tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-158150172012-01-20T04:46:12.114-05:00Insight into the always fascinating world of Alabama elections...PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2941100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1144642217204667902006-04-10T00:06:00.000-04:002006-04-10T00:10:17.310-04:00

The Alabama Elections Directory is now fully updated to reflect the post qualifying deadline lits of both parties. Contact and website information will continue to be updated as it comes in. Email me with any new information or questions/comments.

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com420tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1142800933762128952006-03-19T15:26:00.000-05:002006-03-19T15:42:46.256-05:00

I thought I'd write a brief post letting whoever runs across this site know that I am still maintaining my elections directory and intend to do so throughout the 2006 cycle.As of now I have all the qualified candidates for the various races (Gov through State House) as well as a few speculative candidates. When the April 7th filing deadline passes, I will of course update it to correspond to both

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1140487437147198192006-02-20T20:23:00.000-05:002006-02-20T22:01:44.116-05:00

After nearly six months of publishing AlabamaElections, I will no longer be able to actively maintain the blog. I have taken the position of Communications Director with the Alabama Democratic Party. As Communications Director, my focus obviously will be on forwarding a unified Democratic message and a blog issuing independent analysis would not be compatible with such a position.The job with the

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com76tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1140255725023514992006-02-18T07:21:00.000-05:002006-02-18T07:31:21.730-05:00

-- Great Birmingham News analysis on campaign funding in the governor's race. Moore's money comes mostly from out of state while Riley gets most of his from PACs. Siegelman has plenty of Alabama support, but it doesn't add up to much and Baxley is a combination of all of the above.-- New Poll on Riley Approval: 52% approval/43% disapproval . Last month had the Guv at 52/40.-- Bush's approval

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1140188497064883682006-02-17T09:05:00.000-05:002006-02-17T10:15:14.733-05:00

Ed Packard, an elections specialist in the Secretary of State's office, will run for that office's top job. After previous stints in the AL and NC SoS office, Packard has served as "administrator of elections" in Alabama since 1997.Packard, who resides in Prattville, seems to be an authority in the field of election administration as he's penned articles for academic journals as well as many

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1140174701471603732006-02-17T07:25:00.000-05:002006-02-17T06:31:02.353-05:00

Yesterday, I saw a review of what looks to be a fascinating new book, "Mudslingers : The Top 25 Negative Political Campaigns of All Time Countdown from No. 25 to No. 1" , by Kerwin C. Swint.As the title implies, Swint chronicles the 25 nastiest political campaigns in American history. The book spans the gamut from presidential elections to state and local, discussing contests from 1800 to 2004. (

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com41tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1140169793686715112006-02-17T07:07:00.000-05:002006-02-17T06:35:30.336-05:00

The Marshall County GOP hosted a straw poll and a forum for Lt Gov candidates on Valentine's Day.Below are the results:GovRiley: 59%Moore: 32Other: 9Lt GovBrooks: 92%Wallace: 3Others: 5Adams: 0Strange: 0The Gov numbers seem relatively consistent with what you'd expect, especially considering that Moore's strength does not usually lie in party regulars.And as you might could glean from the LG

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com41tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1140070333058623332006-02-16T07:31:00.000-05:002006-02-16T07:32:09.983-05:00

You'll remember a couple of weeks ago that the BCA raised some eyebrows by pointedly leaving State Supreme Court Justices Champ Lyons and Tom Woodall off it's endorsement list. Some interpreted this snub as only a minor rift that would surely resolve itself in due course. Others, however, saw a broader message being sent as the BCA publicly distanced themselves from their erstwhile allies. A

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com53tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1140074853203734502006-02-16T07:13:00.000-05:002006-02-16T07:33:27.940-05:00

Yes, that Jim Zeigler.Here's the situation (from the AP):WASHINGTON - A clerk's mistake could mean a budget bill President Bush signed isn't technically law, but congressional Republicans said again Wednesday they have no plans to try to fix the problem.Even though Alabama attorney Jim Zeigler has filed a lawsuit charging the $39 billion deficit-cutting legislation Bush signed is unconstitutional

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1139978588787867942006-02-15T07:33:00.000-05:002006-02-15T03:42:43.906-05:00

Roy Moore has taken the first step on a path that could dramatically change the 2006 election landscape. Yesterday, Moore called on GOP chair Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh to relinquish her position until the June GOP primary.Andress, according to Moore, "is clearly using her position to favor a particular candidate". Andress' support of Riley has "betrayed" Republican voters, in Moore's words.Moore

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1139991870473944302006-02-15T07:13:00.000-05:002006-02-15T03:41:06.723-05:00

Florence attorney William E. Smith easily bested fellow Republican John Hargett in last night's special election primary for State House District 001. Smith won the low-turnout Valentine's Day election with 79% of the vote. Smith's combination of state and local party support and an at least 8 to 1 money advantage vastly outweighed Hargett's deeper party roots.Smith now advances to the March 21

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1139894261829507142006-02-14T07:45:00.000-05:002006-02-14T05:19:34.073-05:00

-- Another Siegelman lawyer flies the coop...-- I'm told that Brad Warren (D- Mobile) is pulling the plug on his campaign in the 1st Congressional District, leaving incumbent Rep. Jo Bonner (R-Mobile) unopposed...-- Lauderale County Commissioner Mike Curtis (D) will run in HD 002 against GOP Rep Lynn Greer. I discussed the ramifications of a potential Curtis candidacy a couple of weeks ago, but

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com46tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1139896209485996802006-02-14T07:27:00.000-05:002006-02-14T05:19:12.636-05:00

