Twinkle Cavanaugh campaigning for fourth term
Alabama Public Service Commission (PSC) President Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh (R) is canvassing the state to convince voters to give her a fourth term in office. President Cavanaugh has made several recent campaign appearances in her quest for re-election. “Thank you for the incredible support we’ve received on the campaign trail! From the state’s northern mountains to the Gulf Coasts’ beaches, I’m on a journey to connect with YOU, my fellow Alabamians. I look forward to meeting each of you!” Cavanaugh said recently on X. Cavanaugh recently spoke to both the Escambia County and Fayette County Republican Party. “Thank you, John Killian, for the invitation to meet with the Fayette County Republican Party and fellow elected Republicans!” Cavanaugh said on X. Prior to these recent appearances, the Cavanaugh campaign visited rural Southwest Alabama. Cavanaugh is a wife, a mother, and a small business owner. Cavanaugh said on her website that she believes a sound energy policy is the foundation for providing maximum opportunity to American workers. Cavanaugh says she has established a model ethics policy, cut government waste to save taxpayers millions of dollars annually, and assured the return of hundreds of millions of dollars to Alabama consumers. Cavanaugh has been a vocal critic of the Biden Administration’s energy policies, which she claims have adversely impacted ordinary American families and businesses with higher energy prices. Twinkle was the first female elected as chairman of the Alabama Republican Party. She is a graduate of Auburn University. She is married to Jeff Cavanaugh, a veterinarian, and they have three children and two grandchildren. They are active members of First Baptist Church in Montgomery and are involved in numerous community initiatives. Cavanaugh was first elected to the PSC in 2010 as a commissioner before being elected PSC President in 2012. Cavanaugh is being challenged for the Republican nomination for PSC President by Dadeville businessman Robert McCollum. McCollum ran previously for the PSC in 2022 – ultimately losing to incumbent Commissioner Chip Beeker in the Republican primary runoff. The Republican primary on March 5 will likely be winner-take-all all as no Democrat qualified for the office. Republicans have a three to zero majority presently on the PSC. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Robert Lane McCollum is running for PSC President
Conservative businessman Robert Lane McCollum has announced he will run for President of the Alabama Public Service Commission (PSC) in the March 5 Republican primary. McCollum will be challenging incumbent PSC President Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh. McCollum had previously announced that he would run for Tallapoosa County Probate Judge. He announced on Monday that he will not be seeking that office. Earlier this year, he explored possibly running for Congress against incumbent Mike Rogers (R-AL03). McCollum previously ran for PSC Commissioner in 2022, ultimately losing in the Republican primary runoff to incumbent Commissioner Chip Beeker. “I have decided to leave the race for Tallapoosa County Probate Judge, and instead challenge Twinkle Cavanaugh for President of the Alabama PSC,” McCollum said. “A conservative state like Alabama cannot stand four more years of swamp creatures like Twinkle raising their utility bills year after year. Alabamians want a PSC President that looks out for them and not the special interests. Twinkle isn’t that person.” McCollum is a private business owner in Dadeville, Alabama. “I learned in 2022 that people getting rich on the backs of hard-working Alabamians will stop at nothing to keep a conservative political outsider off of the PSC, “McCollum said. “Twinkle never saw a light bill she didn’t want to raise, and that stops now. Tallapoosa County will be in excellent hands with Judge Talmadge East, but Alabama can’t take anymore.” The upcoming Alabama Republican Primary will be held on March 5, 2024. Republican candidate qualifying opens on October 16. Candidate qualifying for the Alabama Democratic Party is expected to open on September 29. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Alabama Power will not build controversial Chandler Mountain project
