Alabama sheriffs can still pocket jail food funds, until the legislature acts
In two memos sent Wednesday, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey announced Alabama sheriffs may no longer personally profit from a very small portion of jail food funds: those state funds allocated for services in preparing and serving food to people in their jails. “Public funds should be used for public purposes – it’s that simple,” Ivey said in a statement. Yet, some advocacy groups is pointing out the fact that contrary to what many believe, the memos do not yet fully fix the problem of sheriffs personally pocketing these public funds. Alabama Appleseed — a non-profit, non-partisan organization whose mission is to work to achieve justice and equity for all Alabamians that is currently suing, along with the Southern Center for Human Rights, 49 Alabama sheriff’s who have refused to turn over public records of jail food funds — says Ivey’s directive will have little practical impact on the problem it seeks to address. According to the group the reason Ivey’s memos won’t work is technical: the Governor’s memos only prohibit sheriffs from personally profiting from what is referred to in § Ala. Code 14-6-43 as “food service allowance funds”. Whereas memos fail to stop sheriffs from pocketing the far larger amounts of state monies that are provided, per §Ala. Code 14-6-42, for the cost of food itself. Thus, Ivey can’t unilaterally stop the sheriffs from keeping excess funds, only lawmakers can do that. Which is exactly what she’s calling on them to do in the next legislative session: change the laws. The devil’s in the details The food service allowance funds make up a small fraction of the total amount that a sheriff receives. In 2017, across the state, sheriffs received $204,605.10 in food service allowance funds, and the far larger sum of $4,991,500.50 for food costs. Translation: the food service allowance, which the Governor’s memo addressed, constituted less than 4 percent of the total amount of state jail food money that was given to sheriffs last year. “Unfortunately, unless this directive is revised, sheriffs will continue to pocket large amounts of taxpayer money from jail food accounts,” said Aaron Littman, an attorney at the Southern Center for Human Rights. “For decades some Alabama sheriffs have abused the public trust by placing personal profit over meeting the basic human needs of people in their care,” added Frank Knaack, executive director of Alabama Appleseed. “We thank Governor Ivey for taking the first step to rein in this abuse and urge Alabama legislators to heed her call to end this for good.”
New EPA acting chief, Andrew Wheeler reassures agency’s staffers
The new acting head of the Environmental Protection Agency is telling agency staffers that he has their backs and will seek their input as he sets the way forward for the troubled agency. Andrew Wheeler spoke to EPA staffers Wednesday for the first time since Scott Pruitt quit as agency administrator last week after months of ethics scandals. Wheeler made no mention of the allegations that led to Pruitt’s resignation. But he told staffers he understands how stressful management changes are. Wheeler, speaking at agency headquarters, told workers, “You will find me and my team ready to listen.” Pruitt had been battling federal investigations over his luxury spending, high security costs and other matters. He had also been accused of shutting out career staffers at the EPA. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Here’s how much statewide runoff candidates have raised, spent since the primary
The July 17 runoff elections less than a week away. Campaign finance reports have been filed weekly with the Secretary of State’s office since the June 5 primary. Looking a them now serves as a good marker of how much support candidates are receiving, and how much money they’re spending on their campaigns in hopes of cinching their party’s nomination. Recap of the month Statewide runoff races have taken a negative turn with Lt. Governor candidates Will Ainsworth and Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh firing shots back and forth at one another via television ads. Restarting their campaigns following the tragic death of Steve Marshall‘s wife Bridgette Genery Marshall, Marshall’s opponent Troy King vowed to keep on message of his political record and qualifications going forward. However, on Monday he filed a complaint against Marshall with the Alabama Ethics Commission, accusing Marshall and his staff of accepting PAC-to-PAC money despite the state’s ban. Even the race for Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries took a dark turn earlier this week after Gerald Dial released a campaign ad dredging up a 32 year old divorce document between his opponent Rick Pate and his ex-wife, Carolyn Pate. A look at the numbers Note: All numbers come from weekly campaign finance reports filed from period June 1 to July 6 Lieutenant Governor’s Race: Will Ainsworth Raised: $93,425 Spent: $568,543.94 Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh Raised: $513,300.57 Spent: $658,060.05 Attorney General’s Race: Troy