Republican voters in Lauderdale county-based State House District 001, will go to the polls today to choose a nominee in the March 21 special election to replace the late Nelson Starkey. Tammy Irons was the sole Democrat to file and thus automatically advanced to the general election.The Republican primary pits William E. Smith (an attorney and recent Democratic convert) against veteran GOP

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1139806410443357552006-02-13T07:00:00.000-05:002006-02-13T02:48:32.126-05:00

--Another Baptist church fire...-- Riley leading Moore 56-28 in GOP primary poll...-- State Rep Oliver Robinson drops his State Sen bid due to illness. Incumbent State Sen Sundra Escott still faces a challenge from State Rep Linda Coleman.-- State House GOP's hardball tactics gain notice...-- Tom Parker's latest controversy...-- Advertiser profiles Barry Mask and Bobby Payne before Feb 28 State

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com88tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1139607333882646922006-02-10T15:29:00.000-05:002006-02-10T16:40:24.160-05:00

[Post delayed due to network problems]Even before campaign finance improprieties threatened to derail his path to a second term, Hank Erwin was not in a particularly strong political position. Multiple conservative-leaning interest groups have made efforts to lure a high profile opponent to take on the controversial Erwin. In fact ALFA even commissioned a poll in November to gauge Erwin's

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com68tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1139544439687888242006-02-10T15:25:00.000-05:002006-02-10T16:38:00.240-05:00

[Post delayed due to network problems]Yesterday I discussed the campaign finance scandal that is starting to swirl around State Sen Hank Erwin (R-Montevallo). Erwin appeared on the Matt Murphy radio program to try and defend some of the eyebrow raising expenses listed on his campaign finance disclosures. I did not hear the interview, but I've talked to those who have who don't think Erwin did

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1139462310390572042006-02-09T06:34:00.000-05:002006-02-09T03:44:07.446-05:00

State Senator Hank Erwin (R-Montevallo) is about to find himself the main player in a sordid Montgomery tale of corruption. Erwin is most (in)famous for his comments in the wake of Hurricane Katrina blaming the storms on "gambling, sin, and wickedness". Unfortunately for Erwin it looks like his problems will no longer be confined strictly to rhetorical excess.I'm told the story will make the

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com101tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1139423965062554642006-02-08T12:19:00.000-05:002006-02-08T13:40:26.350-05:00

Rasmussen Reports conducted a poll in late January testing potential general election matchups in the Alabama governor's race. See the Rasmussen site for information on the methodology and their brief analysis of the results. The results are as follows:Riley (R): 47%Baxley (D): 40%Riley (R): 49%Siegelman (D): 40%Baxley (D): 50%Moore (R): 39%Siegelman (D): 46%Moore (R): 40%Obviously Riley is ahead

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com65tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1139375844424215682006-02-08T06:52:00.000-05:002006-02-08T00:17:24.503-05:00

As I mentioned yesterday, DC dirt blog Wonkette has taken the lead in digging into the Stormie affair.Not only was Wonkette kind enough to provide a link to my blog when first discussing the story, but she, in a separate piece, referenced several reader comments from my original post on the matter. So if you commented on my original piece, there's a good chance your comment is now up on one of

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1139371050857836552006-02-08T06:37:00.000-05:002006-02-08T00:18:26.630-05:00

One of the higher profile issues of the legislative session came to a head yesterday as Republicans in the State House used a procedural motion to prevent the "Bible Literacy Bill" from reaching the floor for debate.The bill did have more proponents than detractors as 49 members voted in favor of the motion, while 42 opposed it. But supporters of the bill fell 7 votes short of the 60% necessary

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com50tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1139369580610410752006-02-08T06:11:00.000-05:002006-02-08T00:18:07.833-05:00

For an organization that's only been on the political radar for a few weeks, the Alabama Values Coalition is making its presence felt.You'll remember the AVC radio ads in early January that took Alabama Republican leader to task over the "loyalty oath". Those ads (still available on their site) sparked a small controversy with Republicans attacking the ads and the AVC. Some Republicans have

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com62tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1139287000516486612006-02-07T07:50:00.000-05:002006-02-07T05:37:43.056-05:00

Vice President Dick Cheney appeared in Priceville yesterday to help raise campaign funds for US Rep Robert Aderholt (R-Haleyville). Cheney's most prominent remarks centered around the warrantless wiretapping story that's been in the news over the past weeks. Cheney, of course, defended the wiretaps as a necessary element in waging the "war on terror".Cheney's speech was not as well attended as

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1139289204068566812006-02-07T07:22:00.000-05:002006-02-07T05:33:00.203-05:00

Yesterday I talked about the aide to Jeff Sessions who, due to a combination of media inquiry and heavy-handed tactics by her superiors, was forced to remove her personal blog some had described as "racy" and sexy".Unfortunately for the aide, Stormy Janzen, not only was the story picked up by the state wires but it has gotten the attention of some Beltway opinion makers. The D.C. R-rated scandal

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com123tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1139292246642005652006-02-07T07:11:00.000-05:002006-02-07T05:32:42.200-05:00

I'm told that a story in the Cullman Times print edition discussed the possibility that State Rep Jeremy Oden (R-Cullman) is entertaining a run for Probate Judge. Until now, Oden had been considered likely to run for re-election.Oden has managed to develop political enemies on both sides of the aisle, so his path to re-election could be complicated. Oden already has two opponents in the GOP

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1139208399197649252006-02-06T07:31:00.000-05:002006-02-06T07:13:24.806-05:00