A controversial Alabama Power Company (APC) proposal to build a 15,000-acre pumped storage facility between St. Clair and Etowah Counties has been nixed by the company after landowners, the community, and an increasing number of elected officials came out against the Chandler Mountain Pumped Storage Project. The company said in a statement: “After careful consideration, Alabama Power has decided to withdraw its Notice of Intent to seek a license from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to operate a Pumped Storage Hydro facility at Chandler Mountain.” The controversial proposal would have involved the construction of five reservoirs on Little Canoe Creek north of Steele. The power company’s plan was to force water from one reservoir to another and back again to the first to start the process over again to produce hydroelectric power. Alabama Power already owns a number of manmade lakes on the Coosa River System, but this one would have had rapidly fluctuating water levels and a return that could have made the system self-perpetuating in periods of low rainfall and slow water flow. The communities along both sides of the Coosa River were staunchly opposed to the plan. The Company had requested a license from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The first public comment period on this proposal ended just a week ago, and the comments were overwhelmingly negative. Family farms would have been taken for the project, and numerous families would have been forced to relocate forever altering the lives of people in the community. There were also concerns that the project would adversely affect the wildlife in the river system, including reportedly an endangered species of freshwater mussel that lives in Canoe Creek. as well as concern that an initial drawdown of Neely Henry Lake to start the system would adversely affect lake residents. It appeared that Alabama Power Company had hopelessly lost the debate on this project when Public Service Commission President Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh expressed her public opposition to the project. “Alabama families and Alabama industries and businesses demand innovative solutions to fuel our future,” said PSC President Cavanaugh said on Twitter. “By the time this cost-prohibitive project could come online, our evolving technologies will make it antiquated.” This was followed by PSC Commissioner Chip Beeker’s announcement of his opposition to the project. State Representative Craig Lipscomb, who represents the affected communities, had already vowed to oppose the project. U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville’s staff recently told a group of concerned St. Clair County farmers opposed to the project that they were closely monitoring the project. Beeker and Cavanaugh blamed the Biden Administration’s energy policies which are forcing utilities to close affordable coal and natural gas-burning power plants in favor of less reliable carbon dioxide-free power sources like wind, solar, and in this case – hydroelectric. “First of all, we have now forfeited our sovereignty as a nation,” Cavanaugh told Yellowhammer News. “We’re letting all these European countries dictate our energy policy. They no more care about the environment than they do our high school football scores. Since they can’t beat our economy and our natural resources, they simply want to drag us down to their level.” Critics claimed that the Chandler Mountain Pumped Storage Project if built, would produce less electricity than a medium size coal plant would. Construction on this project would not have begun until 2031 – and that construction could not begin until FERC permitted the project. The regulatory process for such an ambitious project would have taken years – and given the public response, there was little confidence that FERC approval would have been forthcoming. The Alabama Power Company and other electric utilities are in a difficult situation due to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed new rule that the cut carbon emissions by 90% by 2030, while electricity demand sources due to high levels of immigration and the coming transition from internal combustion vehicles to electric vehicles (EVs) that have to be charged from the grid in order to function. These new rules will force electric companies to close coal, oil, and natural gas-powered power plants – the plants that produce most of the electricity used by this country. Nuclear power is another option, but nuclear power plants are very expensive to build, and the regulatory process is even more difficult than building a hydroelectric project. “Our guiding purpose is to provide clean, safe, reliable, and affordable power to the 1.5 million people and businesses that depend on us,” APC said. “As we look to the future, we recognize that alternative resources, as well as energy storage options, will be key in meeting the ever-changing needs of our customers.” Alabama Power acknowledged that public opposition played a role in the decision to abandon the project. “Alabama Power will continue to explore all available technologies with due diligence, striving to power a better Alabama in ways that align with the evolving needs and expectations of our customers,” APC said. “We appreciate the feedback received by all parties involved with the exploration of the Chandler Mountain project.” To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Alabama Power customers to get $62 million in rebates