King Raised: $421,610 Spent: $422,598.28 Steve Marshall Raised: $515,344.60 Spent: $263,341.06 Commission of Agriculture and Industries race: Gerald Dial Raised: $58,240 Spent: $209,533.40 Rick Pate: Raised: $97,100 [35,000 in receipts from sources other than cash] Spent: $152,766.52 Supreme Court place 1 race: Brad Mendheim: Raised: $178,050 Spent: $183,521.10 Sarah Stewart Raised: $11,000 Spent: $263,179.52 Civil Appeals Court, place 1 race: Christy Edwards Raised: $120,500 [Receipts from other sources $1,200] Spent: $129,110.69 Michelle Thomason Raised: $23,525 [$51,124.96 in receipts from other sources] Spent: $86,965.83 Criminal Appeals Court, place 2 Rich Anderson Raised: $7,600 Spent: $19,105.23 Chris McCool Raised: $87,000 [$1,448.86 in receipts from other sources] Spent: $107,820.36
Birmingham City Council meeting highlights: July 10, 2018
During the Birmingham City Council Meeting on July 10, 2018, the City Council voted on the following items: 1. An Ordinance approving, and authorizing the Mayor to execute, a Real Estate Sales Agreement with SPT Parking Deck, LLC, under which the City will sell property located at 2001 Morris Avenue and known as the “John Hand Building Parking Deck” to SPT Parking Deck, LLC for a purchase price of $1,000,000.00 and further authorizing the Mayor to execute a statutory warranty deed and such other documents and instruments as are required to finalize the sale of the property. Was this item approved? Yes What does this mean? This parking deck is attached to the John Hand Building, which is partially owned by Shipt. Selling the parking deck to SPT Parking Deck, LLC (a subsidiary of Shipt) will allow Shipt to ensure that they have parking rights to the building long term. The company is seeking to hire 881 new employees over the next 3 years, and want their new hires to have comfortable and easy access to their offices. Next Steps: For more information, please contact the Office of the City Council at 205.254.2294 ——— 2. An Ordinance to establish an Amnesty Program for the payment of certain outstanding minor traffic, parking and non-moving violation tickets from July 17, 2018 through September 17, 2018. Was this item approved? Yes What does this mean? A two-month amnesty period has been approved by the Council for residents to pay off minor traffic, parking and non-moving violations without additional fines and other other penalties from July 17 – Sept. 17. For more information on the amnesty program, please call 205 254 2161 or vis https://www.birminghamal.gov/municipal-court/ Next Steps: For more information, please contact the Office of the City Council at 205.254.2161. ——— 3. A Resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute a Project Agreement with Shipt, Inc., under which Shipt, Inc. will undertake a project to maintain and grow its headquarters in the City by hiring an estimated 881 new employees and will implement the City’s newly developed Talent Investment Program (TIP), Talent Acceleration Program (TAP), and Talent Optimization Program (TOP) as part of such project, and the City will provide incentives to Shipt of up to $1,762,000.00, payable over a term of up to five (5) years on the basis of $2,000.00 per each new employee, with such funding to be used by Shipt, Inc. as reimbursement for the cost of implementing TIP, TAP and TOP, with the City’s incentive payments to be capped at $800,000.00 for the first year and $1,000,000.00 for each subsequent year, subject to the overall payment cap of $1,762,000.00. Was this item approved? Yes What does this mean? An estimated 881 new jobs are expected in the city as part of the incentive package for Shipt Inc. that was unanimously approved by the Birmingham City Council; the average salary of those positions is expected to be $50,000. Shipt Inc., a Birmingham-based tech company that was acquired by Target for $550 million last year, recently announced their intentions to maintain and grow their headquarters in Birmingham. The workforce investment strategy is threefold, according to Dr. Josh Carpenter, Director of the Office of Innovation and Economic Opportunity for the City. Collectively it will be known as the “Putting People First” program. Talent Investment Program (TIP): Provides additional funding for the company to recruit high-demand, hard-to- reach occupations. Talent Acceleration Program (TAP): Designed to take workers who may be low-skill and low-wage and set aside funding for those employees to access new tuition pools and learn new skills while furthering their education. Talent Optimization Program (TOP): This component is designed to help the company hire local talent. It pushes additional funding to the company as a way to hire graduates from Innovate Birmingham graduates and residents of the city. It creates a pool of funding to partner with universities and other local entities to train mid-level managers, a group that Carpenter said there is a shortage of in Birmingham (70 percent of Innovate Birmingham participants are city residents). For more information on the Agreement, please read this. ••• Meeting highlights provided by the Birmingham City Council Public Information office.