Stormie Janzen, an aide to Jeff Sessions, livened up this weekend's political reporting.Apparently Janzen("single, straight and a Scorpio,") , a scheduler in Sessions' DC Senate office, maintained a blog on Myspace in which she dispensed her thoughts on "dating, hanging out with girlfriends, and one of her biggest turn-ons -- men in button-fly jeans".It isn't clear how long Janzen's blog was

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com121tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1139211518638525052006-02-06T07:11:00.000-05:002006-02-06T15:59:07.870-05:00

For reasons unbeknownst to me, it took a few days for Roger Bedford's latest campaign finance report to show up on the Secretary of State's site. But Bedford's filings are available now and show the veteran State Senator with a hefty warchest.Bedford's report show him sitting on top of $346K cash-on-hand after raising over $450K over the past year.I've updated my listing of the State Senate

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com40tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1139128595441738392006-02-05T07:39:00.000-05:002006-02-05T05:47:27.140-05:00

Gun rights have emerged as one of most potent single issues in American politics. During the Clinton era, Democrats began to embrace incremental gun control efforts. But many Democrats blamed such policies as part of the equation that cost their party votes in the South and West and rural areas all over the country. In fact, some party strategists blame gun issues as the primary reason Al Gore

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com35tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1138919199307325032006-02-03T07:45:00.000-05:002006-02-03T05:18:06.103-05:00

The BCA endorsements came out this week and contained most of the usual suspects one would expect. To no one's surprise the BCA backed Bob Riley, Troy King, Kay Ivey, Drayton Nabers, Lyn Stuart, and all incumbent GOP appeals judges. The backing of Glenn Murdock could have been a surprise if the move hadn't been telegraphed months ago. The BCA did take a little risk in supporting Luther Strange

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1138920258872975822006-02-03T07:29:00.000-05:002006-02-03T05:18:30.246-05:00

Larry Sabato is one of the premier mainstream political scientists in the country.Sabato monitors campaigns and elections throughout the country and has a lot to do in developing the "conventional wisdom" so often quoted by the media. Sabato certainly has found a successful niche, but I haven't see much evidence that he has any more insight into the races than anyone else who pays close attention

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1138920816649335212006-02-03T07:06:00.000-05:002006-02-03T05:18:45.590-05:00

I am not interested in rehashing this story, but if you're interested in the details see the article in the Advertiser.Sanders was accused of steering state money to nonprofits with ties to his family. The Ethics Commission, by a 3-2 margin, voted to shut down the inquiry and clear Sanders of wrongdoing. The bottom line is that Sanders will still be in the Senate and RussandDee will still be

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1138907863545122412006-02-02T13:20:00.000-05:002006-02-02T14:22:08.130-05:00

John Boehner is the new Majority Leader of the US House of Representatives. Roy Blunt led on the first ballot, but fell short of the majority necessary to secure the position. On the second ballot, when the race narrowed to only a Boehner/Blunt race, Boehner picked up all of third place finisher John Shadegg votes and Blunt actually lost one vote from the first to the second ballot. Boehner won

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1138855232588472882006-02-02T07:44:00.000-05:002006-02-02T05:37:55.426-05:00

Controversial Morgan county commissioner Stacy Lee George (R- Somerville) has pulled out of a run for Public Service Commission to instead engage in a local grudge match against aRepublican nemesis. George had announced a run in the GOP primary for the PSC seat currently held by Democrat Jan Cook. George's exit now leaves John Rice as the lone declared Republican in that race.George, elected in

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1138860692482743222006-02-02T07:28:00.000-05:002006-02-02T05:38:13.236-05:00

The only vacant slot on the Court of Criminal Appeals attracted a new Republican candidate this week. And when I say "new Republican", I mean it literally. Longtime Democratic Circuit Judge Sam Welch is switching parties and running in the GOP primary for the seat currently held by Democrat (and Chief Justice candidate) Sue Bell Cobb.Welch's judicial circuit takes in Conecuh and Monroe counties

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1138854481644703912006-02-02T07:12:00.000-05:002006-02-02T10:57:56.553-05:00

US Rep Robert Aderholt (R-Haleyville) has joined delegation colleagues Terry Everett (R-Enterprise) and Jo Bonner (R-Mobile) in backing Rep Roy Blunt (R-MO) in the increasingly tight race for House GOP Majority Leader.With Spencer Bachus (R-Birmingham) going public with his Boehner support yesterday, Mike Rogers (R- Anniston) is the lone memeber of the delegation to have not indicated a public

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1138759304123103852006-02-01T07:37:00.000-05:002006-02-01T12:33:40.340-05:00

Below are the "ending balances" (also know as cash on hand) for the contenders for major statwide office in 2006. Filings were not posted for every candidate as of yesterday evening so I will update it as new information becomes available. I have marked incumbents with italics.Look through the filings yourself for additional information and use the comments box to share it with the rest of us.