On Tuesday, the Alabama Public Service Commission (PSC) voted to give $62 million back to Alabama Power Company customers. After reviewing Alabama Power’s financials, the PSC determined that the utility had overestimated fuel costs this winter. The vote to rebate the funds was a 3 to 0 vote at the PSC’s most recent meeting. The PSC regulates state-licensed monopolies. Alabama Power Company is guaranteed by the PSC to make a profit, but it cannot price gouge its customers. Alabama Power Customers are expected to get a credit on their August bills of about $20. “I think a direct refund is the best way to proceed here, but I also believe the refund would be more impactful if it is made during the summer when residential usage and, therefore, their bills are higher and would equate to a larger return for those consumers,” said Public Service Commission President Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh during the meeting. The purpose of the Alabama Public Service Commission is to provide a balance between regulated companies and consumers to provide consumers with safe, adequate, and reliable services at affordable rates. The PSC approved three rate increases for Alabama Power during 2022 due to rising fuel costs. The entities regulated by the APSC include privately owned corporations providing electric, gas, and water service to the public and select providers of telecommunication and wastewater services. Additionally, railroads, buses, trucking companies, and taxis operating outside police jurisdictions on a for-hire basis remain under the oversight of the APSC. Effective July 1, 2018, Transportation Network Companies were placed under the jurisdiction of the APSC pursuant to Alabama Legislative Act 2018-127. The APSC has a staff of 66. The PSC is governed by a president and two associate commissioners who are elected on a statewide basis. Each commissioner is elected to serve a four-year term, with the president’s term staggered by two years from the associate commissioners’ terms. The other two commissioners, Jeremy Oden and Chip Beeker, were just reelected in 2022. Cavanaugh faces voters in the 2024 presidential election. The State of Alabama has two primary electric power generators – the Alabama Power Company (a division of the Southern Company) and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). Because TVA is an entity of the federal government and the U.S. Constitution gives federal law supremacy over state law, the APSC does not have regulatory authority over TVA. Alabama Power has 1.5 million customers. Twenty-five percent of the company’s power is generated by burning oil and natural gas, 43 percent is produced by burning coal, 24 percent is nuclear, and 8 percent is produced through hydroelectric dams. 24.34% of Alabama Power’s costs are spent on fuel and purchased power. The company has total revenues of $5,678,066,345. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Steve Flowers: Inauguration day
The Inauguration of our Alabama Constitutional officials was Monday. Our state constitution calls for the Inauguration to be held on the third Monday in January. As you would expect, and as Almanac suggests, it is usually a cold day. Over the years, I have had countless folks harken back to their high school band experiences of marching in the Inaugural Parade, especially ladies who had been majorettes. They had to march and twirl a baton in 20-degree weather with skimpy, legless, bathing suit style attire. It left them with a lasting indelible memory of an Alabama Gubernatorial Inauguration. Mind you, I was not there, but every old-timer who has talked politics with me over the years and who have seen a good many inaugurations, will remark that the January 1963 George Wallace’s initial inauguration as governor was the coldest. There was a lot of frostbite that day. However, the inaugural address from George C. Wallace was hot and heavy. That was the day that Wallace threw down the gauntlet and declared, “Segregation today, segregation tomorrow, and segregation forever.” That was exactly 60 years ago. A lot has changed since that