2018 statewide election ad roundup: August 31 edition
The November 6 general election is less than 70 days away and Alabama’s candidates have taken to the internet and the airwaves with campaign ads in hopes of swaying Yellowhammer State voters to their side. For the third week in a row, Walt Maddox was the only statewide candidate to release a new ad; the latest in a series of ads where an invisible announcer addresses an empty debate podium labelled “Kay Ivey,” asking the podium a series of questions. The empty podium never answers; leaving the announcer to ask “Governor Ivey? Governor?” Maddox then responds to the question himself, securing his positions on issues from his pro-life stance, to Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh‘s confirmation. This week Maddox addresses the topic of school safety. Gubernatorial ads Democrat Walt Maddox: Title: Debate Topic #6: School Safety Published: August 27, 2018 Tone: Intense
It’s Election Day in some cities in Alabama
It’s Election Day! In August? Yep. Some big municipal elections are happening in many cities in the Yellowhammer State today; Auburn and Bessemer are among those who will have a chance to elect a new mayor, and members of the Huntsville and Mountain Brook communities will be electing city council seats. Oneonta, Jacksonville and Opp are holding elections for their city school boards; and the city of Ozark will decided today whether or not they will allow alcohol sales on Sunday. According to the Alabama Secretary of State’s office, the following elections will be held today: City of Huntsville – Regular Municipal Election – City Council Seats City of Opp – School Board Election – Districts 1, 2, and 4 City of Mountain Brook – Municipal Election – City Council Seats City of Oneonta School Board Election – Places 2 and 4 City of Ozark – Election for Sunday Sales of Alcohol City of Scottsboro – Municipal Election – City Council Seats City of Auburn – Regular Municipal Election City of Phenix City – Referendum for Elected City School Board City of Muscle Shoals – Ad Valorem Tax Election for Educational Purposes City of Bessemer – Regular Municipal Election City of Jacksonville – School Board Election – Places 1 and 2 Sample Ballots and full lists of candidates for some cities: City of Huntsville City of Mountain Brook City of Bessemer City of Auburn
Five things you need to know about Bob Vance
Now that the runoff elections are over, voters are turning their attention to the November General Election less than 90 days away. In the race for Chief Justice, Democratic nominee Judge Bob Vance ran without opposition in the June 5 primary. Now he moves to the General Election, facing Republican nominee Associate Justice Tom Parker. With that in mind, here are the five things you need to know about Bob Vance: 1. Worked as a lawyer for 16 years before becoming a judge Vance attended the University of Virginia School of Law, returning to Birmingham in 1986 to join the law firm of Johnston Barton Proctor Swedlaw & Naff. There, he focused his practice on several forms of litigation, including commercial and class action defense and employment cases, according to his campaign website. 2. He’s been a Circuit Judge since 2002 Vance was appointed to fill a vacancy in the Jefferson County Circuit Court in 2002 – and it stuck. 3. He ran for re-election in 2004, 2010 and 2016 — without opposition. Since his appointment in 2002, Vance has sought re-election to the seat three times, running without opposition. As a Circuit Judge, Vance has presided over numerous civil actions cases including: medical malpractice, automobile accident disputes, and workers’ compensation claims. 4. He’s run for this seat before In 2012, Vance entered what he knew was going to be an uphill battle for the Chief Justice seat, running against former Chief Justice Roy Moore. Although he knew the fight to the top would be tough, Vance came within 4 points of beating Moore. “We have gotten our message out effectively. We have competed against a very well-known opponent in a very red state, and we have fought down to the wire, and I am proud of our efforts in that regard,” Vance told AL.com. 5. He’s the son of Robert S. Vance, former chairman for the Alabama Democratic Party Robert S. Vance was the Chairman for the Alabama Democratic Party in the mid 1960’s. “He was very much a supporter of the Civil Rights Movement,” Bob Vance told AL.com. “He got involved in politics and eventually he was elected as chair of the Alabama Democratic Party, I believe in 1966.” In 1989, Robert Vance received a package, he brought it inside, and placed it on the table in front of his wife. As he opened the package a pipe-bomb exploded across the kitchen, killing Vance, and severely injuring his wife. “At first I was angry. I was angry and frustrated,” Vance continued. “And of course for a while I had those questions. Who did this, Why did he do it?” In 1991 Walter Leroy Moody was convicted of killing Vance, Moody himself was executed by the state of Alabama earlier this year.