Donald Trump will get red carpet treatment in U.K., and big protests
President Donald Trump will get the red carpet treatment on his brief visit to Britain beginning Thursday: Military bands at a gala dinner, lunch with the prime minister at her country residence, then tea with the queen at Windsor Castle before flying off to one of his golf clubs in Scotland. But trip planners may go out of their way to shield Trump from viewing another aspect of the greeting: an oversized balloon depicting the president as an angry baby in a diaper that will be flown from Parliament Square during what are expected to be massive gatherings of protesters opposed to Trump’s presence. Rarely has a foreign leader been so mocked on an official visit — London’s mayor, a Muslim who has challenged Trump’s world view — okayed the balloon, which is an apt symbol of Trump’s tempestuous relationship with Britain, traditionally the United States’ closest ally. It is not simply the protesters, who are expected to dog Trump throughout his visit, including his weekend in Scotland, but his fraught relationship with political leaders accustomed to harmonious exchanges with U.S. leaders, a tradition of unity that goes back at least to the vital World War II partnership of Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill. Trump may have ruffled feathers again when he said just before departing for Europe that the UK was in “turmoil,” suggesting it was “up to the people” to decide if Prime Minister Theresa May remains in power after a few days that saw her authority challenged by the resignation of two prominent Cabinet ministers protesting her Brexit policy. He has clashed in the past with May — even though she is a fellow conservative who shares his view that defense spending should be hiked — and with her predecessor, David Cameron, who challenged Trump’s anti-Muslim campaign stance as “divisive, stupid and wrong.” Labour Party legislator Paul Flynn, who has criticized Trump in Parliament, says Trump has outraged Britons — and people around the world — with his harsh treatment of immigrants. “Give us your weary and your oppressed and we’ll divide you from your children,” he said of Trump’s policies. “It seems so un-American. We greatly respect America as a generous place built up by immigrants over the years. People see him as a cheap huckster who happens to have an office we respect as president of the United States.” Trump angered May and many Britons by tweeting inflammatory and unverified videos made by Britain First, an anti-Muslim group whose leaders have been convicted of hate crimes, and by characterizing parts of London and other cities as no-go areas because of a purported Muslim-related crime wave. His “America First” policies, including the decision to pull the United States out of the Paris climate accord and the nuclear deal with Iran, have brought him into conflict with Britain’s leaders over issues of real substance. Both of those accords were the result of years of painstaking diplomacy by European leaders — and Trump unilaterally trashed them. Top it off with the introduction of trade policies that have targeted some European industries — even though European nations are longtime friends accustomed to easy trade with the United States — and it is not surprising that Trump’s itinerary will keep him out of central London on Friday, when large protests are planned. The U.S. Embassy has even warned American citizens to keep a low profile during the visit because of the planned protests — the sort of warning usually issued in more volatile locations. U.S. Ambassador Woody Johnson said Wednesday citizens are often advised to avoid public demonstrations and that he is not upset by the decision to allow the “Trump baby” balloon to be displayed near Parliament. Trump has been quick to criticize British society, telling an NRA convention in May that the British didn’t have guns but had so much knife crime that one hospital was like a military war zone with its floors awash with blood — a statement quickly rebutted by British physicians and politicians. The antipathy between Trump and segments of the British public started during the 2016 presidential campaign, when Trump called for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States. That led roughly half a million people to sign a petition calling for Trump to be banned from entering the UK. British law requires any petition supported by more than 100,000 people to be considered for parliamentary debate, even though there was no serious attempt to prohibit Trump from coming to Britain. Still, lawmakers had no qualms about publicly calling Trump a demagogue and a fool. It was an extraordinary rebuke from a close ally. Prime Minister May has abundant reasons to seek a close relationship with Trump — not least, the United States will be an even more vital trade partner once Britain leaves the European Union next year — but it is an uneasy embrace, given her opposition to many of his key policies. May reached out to him just days after Trump was inaugurated, extending the invitation for a coveted state visit that would be hosted by Queen Elizabeth II, but that gesture has proved far more controversial than expected as Trump has shown little interest in maintaining “diplomacy as usual” with European allies. The state visit has never actually been scheduled — there is fierce opposition to it in many quarters of Britain — and this trip is part of a working visit instead, meaning among things that Trump will overnight at Winfield House, the U.S. ambassador’s handsome residence near Regents Park rather than in Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle as a guest of the queen. Winfield House has one of the largest private gardens in greater London — but it won’t be possible to see the “Trump baby” balloon from its grounds. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Shipt, Target execs address the company’s growth plans in Birmingham