day. It was during the Wallace era that the Civil Rights movement changed the political landscape of the nation and especially in the south. Wallace was an integral part of that historical era. He watched it all unfold from his Goat Hill office overlooking Dexter Avenue, and he was the reason for a lot of the bloodshed. Every time I see an inauguration on the Capitol steps, I reminisce about the history that has been made in that block of Dexter Avenue in Montgomery. The men who wrote Alabama’s overtly racist 1901 Constitution and the crowd that howled in defiance as Wallace made his 1963 declaration would marvel at the change and diversity of today’s Alabama. It is poetic and ironic that this year’s Inauguration Day, January 16, 2023, was on the same day as Martin Luther King Day, a state and national holiday. Kay Ivey grew up in the heart of the Wallace Era in Wilcox County. She cut her political teeth campaigning for the Wallaces. She was especially involved with Lurleen Wallace’s 1966 governor’s race when she was a student at Auburn University. After Auburn, she worked for a while in Banking and teaching in Mobile. She began her Montgomery career as the reading clerk in the Alabama House of Representatives under the tutelage of Speaker Joe McCorquodale. Black Belters, like McCorquodale, controlled the House and the Senate. Kay Ivey’s melodious, pronounced Black Belt accent drew folks’ attention to her reading even the most mundane legalese for hours on end. She later became associated with the Alabama Commission on Higher Education. As their Public Relations and Governmental Affairs Director, she learned the legislative process. She entered the political arena in 2002 when she was elected State Treasurer. She served eight years in that post. She was then elected Lt. Governor in 2010 and reelected in 2014. In the middle of her second term, she became Governor after Dr. Robert Bentley vacated the governor’s office. She served out the last 18 months of his term and was elected in her own right as Governor of Alabama in 2018. She was reelected, overwhelmingly, last year. If Kay Ivey finishes out this four-year term, she will have been Governor of Alabama longer than anyone else besides George C. Wallace. She is the first woman to be elected as a Republican. She is the second female governor, the first being her idol, Lurleen Wallace, 56 years ago. Also inaugurated with Governor Kay Ivey were Lt. Governor Will Ainsworth, Attorney General Steve Marshall, State Treasurer Young Boozer, Agriculture Commissioner Rick Pate, Secretary of State Wes Allen, and State Auditor Andrew Sorrell. Jeremy Oden and Chip Beeker were sworn in for four-year terms on the Public Service Commission. Two Supreme Court Justices, Kelli Wise and Greg Cook, were sworn in for six-year terms in a special investiture last Friday. Justice Kelli Wise was sworn in for her third term. She has served 12 years on the Supreme Court and was on the State Court of Criminal Appeals for a decade prior to being elected to the high court. Justice Greg Cook was sworn in for his initial term on the high tribunal. He is a well-qualified and conservative jurist who will fit in well on the Supreme Court. It was a big day in Alabama politics. 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.
Inauguration for Gov. Kay Ivey will be January 16
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey was recently re-elected to a second term as Governor of Alabama. Gov. Ivey’s next four years will begin on January 16. Ivey and the other state constitutional officers will be sworn in at 10:00 am CST on the Capital steps in Montgomery. The festivities will begin on January 15 with the Made in Alabama Reception from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Governor Kay Ivey will kick off inaugural festivities by hosting an Alabama Made reception at the Alabama Governor’s Mansion. The traditional Morning Prayer Service will be held on January 16 at 8:15 am. The governor will begin inauguration day with an early morning prayer service at her home church, First Baptist Church in Montgomery. There she will petition our Heavenly Father for wisdom, guidance, and strength in leading the people of Alabama. The swearing-in Ceremony will follow at 10:00 am. With one hand on the Bible, Governor Ivey will take the oath of office on the Alabama State Capitol steps and publicly be sworn into her second term as governor. Other state constitutional officers likely to be sworn in include Will Ainsworth – Lieutenant Governor; Steve Marshall – Attorney General; Rick Pate – Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries; Wes Allen – Secretary of