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1138760397326179572006-02-01T07:28:00.000-05:002006-02-01T12:35:13.403-05:00

Below I've compiled the "ending balance", also known as "cash on hand", numbers for the State court races. There are some candidacies for which reports weren't available and there will certainly be more candidates emerging over the coming weeks and months to further populate these races. But these numbers should provide a good starting point for looking at the financial foundations of the

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1138761832439932302006-02-01T07:14:00.000-05:002006-02-04T18:23:00.120-05:00

Below I've compiled the "ending balance", also known as "cash on hand", numbers for members of the State Senate. I only list the members that are running for re-election as well as candidates engaged in credible campaigns for open seats or against incumbents. Some candidate filings are not on the SoS site yet, but I'll update this list as the reports become available. Search the filings yourself

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1138770932079513222006-02-01T07:10:00.000-05:002006-02-01T03:09:57.143-05:00

The State House has too many members for me to be comprehensive, so I am only specifically mentioning those legislators who have more than $40,000 on hand.Dems with over $40K cash-on-hand:Seth Hammett - $1.15 million , Ken Guin - $147K , Mike Millican - $97K , Terry Spicer - $95K , Frank McDaniel - $74K , Billy Beasley - $69K , Joe Carothers - $61K , Marcel Black - $59K , James Buskey - $56K ,

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1138684814771814062006-01-31T07:30:00.000-05:002006-01-31T03:39:56.396-05:00

Today marks the deadline for campaign finance filings for candidates running in the 2006 elections. Partisans and observers alike will be scanning the reports looking to see which met or surpassed expectations and which are already falling behind.Some candidates have their reports in early and others will no doubt wait until the last minute. Below are a few of the questions, I'll be trying to

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com65tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1138689858273129832006-01-31T07:29:00.000-05:002006-01-31T03:39:27.316-05:00

If not for some fractious local political wrangling, Lynn Greer might have run for State House as a Democrat in 2002. Instead Greer succeeded "Goat" Hamilton and became the first Republican elected to the legislature from Lauderdale county. Understandably state and local Democrats have been eyeing Greer's seat ever since.Retired lobbyist and Democrat Connie Walden has been in the race for months,

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1138682663720406382006-01-31T07:21:00.000-05:002006-01-31T03:38:21.630-05:00

The Hotline's blog made an interesting find a few days ago, as they caught Alabama's own Jeff Sessions taking shots at his fellow Republican senators, whether he knew it or not.Several US senators attended the World Economic Forum, held regularly in Davos, Switzerland. Democrat John Kerry attended the conference and came back increasingly critical of the Bush administration's energy efforts and

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1138646908854570382006-01-30T13:27:00.000-05:002006-01-30T13:48:33.933-05:00

Bob Riley recently became the first candidate of the 2006 cycle to run a television ad. Cut from footage of his recent "State of the State" speech, the ad centers around Riley's new tax cut package.It's a fine ad, but it doesn't have the polished look (for better or worse) of most TV ads. That is probably due it being filmed live at the State House rather than in a studio somewhere.It is telling

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1138592403995996572006-01-30T07:33:00.000-05:002006-01-30T02:51:57.966-05:00

(This is a guest blog written by "Siegelman 2006" Communications Director Chip Hill. The views expressed are those of Hill and not necessarily those of the publisher of AlabamaElections. Hill's contact information is available at Siegelman 2006.)Bill Canary is the husband of the US Attorney, Leura Canary. His bio is available online and while I won't list it in detail, you will see that he has

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com62tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1138593729834756452006-01-30T07:13:00.000-05:002006-01-30T02:52:36.946-05:00

The January approval ratings for all 100 US senators have been released. And once again Alabama's pair are in pretty good shape.Shelby: 60% approval/29% disapprovalSessions: 58% approval/30 % disapprovalThese results show stable ratings for both Republicans. Though both Sessions and Shelby can boast of strong public approval, neither is among the highest echelon, in terms of popularity, of the

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1138476508184947842006-01-28T14:10:00.000-05:002006-01-28T14:56:48.573-05:00

Winners Larry Dixon - The GOP State Senator saw his his road to re-election smooth out as potential primary foe Barry Mask won the GOP nomination for a State House special election. Whether Mask wins or loses the Feb 28 special, he's expected to vie for the State House seat in November which removes him as Dixon's strongest primary foe.Ken Guin - The State House Majority Leader saw his Bible

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1138324431591955902006-01-27T07:44:00.000-05:002006-01-27T09:09:40.833-05:00

Eddie Curran at the Mobile Register has a revelatory piece about Bob Riley's re-election fundraising. According to filings with the Sec of State, a PAC called Alabamians for Technology donated $300,000 in December to Riley's re-election campaign.There doesn't seem to be any speculation that anything illegal took place, but there sure are a lot of unseemly details.-- The PAC was formed, and

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1138322496052631272006-01-27T07:36:00.000-05:002006-01-27T09:10:03.710-05:00

Keith Douglas Williams of Mobile has become the first Democrat to announce his intentions to run against Repubican incumbent Kay Ivey for State Treasurer. I know very little about Williams, but he did make me aware of his press release making his intentions known.Ivey is certainly a heavy favorite for re-election, but an energetic campaign could force the incumbent to actually break a sweat on

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1138326435552977612006-01-27T07:05:00.000-05:002006-01-27T09:10:16.583-05:00

An alert reader notified me of a video section on Roy Moore's campaign site. The site plays host to two videos hyping a Moore candidacy.You can watch "10 Commandments on Trial" and "All About Judge Moore" from the Moore home page. Enjoy.