Shipt’s roots in Birmingham are deep and the company’s chief executive and its new owner want to strengthen that connection. “We are committed to Shipt and we are committed to Birmingham,” Minsok Pak, chief strategy and innovation officer at Target, told an audience at Alabama Power’s corporate headquarters July 10. “We know that this is home. We know that this great company has come out of home. To see us and what Shipt can bring to our fulfillment capabilities and how it supports our strategy and how quickly we’ve been able to scale that, we’re real excited by that.” Target announced in December that it was purchasing Shipt, a Birmingham-based grocery delivery startup, for $550 million. Shipt continues to operate as an independent company with its own leadership team. Shipt founder and CEO Bill Smith said the company’s very essence is a result of starting and growing in Birmingham. “The quality of people that work with us as shoppers is really driven by Shipt starting here in Birmingham,” Smith said. “It’s the culture of putting people first and the way we think about treating people and kind of the Southern hospitality that is the heart of Shipt’s culture that has led to the success that we’ve seen and will continue to lead us in the future. “We’ve been able to create a personalized experience and deliver something really exceptional because of the shoppers. I think the ability to recruit those people is 100 percent credit to the culture of Birmingham and starting the company here.” Smith said Target’s purchase of Shipt has been a huge positive in helping the company grow to more than 150 markets across the country. “When Target acquired Shipt, at that point we were in 70 markets, so we have had a very busy year,” Smith said. He said Shipt has not only grown with Target’s 1,800 locations, but the company has continued to add retail partners apart from Target. He said Target gave Shipt a national anchor tenant to accelerate its growth. Smith said Shipt now has 50,000 shoppers working for the company and he expects to be at 100,000 by year’s end. “By the way, I will tell you if you get a call from Target and they’re interested in talking to you about your company, I highly suggest taking that call.” Pak said Target is also seeing the benefits of the Shipt acquisition. “The retail industry is an extremely dynamic place right now,” Pak said. “With all of this change that’s happening – constantly evolving consumers and technology – we have to follow rule No. 1, and that’s innovation has to be linked to our enterprise strategy. That means making sure that our innovation initiatives really matter to our core operations of the retail business. Shipt CEO Bill Smith. “Our partnership with Bill and Shipt is a prime example of this,” he added. “One of our strategic priorities, our strategic imperatives at Target, is to leverage our 1,800 stores as fulfillment hubs – helping our guests get the product when they want, where they want, how they want them. Shipt is an important, critical part to bringing this strategy to life.” Pak said when Target was looking at companies to acquire in keeping with its strategy, Shipt quickly stood out. “What made Shipt stand out for us? Well, it was the proven, customer-first approach of personalized delivery,” Pak said. “That personalized service and delivery is completely in line with another core element of our strategy and that is to elevate the shopping experience for our guest. We’re investing to elevate both the physical and digital shopping experience and that proven model of putting the customer first in Shipt’s model was perfectly aligned with us.” Tuesday, the Birmingham City Council approved incentives for Shipt, which is looking to add more than 800 jobs in the Magic City. The Jefferson County Commission is considering its own incentives at its meeting Thursday. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has announced she will be in Birmingham Thursday at noon for a “major economic development announcement” in the John Hand Building. Shipt is headquartered in the John Hand Building. Shipt said the success Shipt is enjoying in Birmingham is due to the hundreds of employees it already has here. “Sometimes you look at the CEO of a company and say, ‘Gosh, the CEO did all of that,’” he said. “But the reality is it’s all about the team and it’s all about the people that are working every day inside the company. I can tell you at Shipt, we have a tremendous team.” Republished with permission from the Alabama NewsCenter.