State; Andrew Sorrell – State Auditor, and Young Boozer – State Treasurer. Jeremy Oden and Chip Beeker were both re-elected to the Public Service Commission. All of Alabama’s statewide constitutional officers are Republicans. Following the swearing-in ceremony, celebrate newly inaugurated officials with a parade up Dexter Avenue that showcases and celebrates Alabama’s diverse communities and talent at 12:00 pm. Attending the parade is free for all Alabamians and their families. Before the Inaugural Gala, Governor Ivey will host an exclusive donor reception at 6:00 pm for her donors to personally thank those supporters who went above and beyond to keep Alabama working. The Inaugural Gala will be at 7:00 pm. A formal gala will be held to commemorate Alabama’s first Republican female governor and celebrate Governor Ivey’s dedication to keep Alabama growing. The Governor’s inauguration committee is still accepting opportunities for donors as she is sworn into office for a second term as Alabama’s 54th governor. A $100,000 contribution gets you to the Governor’s Circle Level. Those high-dollar donors receive ten tickets to the Alabama Made Reception, ten tickets to the Prayer Service, forty priority seating tickets to the swearing-in ceremony, eight tickets to the special Donor Reception, and forty reserved seating tickets to the Inaugural Gala as well as two full-page, four-color advertisements in the Official Inaugural Commemorative Program and acknowledgment in the program as a Governor’s Circle Level Inaugural Sponsor. A $50,000 donation is a platinum Level sponsorship. Those donors receive eight tickets to the Alabama Made Reception, eight tickets to the Prayer Service, twenty-four priority seating tickets to the swearing-in ceremony, six tickets to the special Donor Reception hosted by Gov. Ivey, twenty-four reserved seating tickets to the Inaugural Gala, full-page, four-color advertisement in the Official Inaugural Commemorative Program, and acknowledgment in the program as a Platinum Level Inaugural Sponsor. A $25,000 contribution is gold level. That purchase six tickets to the Alabama Made Reception, six tickets to the Prayer Service, ten priority seating tickets to the swearing-in ceremony, four tickets to the special Donor Reception hosted by Gov. Ivey, sixteen tickets to the Inaugural Gala, a full-page, four-color advertisement in the Official Inaugural Commemorative Program, and acknowledgment in the program as a Gold Level Inaugural Sponsor. A $10,000 contribution purchases silver-level sponsorship. That purchases two tickets to the Alabama Made Reception, two tickets to the Prayer Service, four priority seating tickets to the swearing-in ceremony, two tickets to the special Donor Reception hosted by the Governor, eight tickets to the Inaugural Gala, a half-page, four-color advertisement in the Official Inaugural Commemorative Program, and acknowledgment in the program as a Silver Level Inaugural Sponsor. $5000 is Bronze Level, and those donors receive two tickets to the Prayer Service, two priority seating tickets to the swearing-in ceremony, two tickets to the special Donor Reception, four tickets to the Inaugural Gala, a half-page, black-and-white advertisement in the Official Inaugural Commemorative Program, and acknowledgment in the program as a Bronze Level Inaugural Sponsor. Commemorative Program Ads cost $5,000 for one full-page, four-color advertisement; $3,500 for a one full-page, black-and-white advertisement; $2,500 for a half-page, four-color advertisement; and $2,000 for a half-page, black-and-white advertisement. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Libertarian Jimmy Blake says state needs to change ballot access law
On Friday, Jimmy Blake told Alabama Today that the State of Alabama has the most restrictive ballot access law in the country and that that needs to change. Blake was the Libertarian Party of Alabama nominee for governor in last week’s general election. On November 8, Blake received 45,823 votes – 3.25 percent of the votes cast – in his failed bid to be governor of Alabama. Kay Ivey was reelected to another term with 944,845 votes – 66.93% of the vote. Blake also was unable to achieve a high enough threshold for the Libertarian Party to have automatic ballot access in the 2024 election. “In 48 states, all but Kentucky and Alabama, I would have gotten enough votes for the party to have had ballot access,” Blake said. For a minor party to remain on the ballot in Alabama, one of its statewide candidates has to achieve 20% of the general election vote. Democratic nominee Yolanda Rochelle Flowers received just 29.16% of the vote in the