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1138250952905645532006-01-26T07:25:00.000-05:002006-01-26T05:16:00.596-05:00

Harri Anne Smith and Bob Riley will hold a press conference today. Smith will abandon her potential bid for governor and instead endorse Bob Riley for re-election. Smith is not leaving the political scene altogether though as she will run for re-election to her State Senate seat.Smith seemed to want to run, but could never really find a rationale for her candidacy. Not to mention that it would

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1138253061794950282006-01-26T07:10:00.000-05:002006-01-26T02:04:48.196-05:00

Yesterday I mentioned a video of Libertarian candidate Loretta Nall articulating her campaign message. In that same vein, I thought I'd link to a video of Lucy Baxley's Jan 4 campaign kickoff.You can watch the video of the speech or just read the text.And I'll keep an eye out for videos of other candidates to keep things even. And let me know if there are video clips of other Alabama politicians

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com43tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1137993165203878662006-01-25T07:54:00.000-05:002006-01-25T05:57:06.540-05:00

I've been told that ex State Sen John Amari (R-Trussville) is close to jumping into the Republican primary for the open PSC seat being vacated by George Wallace Jr.Amari was elected to the State House as a Democrat in 1978 and served in the State Senate from 1982-1998 (changing parties before the 1990 election). Amari was narrowly defeated by Steve Windom in the GOP 1998 primary for Lieutenant

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1138163967651766342006-01-25T07:17:00.000-05:002006-01-25T05:56:33.623-05:00

Libertarian candidate Loretta Nall spoke at a VFW hall in Wetumpka earlier in the week. Her speech is available in a clip from her site, as well as in transcript form. Nall is running as a Libertarian and has gotten a lot of attention regarding her marijuana legalization efforts. But she has other parts of her platform, although some are not much more conventional than the aforementioned drug

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1138152094030041782006-01-24T21:01:00.000-05:002006-01-24T22:18:19.156-05:00

The votes have been counted and Barry Mask is the Republican nominee for the special election in State House District 31. Mask won with over 70% of the vote, collecting 3138 votes to opponent Don Whorton's 1265.Whorton's baggage from two controversial terms on the Elmore County Commission was obviously just too heavy a burden to carry. Mask was unencumbered by such negative experience and was

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1138067631359696642006-01-24T07:37:00.000-05:002006-01-24T00:29:03.930-05:00

Today voters in State House District 31 (parts of Elmore and Coosa counties) will go to the polls to select a Republican nominee to face Democrat Bobby Payne in the Feb 28 special election to fill the seat left vacant by the November death of longtime State Rep Jack Venable (D-Tallassee). The winner of the general election will provide the victorious party with early momentum in the battle for

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1137991972223523932006-01-24T07:14:00.000-05:002006-01-24T00:28:44.313-05:00

The Montgomery Advertiser referenced a recent study showing that the two Democratic members of Alabama's Congressional Delegation are more likely to vote with Republicans than most Democrats elsewhere.According to the study by Congressional Quarterly, Bud Cramer (D-Huntsville) voted with the Republicans on 40% of congressional votes, making him the 2nd most bipartisan member of the 202 member

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1137993876495470472006-01-23T08:12:00.000-05:002006-01-26T02:03:45.206-05:00

Artur Davis recently received a distinction from an unlikely source.According to the Birmingham News, Playboy magazine recently named Davis as one of 10 members of the "No B.S. club". Pundit Jeff Greenfield identified 10 lawmakers whom he considers independent, straight talkers. Greenfield added Davis to the list due to his blunt talk and his moderate brand of politics.Other members of the list

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1137990705860294522006-01-23T07:48:00.000-05:002006-01-23T05:18:04.196-05:00

US District Judge Mark Fuller recommended a May 1 starting date for the trial of Don Siegelman and other co-defendants. The expectation seems to be that if the trial were to begin on that date then the verdict should come before the June 6 primary.This would afford Siegelman a last minute primary push if he's found "not guilty" of the charges and also prevent Democrats from nominating Siegelman

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1137988730105115842006-01-23T07:36:00.000-05:002006-01-23T05:17:18.750-05:00

NBC announced Sunday that the long running program "The West Wing" will be cancelled after the conclusion of it's current season.The 7th season has received critical praise, but it's move from Wednesday to Sunday was followed by lackluster ratings. The cancellation of "West Wing" is part of a larger strategy by NBC to revive their lagging lineup. Some conservatives will be happy to see the show

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1137910208911049542006-01-22T06:58:00.000-05:002006-01-22T01:27:47.380-05:00

Survey USA recently came out with it's January tracking poll numbers. They've been tracking Bob Riley's approval ratings from month to month.Riley's approval numbers are as follows:Approve: 52%Disapprove: 40%These numbers are nearly identical to last month's (52/41) and show Riley with a consistent, but certainly not overwhelming net positive rating. In fact since Survey USA polls all 50

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1137902758459248512006-01-22T06:52:00.000-05:002006-01-22T01:30:28.886-05:00

WinnerLoretta Nall - With the Nathan Mathis campaign moving from independent to Democratic, Libertarian Nall is currently the only announced gubernatorial candidate not aligned with either major party.LoserLarry Darby - The atheist activist and longshot Attorney General candidate made his presence felt at the State House this week. According to the bill's sponsor, Darby's advocacy against the

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1137739368460265712006-01-20T07:40:00.000-05:002006-01-20T03:00:15.200-05:00

The State House Judiciary committee backed Rep. Alvin Holmes' bill to add "sexual orientation" to the state "hate crimes" law originally passed in 1994. The bill passed the Judiciary committee on a voice vote "largely along party lines".However, the House GOP is throwing down the gauntlet on the issue. Rep. Cam Ward (R-Alabaster) appears to be leading the charge and has threatened to "lock the

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1137716044326666222006-01-20T07:01:00.000-05:002006-01-20T03:03:28.690-05:00

I don't know how many of you are familiar with the Colbert Report, but it's a satire of O'Reilly/Situation Room/Crossfire type talking head news shows. Colbert recently had a pretty interesting interview with Andrew Sullivan. Sullivan is an unorthodox conservative commentator and was one of the leading pioneers of the blog world. If you're interested in the emergence of political blogs in public