Walt Maddox has more cash on hand, more individual donors than Kay Ivey
Campaign finance reports filed this week with the Secretary of State’s office show gubernatorial candidates Walt Maddox and Kay Ivey very close to one another in campaign fundraising; with Maddox showing more cash on hand. This week, benefiting from individual donations from across the state, Maddox closed the gap between himself and Ivey garnering almost $246,000 in campaign contributions. Ivey raised just a hair more than Maddox, reporting $248,523 in campaign contributions. The real difference is in the cash on hand totals. Last month Maddox reported $222,442 in cash on hand after receiving numerous donations from a plethora of individuals, while Ivey’s report revealed she had $458,674 in cash on hand. After this week’s filings, Ivey showed $271,477 in cash on hand while Maddox reported $313,249 in cash leftover from the month’s expenditures. “We are very encouraged by the latest fundraising report. Not only are we neck and neck with Kay Ivey in this month’s total, we have more cash on hand. Most exciting is the fact that we had over 40 pages of individual donors and Kay only had 12,” said Maddox’s Communications Director Chip HIll. “This continues to be a great indicator of the popular support that’s out there for Walt Maddox as more and more voters, Republicans and Democrats, respond to Walt’s vision for Alabama. While we certainly feel momentum is in our favor, we know that Kay Ivey is a formidable opponent who after 30 plus years in Montgomery knows how to find money.” Kay Ivey Campaign finance report – July: Kay Ivey Monthly Campaign Finance Report – July 2018 Walt Maddox Campaign finance report – July: Walt Maddox Monthly Campaign Finance Report – July 2018
2018 statewide general election ad roundup: August 3 edition
The November 6 general election is less than 100 days away and Alabama’s candidates have taken to the internet and the airwaves with campaign ads in hopes of swaying Yellowhammer State voters to their side. This week, both gubernatorial candidates rolled out the big guns introducing their first tv ads for the general election to voters across the state and displaying qualities they believe make them excellent candidates for the position. In Governor Kay Ivey‘s new ad she highlights her success in preparing students today for the jobs of tomorrow by praising her own “Strong Start, Strong Finish” education initiative to integrate Alabama’s early childhood education, K-12 education, and workforce development into a seamless educational experience for Alabama students. Democratic candidate Walt Maddox used a bit of word play in his new ad “Running.” In the ad, Maddox comments on the different types of “running” he’s done in his lifetime: running as a football player, running one of the state’s largest cities, running as a way to improve mental clarity, and stay in shape; and running for governor. Gubernatorial ads Republican Kay Ivey: Title: Strong Start, Strong Finish Published: August 2, 2018 Tone: Optimistic Democrat Walt Maddox: Title: Running Published: July 31, 2018 Tone: Thoughtful
Kay Ivey side-steps debate with Walt Maddox
Republican Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey on Friday dismissed a challenge to debate Democratic Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox ahead of the gubernatorial election, saying only reporters and her opponent care about debates. “There are only two people that ever bring up the subject. Y’all in the media and my opponent,” Ivey said in response to a question about it. Ivey, who automatically became governor last year when then-Gov. Robert Bentley resigned in the fallout of a scandal, faces Maddox in the November election. The Tuscaloosa mayor, who is running on a platform of establishing a state lottery to fund education programs, challenged Ivey this week to a series of four debates. Asked twice if she would be willing to debate Maddox, Ivey repeated a statement from her campaign that Maddox should instead debate “himself” because he had been inconsistent on issues. “When he finishes debating himself he can talk,” Ivey said. Speaking to reporters after a Friday speech in Montgomery, Ivey said she believes the people of Alabama support her agenda. She cited a poll that showed her to be one of the most popular governors in the nation. Ivey did not debate her opponents in the GOP primary. Incumbent governors perceived as front runners sometimes avoid debates with challengers. In 2014, Bentley refused to debate his Democratic challenger Parker Griffith. Griffith responded by erecting a giant inflatable duck in downtown Montgomery to jab Bentley for “ducking” a debate with him. Griffith lost. During the GOP primary, Ivey’s Republican primary challengers argued that unlike elected incumbents Ivey has never been vetted for the position of governor. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Two Alabama House District races decided after provisional ballot counts