Dr. Cynthia McCarty elected Vice President of State Board of Education
During the monthly Alabama State Board of Educationmeeting on Tuesday, Dr. Cynthia McCarty of District 6 was elected Vice President of the Board. McCarty, who was elected to the State Board in 2014, will serve a one-year term. She is a longtime resident of Alabama and a passionate supporter of education. Dr. McCarty began her career in education at Jacksonville State University (JSU) in 1990, where she is now a Professor of Economics in the College of Commerce and Business Administration. For the past 20 years Dr. McCarty has also served as the Director of JSU’s Center for Business and Free Enterprise Education and Entrepreneurship. The Center provides professional development for K-12 teachers and education students, especially in the areas of economics, social studies, and personal finance. Dr. McCarty has also been involved with several other organizations. She currently serves as president of 3E, an organization that strives to enhance the connections between the business community and area schools. She is a member of the Alabama Council for Social Studies and has previously served as a Board member of the Alabama Council on Economic Education. Active in area Chambers of Commerce, she graduated from Leadership Calhoun County in 1999 and taught several sessions of Youth Leadership Calhoun County. In recognition of her contributions to the field of economics, Dr. McCarty was inducted into the Alabama Educator’s Hall of Fame in 2013. Jeff Newman, State Board representative for District 7, was elected as President Pro Tem. By virtue of her office, Governor Kay Ivey serves as President of the board. Watch the official video of Tuesday’s election here.
Personnel Note: Libba Vaughan to serve as new executive director for Leadership Birmingham
Libba Vaughan has been selected as Leadership Birmingham’s new executive director, the group’s board of trustees announced today. Vaughan, currently executive director for the Freshwater Land Trust, will serve as Leadership Birmingham’s fourth executive director, effective Sept. 1. Her selection follows an extensive search and selection by the organization’s executive search committee. Vaughan fills the role previously held by Ann Florie, who served in the position 14 years and recently announced her retirement. Vaughan previously directed the Freshwater Land Trust’s philanthropy and communications and served as the director of UAB’s office of Service Learning and Undergraduate Research.“Libba is an extremely talented and community-focused leader, and she’s just who is needed to carry on Leadership Birmingham’s long tradition of developing successful leaders,” said Mike Warren, chairman of Leadership Birmingham board of trustees. “Her drive to help make our city better now and for future generations is evident in her accomplishments with the Freshwater Land Trust and with other efforts she continues to successfully lead today. We are thrilled she is joining us.” “We are excited Libba is bringing her experience to this new role. Her enthusiasm for connecting people and bringing businesses and communities together to accomplish great things is infectious,” said Guin Robinson, chair of Leadership Birmingham’s executive search committee. “Our committee conducted a very extensive search and vetted a number of wonderful candidates. I am proud of their hard work and dedication in finding the best fit. Libba will undoubtedly help take Leadership Birmingham to the next level.” Vaughan is on the board of Alabama Possible, the UAB Honors College Leadership Board, and the One Great Community Council. She is a member of the Rotary Club of