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1137723835917711342006-01-19T20:08:00.000-05:002006-01-19T21:23:55.963-05:00

I am not sure if it's been reported by the traditional press, but I've gotten word that Nathan Mathis is going to run for governor as a Democrat. You'll remember that Mathis declared his candidacy several months ago, but indicated that he'd run as an independent.However yesterday in an address at the State House Mathis changed course and announced his candidacy as a Democrat. Mathis' campaign

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1137695066531790612006-01-19T12:15:00.000-05:002006-01-19T13:26:14.966-05:00

The Alabama GOP has an online copy of the leadership pledge/loyalty oath that has roiled Alabama politics for the past couple of weeks.The AL GOP actually calls it the "Republican Caucus Pledge" and Chair Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh gives a brief explanation (defense?) of the pledge.But I'll just copy and paste the pledge verbatim below:I, _________________________, pledge to the Republican voters

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com88tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1137693267218206442006-01-19T11:40:00.000-05:002006-01-19T12:54:27.246-05:00

A potentially big story has come to light over the past couple of days concerning potential illicit fundraising practices in Alabama by Tom Delay.Delay allegedly started an Alabama-based PAC (ARMPAC) solely to take advantage of our state's lax campaign finance regulations. Delay raised money in Alabama and then sent that money to a Texas based Delay PAC (TRMPAC) to help Republican candidates in

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1137612144111411682006-01-18T14:05:00.000-05:002006-01-18T14:55:21.076-05:00

The lone Democrat on the Morgan County Commission switched to the GOP yesterday. The switch renders the body, which was unanimously Democratic prior to the 2000 elections, under complete Republican control.However, commissioner Jeff Clark's switch seems to have been a long time in the making and looks to have more to do with his own deteriorating political situation than any principled decision

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1137586478044842652006-01-18T07:06:00.000-05:002006-01-18T07:15:54.540-05:00

My friend JM has started a new blog, Alabama Pundit, dedicated to viewing state and national politics through a conservative prism.The blog is new but looks to have some interesting content so far. Give it a look and keep an eye on it while it progresses over the next few weeks.

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1137539465306521162006-01-17T17:52:00.000-05:002006-01-17T18:12:20.293-05:00

I first read about this rumor on another blog, Politics in Alabama, but I had a Republican source of mine come very close to confirming it this afternoon.The rumor being that Birmingham attorney Luther Strange will now set his sights on the Attorney General's office. Strange has been running for Lieutenant Governor for months. However with George Wallace, Jr. sucking all the political oxygen out

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1137492584346574442006-01-17T07:51:00.000-05:002006-01-17T05:09:49.770-05:00

Attorney General Troy King is one step closer to a clear path to the Republican nomination. Montgomery attorney Will Sellers recently removed his name from the list of potential primary challengers. Instead of undertaking one of the hardest political maneuvers (unseating an incumbent), Sellers will engage in one of the easiest. Sellers will manage Treasurer Kay Ivey's bid for re-election. Ivey is

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1137457273656084052006-01-17T07:30:00.000-05:002006-01-18T06:59:21.533-05:00

Rep Terry Everett (R-Enterprise) has gone public with his support backing Rep Roy Blunt (R-MO) to become the next House Majority Leader. Blunt is currently the Acting Majority Leader having taken over from Tom Delay (R-TX) during Delay's legal troubles. But with Delay's announcement that he is permanently stepping down from the post, a heated Republican leadership battle has developed for the #2

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1137458573454776362006-01-17T07:19:00.000-05:002006-01-17T05:10:52.266-05:00

I ran across a 2003 list of the wealth of the members of the US Senate. 40 members of the US Senate are millionaires. That number includes 22 Republicans and 18 Democrats and John Kerry topped the list at over $160,000,000.Alabama's own Richard Shelby (R-Tuscaloosa) weighs in at a cool $7,000,000+. It doesn't give financial information on Jeff Sessions (R-Mobile)since he did not make the

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1137398079780856972006-01-16T08:27:00.000-05:002006-01-16T16:22:42.790-05:00

Since today is Martin Luther King Jr. day I thought it'd be interesting to contrast the reactions to the holiday of both state parties.The Alabama Democratic Party, according to their website, is closing their office in commemoration of King's birthday. Chair Joe Turnham also penned a piece offering his personal take on the significance of the day.But as far as I can tell the Alabama Republican

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1137310567895028852006-01-15T07:18:00.000-05:002006-01-15T15:14:12.206-05:00

Winners Robert Aderholt - Aderholt scored a coup by securing a Dick Cheney visit for a February fundraiser. Although isn't there a more endangered GOP incumbent that could use a visit from the veep?Steve Hurst - This Democratic state rep scored a victory as the House passed his bill to put "God Bless America" on some Alabama car tags.Roy Moore - Moore's gubernatorial campaign gets a boost as the

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1137127213284453312006-01-13T07:36:00.000-05:002006-01-13T06:50:53.280-05:00

My post last week on Tom Parker's op-ed rebuking his fellow members of the all GOP State Supreme Court seemed to engage readers on both sides of the issue. So to stick with the story and present both sides of the coin, I thought I'd mention Gary Palmer's column critically deconstructing Parker's op-ed.If you're not familiar with the issues involved here, check out my initial piece for a brief

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com124tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1137136634729682122006-01-13T07:21:00.000-05:002006-01-13T06:50:38.713-05:00

