.

I count what sounds like a couple of folksy pokes at fellow GOP candidate Bradley Byrne.

A quibble… the ad gives credit to Bentley for [...]

Bobby Bright 'Continues to Prove His Staying Power'

Alabama's 2nd Congressional District

U.S. Rep. Bobby Bright (D – Montgomery) “continues to prove his staying power,” according to Chris Cillizza of The Fix at WashingtonPost.com. The Fix removes the district, AL-02, from its rankings of the 20 House races most likely to switch parties in the November election.

Tim James Ad Hits Air with Statewide Buy

Republican gubernatorial candidate Tim James is hitting the air beginning Monday with a statewide buy for this [...]

Is Harri Anne Smith's Poll Good News or Bad News?

Harri Anne Smith

State Sen. Harri Anne Smith’s campaign has released a poll showing her with a 51%-30% lead over her GOP primary challenger George Flowers. The campaign is obviously pleased, or pleased enough, with the numbers to trumpet them, but is that a bit low for primary numbers for an incumbent running for a fourth [...]

Kay Ivey: Sticks and stones...

Republican gubernatorial candidate Kay Ivey has a new TV spot this week.

I know people who will be cleaning coffee off their computer monitors if they are in mid-gulp when they hear Kay Ivey refer to the Press-Register as liberal. [...]

Mike Rogers Has Tight Grip on AL-03 Seat

Alabama with the 3rd Congressional District highlighted

U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (R – Saks) is looking secure in his AL-03 seat, says another political observer, this time Isaac Wood at Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball.

If Segall was not able to best Rogers in one of the best years for Democrats in recent memory, it is hard to imagine him doing [...]

Bradley Byrne Ad Says He Would Stand Up Against Washington

Republican gubernatorial candidate Bradley Byrne is back at it with another TV spot saying that as Governor he would “stand up against Washington’s efforts to control businesses in Alabama and hurt businesses in Alabama,” specifically mentioning “this crazy health care legislation” and deficits financed with foreign money.

What do you reckon he would do as Governor [...]

Turning Out for Parker Griffith

Parker Griffith Protesters, March 8, 2010

Flashpoint has pictures of protesters who turned out for tonight’s fundraiser for U.S. Rep. Parker Griffith, Republican nee Democrat, in Huntsville.

Folks on both sides of the political aisle are unhappy with the Congressman. See more on that here at CNN’s Political Ticker, Flashpoint and Left in Alabama.

The national GOP [...]

HD 9 Race Filling Out?

HD - 09

The Parlor is hearing that Democrats in Morgan County are pleased that long-time Couny License Commissioner Sue Baker Roan is “99% sure” she’ll run for the House District 9 seat being vacated by Democrat Ron Grantland.

Ed Henry and Dwight Tankersly are announced GOP candidates for the seat.

Bentley Ad: It's Faith, It's Family, It's Job

Robert Bentley is the fourth gubernatorial candidate overall and the third Republican to air a television spot. This one began airing on Good Morning America this morning with his claim, “Until Alabama reaches full employment, I will not take a salary as Governor. Not a penny.”

Related Articles:

Cook Political Report Changes Rating on AL-02

Alabama with the 2nd Congressional District highlighted

Speaking of AL-02, as we were yesterday…

Charlie Cook of the Cook Political Report moves the 2nd Congressional District from the “Toss Up” category to “Lean Democratic,” saying:

[Incumbent Bobby] Bright was one of only three House Democrats to vote against the stimulus package, the energy bill, and health care bill, and a February poll conducted [...]

Stephanie Bell Enters AL-02 Race

Alabama's 2nd Congressional District

Stephanie Bell, currently serving in her fifth term on the State Board of Education, officially throws her hat into the ring for the Republican primary for the 2nd Congressional District by qualifying with the party. Montgomery City Councilwoman Martha Roby has also qualified on the GOP side. Republican businessman Rick Barber has [...]

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Legislative Dispatch

Change

I wish my friend Hinton Mitchem godspeed and good luck after his retirement from public service. Hinton, on Monday, announced what many had suspected — he will not seek re-election. I remember meeting Hinton for the first time while I was a student at Auburn University. He served the people of his [...]

Ten Minutes in the House, Senate Moves On

Riley and her friend Caroline joined Julie on the campaign trail in Isabella this past weekend.

Here is a quick preview of the upcoming week in Montgomery. This week will be a standard legislative schedule for the House. We will be in session on Tuesday and Thursday with committee meetings scheduled for Wednesday.
The House will take up a ten minute calendar this week. A ten minute calendar is [...]

Purple Dot Connection

MARCH MADNESS

TOP TEN INDICATIONS OF MARCH MADNESS

10.  Eric Massa inviting us to ask the 10,000 Navy men he served with whether he is gay.

9.  Larry Langford hitting the jackpot 33 times in one day and not remembering it.

8.  Ron Sparks being able to make payments on a $500,000 loan with an income of $80,000.

7.  Artur Davis [...]


Back in the Day...

Union Avenue in Ozark in the 1920s

Vintage postcard