Birmingham and The Women’s Network. Vaughan, a 2018 graduate of Leadership Birmingham, led the Freshwater Land Trust’s successful land conservation, restoration and Red Rock Trail System projects, including the recently completed Kiwanis-Vulcan Trail. She also raised funds for the organization’s largest operating budget increase during her tenure. At UAB, she launched a faculty development program that increased university and community engagement. “Leadership Birmingham is vital to the success and prosperity of greater Birmingham,” Vaughan said. “It is the incubator and inspiration for ideas and connections and actions that make our region a better place for all of us, not just its graduates. “I am so proud of what the board, staff, partners and I have accomplished together at the Freshwater Land Trust and what they are positioned to do in the future. I am honored to be asked to build on my collaborative experience to serve Leadership Birmingham and continue and grow its transformative impact,” she said. More than 1,700 people have graduated from Leadership Birmingham since it began in 1983. The program’s purpose is to inform and educate participants through a series of issue-oriented monthly programs and is based on the belief that knowledge and relationships are key elements of effective community leadership. In addition, Leadership Birmingham directs programming for the Alumni Association and Youth Leadership Forum, a program for 10th- and 11th-grade students from public, private and parochial schools in Jefferson County. Republished with the permission of the Alabama Newscenter.
Kay Ivey mandates no more food funds in sheriff’s pockets
After several reports this year of Alabama sheriff’s stealing and pocketing hundreds of thousands of dollars meant for inmates food rations, Governor Kay Ivey has said, “no more.” On Tuesday, Ivey issued a memo to the state comptroller rescinding the Yellowhammer State’s policy of “paying prisoner food service allowances directly to sheriffs in their personal capacities.” Funds must now instead go straight to government accounts. “For decades, sheriffs have made extra money – sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars – under a Depression-era system by feeding prisoners for only pennies per meal,” the Associated Press reported. The previous guidelines allowed sheriffs to use $1.75 a day to feed each prisoner, then pocket anything that was left over. This practice led to Monroe County Sheriff Tom Tate to pocket $110,458 over the course of three years; and Etowah County Sheriff Todd Entrekin to collect $672,392 in 2015 and 2016. Ivey’s legal team used 2011 ruling made by former Attorney General Luther Strange to back-up the new mandate. “Based on the facts presented, neither the sheriff nor the county may use the surplus for any purpose other than future expenses in feeding prisoners,” Strange had said. The problematic precedent was previously set in 2008 when then-Attorney General Troy King ruled “the sheriff may retain any surplus from the food service allowance as personal income,” in a letter to Etowah County Commission Attorney James Turnbach. Alabama has one of the highest incarceration rates in the world with 946 people imprisoned per 100,000 people in the state in prison or jail. The state’s prison system has also faced some legal trouble. In 2014, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) and the Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program filed a lawsuit against the Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) to end the poor conditions in the state prison system, including the understaffing of both correctional and mental health workers.