A candidate running for governor in Texas' name was misspelled on her own filing application. The candidate involved, Carole Keeton Strayhorn, is no crackpot either. Strayhorn is the twice elected State Comptroller and a longtime Texas political fixture. Yet her candidate filing application twice misspelled her last name as "Strahorn", omitting the "y".Her attorney has since taken responsibility

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1137132569005143522006-01-13T07:07:00.000-05:002006-01-13T06:50:21.903-05:00

The Alabama Values Coalition recently released radio ads taking Alabama Republican leaders to task over their recent decision to require GOP legislative candidates to sign "leadership pledges", or as some have dubbed them "loyalty oaths". Phillip Rawls at the AP has a good summary of the issue if you haven't been following it closely.I don't know that much about the Alabama Values Coalition, but

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com102tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1137031300612082652006-01-12T07:38:00.000-05:002006-01-12T02:06:55.786-05:00

Conservative Christian groups have come out against a House Democrat initiative to teach Bible literacy in Alabama public schools. John Giles of the Alabama Christian Coalition seems to sum up their sentiment pretty well,"It is clear this is frivolous and feel good election year legislation"This seems like an idea the Christian Coalition would generally trumpet, but since the sponsors have a "D"

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1137028652094882402006-01-12T07:21:00.000-05:002006-01-12T02:07:56.220-05:00

With Tom Delay's announcement that he would not try to regain his former majority leader's post even if (and that's a big if) all his legal troubles go away, came a split in the US House's GOP caucus. The two would be successors to Delay are acting Majority leader Roy Blunt (R-MO) and former GOP Conference Chair John Boehner (R-OH).The GOP caucus has been seriously split by this leadership race.

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1137028214866034912006-01-12T07:02:00.000-05:002006-01-12T02:06:07.376-05:00

Since I linked to a text of the governor's address, to be fair I thought I'd link to the Democratic response. The response was released by Ken Guin, the House majority leader, and is largely a response to Riley's speech as well as laying out Democratic contrasts.The Senate Democrats also released their agenda for the session yesterday.

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1136929848888007182006-01-11T07:35:00.000-05:002006-01-11T05:47:15.933-05:00

Let's do something about the Lieutenant Governor. Not Lucy Baxley, but the office itself.We all know that since the Windom/Siegelman showdown in early 1999, that the office is no longer necessary. Let's either get rid of the office altogether or actually give the LG something to do. Either eliminate it and save Alabama taxpayers from subsidizing boredom or find a new way to get our money's worth

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1136927684986477752006-01-11T07:12:00.000-05:002006-01-11T05:49:32.263-05:00

Alabama has seven members in the US House and at this point none of them have major party challengers for the 2006 elections.That could change soon as Democrat Brad Warren is making moves to run against Jo Bonner (R-Mobile) in the 1st Congressional district. I know little about Warren, other than that he is a vice president at the Mobile-based Southern Chemical Formulators firm.Certainly a

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1136945845629707292006-01-11T06:57:00.000-05:002006-01-11T05:49:50.220-05:00

Here's a text of Bob Riley's State of the State address delivered last night provided by the Montgomery Advertiser. And if you want the short version, the Advertiser also has a piece hitting some of the high points.Riley's speech was half promotion and half laundry list. The first part of the speech discussed the progress (according to Riley) the state has made over the past few years while the

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1136868612976133762006-01-10T07:33:00.000-05:002006-01-10T03:02:59.006-05:00

Today marks the beginning of the final general legislative session before the 2006 elections. Accordingly there aren't great expectations of the legislature ambitiously tackling controversial issues. Both parties want to score a few political points, refrain from embarrassing themselves, then get back to their districts to prepare for elections.The AP has a good thumbnail sketch of the issues

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1136877360554018662006-01-10T07:06:00.000-05:002006-01-10T03:03:23.140-05:00

State Rep Alvin Holmes is no stranger to controversy. He rarely refrains from speaking his mind about, well whatever's on his mind. Currently, maps are what's got Holmes' goat.More specifically, it is the lack of the presence of "Martin Luther King Jr Expressway" on official Alabama state maps. MLK expressway is a part of I-85 that runs through Montgomery. According to Holmes, the state maps have

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1136692425165492272006-01-09T07:31:00.000-05:002006-01-09T02:08:54.546-05:00

I've already posted on the scandal swirling around Jack Abramoff and Congressional Republicans, but since my last posting a couple of new elements have developed.Earlier in the week I talked about a report saying Abramoff's cooperation with the Justice Department investigation could implicate 20 congressmen or congressional aides. Well that might just be the tip of the iceberg. Other reports

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1136783966137765832006-01-09T07:27:00.001-05:002006-01-09T02:08:35.333-05:00

I went with Joseph Mitchell (D-Mobile), but it's not an easy call.Of course there's nary a beard to be found in the State Senate, but fortunately there a few in the State House.As far as I can tell the other contenders are Randy Davis, Mickey Hammon, Ronald Johnson, John Knight, Richard Lindsey, and Jim McLendon.Any thoughts?

