Alabama Democratic Party offers Donald Trump congratulations, support
Tuesday night billionaire businessman Donald Trump swept the electoral map in a historic upset that left Democrats across the country shocked and the nation divided. But the Alabama Democratic Party is putting forth an effort to close the divide, offering the newly elected Trump their congratulations and support. “We congratulate the winners and offer our support as they attempt to unify our divided country,” said Nancy Worley, Chair of the Alabama Democratic Party. Worley continued, “we must all unify as a state and nation to guarantee that our children receive a world-class education in well-funded public schools. We must support our working men and women with job training and employment opportunities, higher pay, and affordable health care. We must protect our senior citizens ‘ retirement and Social Security, as we expand their options for long-term independent living.” Trump defeated his Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton — who would have been the country’s first woman President in its 240-year history — and succeeds Democratic Barack Obama, the first African-American President of the U.S. Clinton also congratulated Trump early Wednesday morning, shortly after the race was officially called in his favor. Later in the day, she delivered a somber concession speech where she told her supporters to have an open mind and give the future president a chance. “Last night, I congratulated Donald Trump and offered to work with him on behalf of our country. I hope that he will be a successful president for all Americans,” Clinton said. “Donald Trump is going to be our president. We owe him an open mind and a chance to lead.”
Redding Pitt, one-time head of state’s Democratic Party, dies
A one-time chairman of Alabama’s Democratic Party who also was chief federal prosecutor in Montgomery has died. Law partner Ken Riley says Redding Pitt died Sunday. He was 71. The cause of death wasn’t immediately released Monday. Pitt was a Decatur native who was chairman of the state Democratic Party from 2001 to 2005 after working as U.S. attorney in Montgomery for seven years beginning in 1994. President Bill Clinton appointed him to the federal position. A former Army captain in Vietnam, Pitt received a Bronze Star for service in the infantry and intelligence divisions. Party chairwoman Nancy Worley says Pitt was currently a vice chairman of the state organization. Pitt has been with the Birmingham-based law firm of Farris, Riley and Pitt since 2001. Republished with permission of the Associated Press.
State Democratic Chairwoman Nancy Worley optimistic of turning Alabama blue
Nancy Worley, chairwoman of the Alabama Democratic Party, knows her party has an uphill battle in winning elections in one of the reddest states in the nation. “We would love to see all of the Republicans replaced with Democrats,” Worley said. “Realistically, that won’t happen but, hopefully, we can turn this state from red, to purple, to blue.” While most state and local elections see an influx of voters during presidential elections, Worley says the biggest boon for Democrats is Republicans. “I think the Republican Party is helping us change people’s minds as much as we help ourselves through some of their terrible legislation,” Worley said. “Because their interests lie with the big money, corporate donors that give to the Republican Party. Their interests don’t lie with working people and families.” Worley said Alabama voters will “eventually wake up and start voting with their heads, instead of their hearts,” contending that Republican voters often vote with their hearts, and support the fight against President Barack Obama, Washington, or “some really erroneous idea that you can build a wall around countries.” Worley added that Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders‘ recent surge in the presidential race is inspiring young voters in much the same way Obama did in 2008. Chief among Worley and her party’s concerns are the economy, health care and education. “The economy is the No. 1 issue,” Worley said. “The economy is always the No. 1 issue because it drives people’s lives and how they function. Democrats have a really good record on that over the past eight years.” As a result, Worley offers that the federal minimum wage should be increased incrementally over a number of years. “When people make more money, they spend more money,” Worley said. “If you don’t follow that cycle, economic times get harder and harder.” While Worley acknowledged that topics such as equal pay, abortion, and same-sex marriage top many Democrats’ agenda, she prefers to focus on more substantive issues. “The Republicans try to make the election hinge on social issues,” Worley said. “We Democrats try to stick to ‘bread-and-butter’ issues. While the social issues are important to certain segments of each party, the entire election should revolve around the issues important to everyone.” Worley added that “Karl Rove-style politics” have only further divided the electorate, as well as its political parties, by inciting anger via hot-button issues. “Democrats are running a race that is more honest, open and relevant to the voters,” Worley said. “But sometimes that emotional outreach to get people angry has worked in Alabama.” Although Worley concedes that state Democrats will never have the financial support that Republicans have in this decidedly conservative state, she believes the tide is slowly turning for her party.