Alabama ranks 2018’s 4th most energy-expensive state
Energy is expensive. In fact, it’s one of the biggest household expenses for American consumers — costing between 5 and 22 percent of families’ total after-tax income. While energy prices are typically lower in the south, that doesn’t always equate to lower costs. Consumption is a key determinant in the total amount of an energy bill and in Alabamians usually don’t think twice before cranking up the A/C when they’re hot. With July typically being America’s most energy-expensive month, personal finance site WalletHub took a look at the total monthly energy bills in each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia to glean a better understanding of Americans’ energy costs relative to their location and consumption habits. WalletHub analysts used a special formula that accounts for the following residential energy types: electricity, natural gas, motor fuel and home heating oil. Energy consumption and costs in Alabama (1= most expensive; 25= avg.): Avg. monthly energy bill: $341 26th: Price of electricity 2nd: Electricity consumption per consumer 7th: Price of natural gas 8th: Motor-fuel consumption per driver Alabama is in good company with its neighbor-states. Georgia ranks the 3rd most energy-expensive state and Mississippi the 5th worst. Here’s how Alabama compares to the rest of the country: Source: WalletHub
In Alabama, a onetime Donald Trump critic fights GOP challenger
As U.S. Rep. Martha Roby of Alabama chatted with a farmer after a meeting in her district on agriculture legislation, she was peppered with questions on a range of conservative issues. She was eager to answer. Border wall? She supports it. Abortion? Against it. The four-term Republican is underscoring her conservative bona fides as she fights for her political life. She’s facing off against another Republican next week in a runoff race that’s at least partially the result of her past criticism of Donald Trump. Roby, 41, angered some Republican voters during the 2016 campaign when she said then-candidate Trump’s lewd comments about women — infamously captured on the “Access Hollywood” tape in 2005 — made him “unacceptable” as a candidate for president. Two years later, some voters weren’t ready to forgive those comments. She captured only 39 percent of the vote in the June GOP primary, forcing her into a July 17 runoff against former Rep. Bobby Bright, who was once a Democrat but is now running as a Republican fully embracing Trump. The president came to Roby’s aid last month with a tweeted endorsement calling her a “reliable vote for our Make America Great Again Agenda.” That endorsement could prove to be Roby’s saving grace. Trump has endorsed the opponents of other GOP lawmakers who have criticized him, most notably Rep. Mark Sanford of South Carolina, who lost his primary race last month. Trump’s backing of Roby could persuade holdouts to support her. Her message is that her past criticism of Trump doesn’t undermine her conservative voting record in Congress. “My record is a strong conservative record that I stand by, that I believe does accurately represent the principles and priorities of the people in Alabama’s 2nd District — whether we’re talking about the military or farmers or veterans, fighting for the unborn,” she said after a campaign lunch with peanut farmers in Enterprise. On a humid Friday night, Bright, 65, met about three dozen people at the wood-paneled Vida Community Center, laying out his own conservative credentials. In answering a question about the 2nd Amendment, he noted he has 11 guns at home. “I am a Republican. Get that clear and spread the word. I am a Republican and I am proud of it, and I’ve been voting conservatively all my life. My conservative record is stronger than hers,” Bright said. Bright, the 13th of 14 children born into a sharecropping family in the district’s southern end, spent 10 years as mayor of Montgomery before being elected to Congress as a Democrat in 2008. Bright cast votes against some of his party’s key proposals, including health care reform. Roby unseated him in 2010. The 2nd District is a conservative swath that begins north of Montgomery and spans through the soybean and peanut fields in the southeastern corner of the state. The district is heavily agrarian. A boll weevil monument in Enterprise pays tribute the agricultural pest that prompted the region’s shift from cotton to peanuts and other crops. The district’s strong military presence is sometimes visible in the skies as planes from Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery and helicopters from the Army’s aviation program at Fort Rucker buzz overhead. Steve Tanner, a 60-year-old farmer from Greenville, Alabama, called Roby’s office in 2016 because he was upset about her Trump comments. But he said he plans to vote for her next week. “I think people need to get behind her and forget about it. She’s trying to work with us,” Tanner said. Tanner said he thinks many people misunderstood her comments, wrongly interpreting them as a backing of Hillary Clinton. Lynn Popwell of Marbury, Alabama, voted for Trump in 2016. She’s voting for Bright on Tuesday, saying she believes he will “shake things up” like Trump. “Everybody right now doesn’t want Washington. They want hometown. They want the guy next door who is your neighbor,” Popwell said. Like Tanner, Popwell said in 2016 she also reached out to Roby because she was angry about her Trump comments. While