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1136781657266982972006-01-09T07:20:00.000-05:002006-01-09T02:08:20.173-05:00

I've waited several days after the story broke to comment on the recent revelation that Jeff Sessions wrote a 2003 letter to Donald Rumsfeld encouraging a troop reduction in Iraq. I had hoped that the story would make more sense to me if I thought about if for a while. It doesn't.After a September 2003 trip to Iraq, Sessions returned and advocated a reduction in the number of US troops "as

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1136693390948947322006-01-08T07:08:00.000-05:002006-01-08T02:11:42.970-05:00

Since Zac made note of one now-infamous former Riley press secretary (Michael Scanlon), I thought I should make note of one who has gone on to bigger and better things.Susan Dryden Whitson, subject of a recent Birmingham News article , was my 9th and 10th grade English teacher back when she was just Miss Dryden. I remember when she took a summer internship with then-Congressman Riley and never

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1136613872114212372006-01-07T07:15:00.000-05:002006-01-07T05:01:15.440-05:00

The WinnersTammy Irons - Despite a late effort by Bob Riley, Republicans failed to find a top-tier candidate in the upcoming special election in State House District 001, leaving Democrat Tammy Iron as a near lock to win the seat.Sue Bell Cobb - The presumptive Democratic nominee for Chief Justice recently boasted of a campaign warchest somewhere between 240K - 270K. While most eyes are on the

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1136591030267675912006-01-06T17:32:00.000-05:002006-01-06T19:11:40.043-05:00

Less than an hour ago (5:00 pm) the filing deadline passed for the special election to replace the late Nelson Starkey in State House District 001. Tammy Irons was the only Democrat to file, while the Feb 14 Republican primary will pit William E. Smith versus John Hargett.Tammy Irons was the only Democrat to file, making her the party's de facto nominee for the March 21 general election. Since

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1136499674917417672006-01-06T13:15:00.000-05:002006-01-06T14:13:11.130-05:00

The Alabama Republican Party opened it's qualifying period for the 2006 primary on Monday. The Democrats will open their qualifying in early March. The deadline for both parties is April 7.Keep up with all the latest ins and outs of the 2006 campaigns with the AlabamaElections Directory.

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1136494811107148392006-01-06T07:58:00.000-05:002006-01-06T01:39:00.020-05:00

Yesterday, former State Sen George Callahan announced his plans to run for his old senate seat against his longtime nemesis State Sen Gary Tanner.You'll remember that the 2002 bout between Callahan and Tanner resulted in the closest state senate race in the state. Tanner bested incumbent Callahan by less than 2% after an intense campaign. An ethics charge that haunted Callahan during his 2002

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1136497384016893362006-01-06T07:17:00.000-05:002006-01-06T01:38:43.306-05:00

State Sen Ted Little (D - Auburn) and State Rep Demetrius Newton (D - Birmingham) will introduce a constitutional reform bill when the legislature convenes next week.No high profile Alabama politician has gotten behind such an effort as they are loathe to upset the status quo. And I know I am in the minority, but I think the public would respond well to a politician willing to embrace reform.

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1136491638393792092006-01-05T14:54:00.000-05:002006-01-05T15:56:25.826-05:00

Lucy Baxley kicked off her gubernatorial campaign Wednesday in Montgomery. Media coverage of the event can be found here, here, here, and here.Baxley's biggest challenge was to successfully articulate why she wanted to be governor and what she would do if elected. And while she didn't embrace a big idea (e.g. constitutional reform) or outline specifics of her platform , she did at least discuss

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1136439430742124522006-01-05T07:12:00.000-05:002006-01-05T03:02:20.360-05:00

Though the Abramoff/GOP/Indian Gaming scandal has been brewing for months, the situation finally reached critical mass this week as Abramoff, a onetime GOP super-lobbyist, agreed to cooperate with the Justice Department in the ongoing investigation into Congressional corruption.The whole Abramoff business is pretty sordid and complex. It's been difficult to keep up with all of the details, but

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com82tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1136327674371662422006-01-04T07:50:00.000-05:002006-01-04T01:50:40.050-05:00

The press is reporting that former GOP super-lobbyist Jack Abramoff has agreed to a plea deal with the Justice Department. Abramoff has been accused of giving perks and favors to members of Congress in exchange for favorable treatment of his lobbying interests. Under the deal Abramoff will cooperate with the investigation and presumably name names of those who cooperated with his illegal

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1136259971325905372006-01-04T07:24:00.000-05:002006-01-04T01:51:30.620-05:00

Tom Parker recently compared his Republican colleagues on the all GOP Alabama Supreme Court to "liberal activists".In a New Years Day op-ed in the Birmingham News, Parker lambasted the other 8 members of the unanimously Republican Alabama Supreme Court for following precedent on an US Supreme Court ruling that outlaws the execution of individuals who committed crimes as minors.While serving in

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com78tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1136306377027223232006-01-03T11:35:00.000-05:002006-01-03T12:12:06.280-05:00

As far as I know Democrats are still without a candidate to take on Mike Rogers (R-Anniston) in the 3rd congressional district. I've discussed previously why Rogers is not altogether safe in that district, but Democrats have had an understandably difficult time recruiting a candidate to take on the well-financed incumbent.Democrats in many parts of the country are turning to military veterans to

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1136257257031690462006-01-03T00:02:00.000-05:002006-01-03T00:32:49.720-05:00

Lucy Baxley is scheduled to publicly announce her gubernatorial campaign tomorrow in Montgomery. Though she's made no secret about her upcoming campaign for the past several months, the announcement tomorrow will serve as her official entry into the race.Baxley has been criticized for her campaign's lack of specifics on substantive issues. Since her posts as State Treasurer and Lieutenant

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15815017.post-1136151650108121512006-01-01T16:27:00.000-05:002006-01-01T16:40:58.133-05:00

Taylor Bright at the Huntsville Times has a piece out today that takes a look at the developing blog scene in Alabama politics. Bright talked to myself and a couple of other Alabama bloggers as well as the usual academic suspects.I am not of the school of thought that blogs are going to immediately revolutionize politics or the media. But blogs certainly can (and do)have an impact on the

PoliSciZacnoreply@blogger.com2