Out of the more than 20 runoff elections statewide, a few races resulted in a race just too close to call, including both Mobile County House District 102, and Chambers and Lee County House District 38. Both races were decided Tuesday evening after the counting of provisional ballots in each district, with Satsuma Police chief Shane Stringer winning House District 102, and Debbie Wood winning House District 38. In the District 102 race, Stringer went head to head with The Call News Publisher and owner Willie Gray. The two were neck-and-neck after the runoff receiving a total of 5,103 votes, with Stringer garnering only 25 more votes than Gray. After the counting of provisional ballots Stringer maintained his lead and won the race with a final margin of only 28 votes; 2,580 for Stringer to 2,552 for Gray. “A lot of people have worked really hard this last year on our campaign and we will be forever grateful, Gray posted on Facebook. “The provisional ballots were counted today and we have come up short. I can’t thank my family and friends enough for their support during this year-long process. I want to congratulate Shane Stringer on a hard-fought race. Now, let’s get back to making our district the best ever! Stringer faces no opponent in the November general election, giving him an automatic win for the district. Wood however, will face her democratic opponent Brian McGee in the November general election after winning her race by even closer margins than Stringer. Wood received 2,165 votes compared to her runoff opponent Todd Rauch‘s 2,159 – giving her a six vote lead heading into the provisional ballot counting. The margins remained the same Tuesday night, and Wood secured the Republican nomination with only a six vote lead. “I’m very humbled and very excited and I look forward to facing my opponent in November,” Wood told AL.com. At this point neither Rauch nor Gray have filed for a recount, both conceding their opponents wins.
House District 102 winner to be announced today
Out of the over 20 runoff races statewide only a few resulted in a margin just too close to call, one of those races; Mobile County’s House District 102. The two candidates; Satsuma Police Chief Shane Stringer and The Call News Publisher and owner Willie Gray were neck-and-neck receiving a total of 5,103 votes, with Stringer garnering only 25 more votes than Gray. However, the outcome of the race remains to be seen due to provisional ballots in the county that haven’t been counted. According to a news release from the Probate Court in Mobile county, there were 154 provisional ballots in Mobile County cast last week, with 58 in House District 102. The probate court was still counting the votes Tuesday afternoon. Whichever candidate is claimed the winner Tuesday will automatically win in the November General Election, as there is no Democratic opponent for the House seat. Both candidates expressed their gratitude for voters, volunteers and their continuing wishes on their campaigns Facebook pages. “We are humbled by the overwhelming support from our friends, family, and all of the Stringer supporters,” Stringer wrote. “Words cannot fully express the amount of gratitude that we have for the love that you all have poured into our lives.” “Please be in prayer today as we head to Probate Court and get the provisional vote count. We will send out an update as soon as we can,” Gray posted on Facebook. “Thank you all so much for your support and trust in this campaign. We know whatever happens it’s God’s will! God Bless District 102 and God Bless Alabama!”
Judge dismisses Troy King’s lawsuit against Steve Marshall
Attorney General candidate Troy King’s efforts to stop his opponent Steve Marshall’s ability to spend questionable campaign donations fell apart on Thursday when a Montgomery judge, Circuit Judge James Anderson, dismissed a lawsuit King filed against Marshall. It all began Monday, when in an eleventh hour effort kit announced a lawsuit he filed against Marshall — just one week before voters hit the polls to cast their ballots in the primary runoff election on July 17. King alleged that Marshall accepted $700,000 from the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA) political action committee and that the group uses money from other PAC’s to fund their own PAC; violating Alabama’s PAC to PAC money laws. King then sued Marshall on Wednesday, attempting to deter Marshall from spending the contributions. “Now, during the 2017 election cycle, according to RAGA’s public filings with the Internal Revenue Service, the RAGA’s PAC has again accepted a number of contributions from other PACs, including, earlier this year, nearly $16,000 from the J.P. Morgan PAC plus another $50,000 in PAC contributions in the last quarter of 2017. RAGA’s PAC has now, during the election cycle, made hundreds of thousands of dollars of contributions to Steve Marshall for Alabama, Inc,” said King’s lawsuit, according to WHNT. But Thursday afternoon a Montgomery judge, Circuit Judge James Anderson, dismissed the lawsuit, and denied King’s request for a restraining order against Marshall. “Anderson said the Republican PAC is federally regulated and questioned how he and state law would have jurisdiction over transfers that happened in another state,” the Associated Press reported. After the ruling, Marshall’s campaign released a statement accusing King of abusing the judicial process to stage a political stunt. “He did so routinely as AG and Republicans fired him in 2010 because of it,” the Montgomery Advertiser reported. “We are glad the court has confirmed this and look forward to getting back to the issues Alabama voters actually care about in the final days of this campaign.”