Trump loyalty has become something of a litmus test in the GOP ranks, there are some nuances. Soybean prices plummeted as concerns of a U.S-China trade war stoke anxieties among the region’s farmers. Popwell said she doesn’t agree with everything Trump does. “We live in the South and I’ll tell you my terms. He was the cleanest turd in the pasture,” Popwell said of her 2016 vote for Trump. Roby has a 5-to-1 fundraising advantage over Bright, who is largely self-funding his campaign. Roby has used the arsenal to hammer at Bright in television ads over his past as a Democrat, particularly his 2009 vote for Nancy Pelosi as speaker. “Democrat Bobby Bright voted for Nancy Pelosi to be speaker of the House when he was elected in 2008,” Roby said when asked why voters should choose her on Tuesday. Bright responds that he did not personally support Pelosi, but he said not voting for her would have ostracized him from House leadership and crippled his effectiveness in representing the district. Bright counters that Roby is the establishment candidate of Washington, out of touch with her district and the people in it. “It’s not about steak and lobster in D.C., it’s about peanuts and helicopters in Alabama,” Bright said. Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
Steve Flowers: Primary runoffs next week
Well folks, if you vote in the Republican primary you may want to go back to the polls next week and finish selecting the GOP nominees for several important state offices. If you are a Democrat the only reason you will need to vote on Tuesday is if you have a runoff in a local race and there are very few of those around. We are still a very red Republican state. There are 29 elected statewide officials in Alabama. All 29 are held by Republicans. When all the votes are counted in November, that 29 out of 29 figures will more than likely be the same in the Heart of Dixie. The Blue wave has not reached here. There were twice as many Republican voters, 590,000 to 283,000, as Democratic voters on June 5. In addition to having all 29 state offices held by Republicans, six out of seven of our members of Congress are members of the GOP. That will also remain the same when the dust settles in the fall. The only contested Congressional race is for the Second District, which encompasses most of the Montgomery River Region, including Elmore and Autauga Counties, coupled with the Wiregrass. It is a very conservative district. Therefore, it is a Republican seat. The winner of the GOP runoff between Martha Roby and Bobby Bright will be the Congressman. Whichever one is elected will vote consistently conservative with the GOP leadership in Congress. Roby is on the ropes because she vowed openly, two years ago, that she would not vote for Donald Trump for President. That unnecessary display of disloyalty has made her very unpopular in the district. Trump has a 90 percent approval rating among Republican primary voters in southeast Alabama. She would have lost two years ago if the primary had been held after her statement. There was an unprecedented number of write in votes against her. She has been considered very vulnerable since that time. National special interests stuck to their script and stayed loyal to the incumbent and loaded her up with Washington money. She was able to outspend her four male opponents by an over 2 to 1 margin. However, she fell short in the primary garnering about 38 percent. Bobby Bright received 27 percent and is well known and liked in the district. However, President Trump’s endorsement of Roby three weeks ago may have wiped the slate clean for Roby and given her a clear path to reelection. Winning the Republican nomination for Attorney General and Lt. Governor in Alabama is still pretty much tantamount to election in Alabama, although the Democrats have a viable candidate for Attorney General in young Joseph Siegelman in November. Don Siegelman’s son Joseph along with youthful Tuscaloosa mayor, Walt Maddox, have viable chances of winning as a Democrat in November. The GOP race for Attorney General has been the best contest in the primary season. Troy King began the race as the favorite and will probably prevail next Tuesday. There were four formidable horses in this race. King has previously served as Attorney General and therefore was perceived as the incumbent. Bentley appointee Steve Marshall had been a Democratic DA for a while. This one will boil down to who votes. In a GOP runoff, only the hardcore Republican base will vote. Those voters will not be excited about Steve Marshall who was appointed by Robert Bentley and as late as a few years ago was expediently a Democrat who was appointed by Don Siegelman. In fact, he voted for and contributed to Barack Obama. My guess is that folks will vote for Troy King, a lifelong Republican. The race for Lt. Governor will be close between Twinkle Cavanaugh and Will Ainsworth. This contest has attracted more attention and money than ever. The odds say that there is a 50-50 chance that whoever wins this contest next Tuesday will ascend to Governor over the next few years. Our current governor moved from Lt. Governor to Governor without being elected. It has happened more than once over the past few decades. If you vote on Tuesday, you will be in a pool of about 10 to 12 percent of voters. Therefore, if you show up, your vote will be enhanced exponentially. See you next week. ••• Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at www.steveflowers.us.