governor’s race. That was the poorest showing for a Democratic gubernatorial candidate in Alabama history, down from Walt Maddox’s 40.4% just four years ago. None of the 65 Libertarian candidates on the ballot in last Tuesday’s general election were victorious. In the U.S. Senate race, Libertarian nominee John Sophocleus received just 2.32% of the vote (32,790 votes), and Democratic nominee Will Boyd received 30.87% (435,428 votes), while Republican Katie Britt received 66.64% (940,048 votes). Where Libertarians did best were in races where there was a Republican running but no Democrat. In the Lieutenant Governor’s race, Republican incumbent Will Ainsworth coasted to victory with 83.69% of the vote (955,372 votes). Still, with no Democrat in the race, his Libertarian opponent, Ruth Page Nelson, received 15.60% of the vote – 178,069 votes – still short of that 20% threshold required by Alabama state law. 1,411,756 people voted in the governor’s race, but only 1,141,507 votes in the Lieutenant Governor’s race, a drop off of 270,639 voters. Many of those voters who dropped off the ballot were Democrats who voted a straight-party ticket without making a preference in races where the Alabama Democratic Party failed to recruit a candidate. Candidate qualifying was over, and the ballot was set before new Democratic Party Chairman Randy Kelley was even elected. No Democrat won a statewide race on Tuesday. In fact, Doug Jones’s surprise victory over former Chief Justice Roy Moore in the 2017 special election for U.S. Senate is the only win for a Democrat in a statewide race in Alabama since 2008. The unlikely chance that a Democrat can win a statewide race in Alabama has made it extremely difficult for the Alabama Democratic Party to recruit candidates or for Democratic or non-Republican candidates to raise money. Where Libertarians came closest was in the race for Public Service Commission Place 2 race. There incumbent Republican Chip Beeker received 83.18% (929,248 votes), while Libertarian nominee Laura Lane received 16.05% (179,302 votes). “Laura Lane had enough votes for 49 states, even Kentucky, which has the second hardest ballot access at ten percent,” Blake said. The Libertarian candidates for PSC Place 1, State Auditor, and Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries all received over 14 percent of the vote in addition to Lane and Nelson. Blake said that Libertarians would be asking the Legislature to reform the state’s ballot access law. The last time the Libertarian Party of Alabama had ballot access was 2002. Then Sophocleus received more votes than the deciding margin between incumbent Democrat Don Siegelman and winner then-Congressman Bob Riley. Following that heavily contested race, the State Legislature changed Alabama’s ballot access laws to make it more difficult for minor parties to qualify for ballot access. The state requires a minor party or an independent candidate to turn in ballot access signatures of registered voters. To gain ballot access in this election cost the Libertarians over $240,000 and weeks of canvassing. The Party only completed the work in the days before the May 24 deadline. Without intervention by the Legislature or the court system, Libertarians will have to repeat that process if they hope to run statewide candidates in 2024. The 2024 election will include the statewide offices of President, PSC President, Alabama Supreme Court, and appellate judge. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Alabama Republicans dominate statewide races
As expected, Alabama Republicans won every statewide race. Kay Ivey was easily re-elected, and political newcomer Katie Britt will be the next U.S. Senator from Alabama. Republican incumbents Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth, Attorney General Steve Marshall, Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries Rick Pate, and Treasurer Young Boozer were easily re-elected. Republican State Representatives Wes Allen and Andrew Sorrell won the open Secretary of State and Auditor races. Republicans also held their supermajorities in both Houses of the Legislature and won the open State Supreme Court Justice race. Ivey won by an even larger percentage than in 2018 in 2022. Ivey had 69.9% of the vote as of press time. Yolanda Flowers’ 29.2% performance was the worst performance by a Democratic nominee in memory. Ivey improved her percentage victory by over 10% (69.9% versus 59.5%) of the vote; but actually had fewer votes than four years ago – 944,845 in 2022 versus 1,022,457 in 2018. Ivey’s two landslide victories makes her the most popular Republican governor in state history. Yolanda