Steve Marshall shows fundraising lead over runoff opponent Troy King
In the race for Attorney General, incumbent Steve Marshall is showing a substantial fundraising lead over his opponent Troy King, just ten days prior to the July 17 runoff election. The race has amassed a significant amount of attention from political PAC’s and voters alike, giving good reason for the millions accumulated and spent by both men. Although the title of “Attorney General” might not seem like the most glamorous title in Alabama politics, the position is viewed by many as the second most important job in state government. “The powers given by the state constitution and the Legislature are significant,” Retired political science professor Jess Brown told AL.com. “But the very nature of the office is that the occupant is the chief lawyer for this state and can, in fact, go represent state government even when they don’t want him to.” A look at the numbers Marshall is financially in the lead with $2.4 million raised for his campaign. Thus far he’s spent $2.1 million of those dollars. King follows a significant amount behind having raised $1.8 million, and spending $1.7 million. Both men received a bump in donations after the June 5 primary, but King holds the edge here; Marshall garnered $257,000 in donations, while King amassed $302,000. Both men paused their campaigns after the unexpected death of Marshall’s wife Bridgette Gentry Marshall in late June. Resuming his race on June 30, King vowed to keep on message of his political record and qualifications going forward. Marshall resumed his race earlier this week, saying Bridgette would have wanted him to get back to work and serve the people of Alabama.
AG Steve Marshall resumes his campaign in wake of wife’s death
Incumbent Attorney General Steve Marshall has pressed play on his campaign after pressing pause due to the untimely and tragic death of his wife Bridgette Gentry Marshall. Marshall explained he is honoring his wife’s memory by continuing the campaign saying she would have wanted him to get back to work and serve the people of Alabama. “In the week following Bridgette’s passing, I have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support my family has received. Bridgette was a precious wife, mother, daughter, and friend. She was the brightest light in my life and in so many others,” Marshall posted to his Facebook page. “As we move forward, I am choosing to honor Bridgette’s memory in all that I do. Right now, that means getting back to work and continuing to serve the people of Alabama.” Marshall’s opponent Out of respect and in solidarity for Marshall, his primary runoff opponent Troy King also paused his campaign when he heard the news of Bridgette’s death. Resuming it on June 30, King vowed to keep on message of his political record and qualifications going forward, “I commit that I will keep my campaign to a discussion of our political records and our Republican qualifications and allow the voters to decide this race on the merits alone — seemingly a change of course from his previous strategy. In the weeks prior to Bridgette’s death, King and Marshall found themselves exchanging political jabs, but both candidates seem resolved to keep things civil for the coming weeks. King and Marshall face-off in the runoff election on Tuesday, July 17.
John Merrill expects 15 to 18 percent turnout in July 17 runoff
The July 17 primary runoff is only 12 days away, and while candidates plead with voters over the airways, Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill says to expect a high turnout for the election. He expects anywhere from 15 to 18 percent of voters to show up to the polls. “I think it will be that high, even though that’s a low number, I think it’ll be that high in the runoff because we have the Lieutenant Governor’s race, we have the Attorney General’s race, and so we’ve got some interest,” Merrill told Yellowhammer News. Merrill predicted a voter turnout of 25 to 30 percent in the June 5 primary election, showing his prediction prowess as 26 percent of the Yellowhammer State’s registered voters made their voices heard at the polls according to the tabulations. In December, Merrill had also estimated 25 percent of voters would turnout for the highly contested special election between Doug Jones and Roy Moore; but more than 1.3 million voters participated, 40 percent. The 2010 primary runoff drew almost 23 percent of Alabama voters, and in 2014 it was turnout was only 11 percent. There are nearly 3.4 million registered voters in Alabama.