Judge dismisses Artur Davis’ suit against Alabama Democrats
It looks like former Democratic U.S. Rep. Artur Davis‘ dream of switching back to his old party after a flirtation with the GOP are dashed, at least for this cycle. A Mountgomery County judge dismissed Davis’ complaint against the Alabama Democratic Party, which denied his petition to re-join the party last week. A state party rule called the Radney Rule requires approval from the Executive Board of the Alabama Democratic Party for any candidate who wishes to switch back after going over to the Republican side of the aisle. Davis’ suit alleged discrimination, as several other Democrats-turned-Republicans have been welcomed back into the Democratic fold. The Harvard-educated former congressman and assistant United States Attorney is the first candidate in more than three decades to have been denied under the rule. Davis was seeking a Democratic bid for the Montgomery County Commission, but without the party’s approval, he will not have a “D” next to his name during Alabama’s March primaries. Judge Thomas Hobbs called Davis a “prodigal son” in his ruling, as said the board that denied his petition was well within its discretion to decide it was not in their best interest to allow Davis to run against more thoroughgoing Democrats. Aside from switching his party registration, Davis toyed with the idea of running as a Republican for Congress in Virginia, penned editorials for the conservative National Review, and even addressed the 2012 Republican National Convention. Davis said he would quickly file an appeal to the state’s high court. “We have always felt that the Alabama Supreme Court would have to be the court that resolved this issue,” said Davis in a statement. “Because the Democratic Party has applied a rule to me they have never applied to anyone else, there is obviously no case law that is directly applicable. It will fall on the Alabama Supreme Court to decide if a party can have one set of rules for one person and another set for everyone else.” Whether he would pursue an independent candidacy should that petition also be denied is not yet clear.
Judge holds hearing in Artur Davis lawsuit against Democrats
A judge is holding a hearing in former congressman Artur Davis‘ fight to run as a Democrat again. A Montgomery judge heard testimony Monday in Davis’ lawsuit against the Alabama Democratic Party. Davis wants to run for Montgomery County commissioner as a Democrat. Party officials refused to qualify Davis, citing his past support of Republicans. Davis was elected to Congress four times as a Democrat and ran for governor as a Democrat in 2010. However, he then announced that he had aligned himself with the GOP and spoke at the 2012 Republican National Convention. Davis’ lawsuit argues that he is being singled out and the party has welcomed back all other party-switchers, including former congressman Parker Griffith, who was the Democratic candidate for governor last year. Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
Hearing scheduled in Artur Davis’ effort to run as Democrat
A judge has scheduled a hearing on former U.S. Rep. Artur Davis‘ effort to run as a Democrat again. The judge on Tuesday said he will hear arguments Nov. 9 in Davis’ lawsuit against the Alabama Democratic Party. Davis wants to run for Montgomery County Commission as a Democrat. Party officials refused to accept Davis, citing his past support of Republicans. Davis was a Democratic congressman and ran for governor in 2010. He later announced he was aligning himself with the GOP and spoke at the 2012 Republican presidential convention. Davis had sought to force the party to accept his candidate paperwork by Friday’s deadline. James Anderson, a lawyer representing the state party, said they agreed to work with Davis on the deadline so the issue can be settled next week. Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
Artur Davis asks judge for restraining order against Alabama Democratic Party
Democrat-turned-Republican-turned-back-again Artur Davis has asked a Montgomery judge for an emergency order against the Alabama Democratic Party as he seeks to use the Democratic label in a run for local office. Davis, once a Democratic congressman and gubernatorial candidate, seeks an order forcing the state party to accept his paperwork to run for the Montgomery County Commission with a “D” next to his name. The party’s local executive board rejected his application for reinstatement in October, but Davis says the party is settling scores by unfairly singling him out for rejection. Davis left the party before the 2012 presidential primary season, helping Republicans and even speaking to the GOP national convention in Tampa that year. The former lawmaker, who represented Alabama’s 7th Congressional District from 2003 until 2011, says other Democrats who have had dalliances with the other side of the aisle have been accepted back into the party’s ranks. Beyond his legal quarrel with the Democratic Party, he also added that his newly moderate stances would find him in good stead with Alabama Democratic voters. Davis must be reinstated by the party by Friday in order to qualify for the county commission ballot. Things haven’t been going swimmingly for Davis since his second partisan change of heart. He was compelled to tell AL.com in August that he had “never been a customer of the Ashley Madison site,” referring to the online hookup site designed for married people seeking affairs. Davis’ name was included as part of the infamous leak of Ashley Madison users by GotNews.com, which he called “a fifth-rate blog that regularly smears politicians.”