Flowers only received only 411,269 votes, whereas Walt Maddox received 694,495 votes. Ivey is the first Republican woman to serve as Governor of Alabama. She was already the longest-serving woman governor in state history and the first woman in state history to be re-elected as governor. Ivey won the 2022 election for governor, the 2018 election for governor, the 2014 election for Lieutenant Governor, the 2010 election for Lieutenant Governor, the 2006 election for State Treasurer, and the 2002 election for State Treasurer. This unprecedented run makes Ivey the most successful woman politician in the history of Alabama. Ivey, age 78, is also the oldest governor in the state’s history. Election night was hugely disappointing for Libertarians. While they did get ballot access for the first time since 2022, none of their candidates were able to get close to the 20% threshold needed to give the party ballot access in 2024 – even in statewide races where no Democrat even qualified. Gaining ballot access cost the Libertarian Party over $240,000 to get the necessary number of ballot access signatures to be on the ballot. If the party is going to be on the ballot in 2024, they will have to go through the ballot signature process. Libertarian candidate for Governor – Dr. Jimmy Blake, only received 45,825 votes (3.2%). It is unclear where Blake’s voters came from, disgruntled Republicans or Democrats who did not support Flowers. It was not a good night for write-in gubernatorial candidates. Dean Odle and Jared Budlong, representing the far right and far left respectively, received just 9,401 votes (0.67%). Since those votes will not be individually counted, so there is no way to know how many of those votes were Odle’s, Budlong’s, or someone else entirely. In the Senate race, Britt received 940,048 votes (66.6%). Democrat Dr. Will Boyd received 435,428 votes (30.87%). Libertarian John Sophocleus received 32,790 votes (2.32%). 2,454 Alabamians wrote in someone else. Britt is the first woman to win a U.S. Senate race in Alabama. In the Lieutenant Governor’s race, incumbent Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth won in a landslide. Ainsworth had 955,372 votes (83.69%). Libertarian Ruth Page-Nelson had 178,069 votes (15.60%) – far short of the 20% Libertarians needed to guarantee them ballot access in 2024. 8,066 Alabamians (0.71%) wrote in someone else. Incumbent Attorney General Steve Marshall coasted to re-election, receiving 953,284 votes (67.91%) versus 449,193 votes (32%) for Democrat Wendell Major. Major received more votes than any Democrat running statewide. In the Secretary of State’s race, Republican Wes Allen won 923,206 votes (65.9%). Democrat Pamela Lafitte got 435,558 (31.1%), and Libertarian Matt Shelby received 41,480 votes (3%). In the Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries race, incumbent Republican Rick Pate cruised to victory 944,021 (84.3%) over Libertarian Jason Clark 169,869 (15%). In the State Treasurer races, Republican incumbent Young Boozer trounced Libertarian Scott Hammond with 944,792 votes (83.75%) to 174,472 votes (15.47%). For State Auditor, Republican Andrew Sorrell won 947,719 votes (84.4%), while Libertarian Leigh Lachine had 166,243 votes (14.81%). For Alabama Supreme Court Place 5, political newcomer Republican Greg Cook won 941,059 votes (67.42%), while Democrat Anita Kelly received 453,518 votes (32.49%). Incumbent Republican Alabama Supreme Court Place 6 Kelli Wise was unopposed winning re-election 995,688 votes (97.51%). For Public Service Commission Place 1, Republican incumbent Jeremy Oden defeated Libertarian Ron Bishop 934,987 (83.73%) to 172,733 (15.47%). For Public Service Commission Place 2, incumbent Republican Chip Beeker received 929,248 votes (83.18%), while Laura Lane had 179,302 votes. Lane received more votes than any other Libertarian, but her 16.1% was still far below the 20% threshold that the Libertarians needed statewide. The Alabama Republican Party also retained its supermajorities in both Houses of the Legislature. Democrats flipped one Alabama House seat in Montgomery County (Charlotte Meadows), while Republicans flipped one Democratic seat in the Wiregrass (Dexter Grimsley). These numbers are all unofficial results from the Alabama Secretary of State’s office. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Election 2022: A look at who’s running on the Alabama ballot
Alabama voters will decide races ranging from U.S. Senate and governor to local offices in Tuesday’s election Polling places and registration status can be found on the secretary of state’s website, at https://myinfo.alabamavotes.gov/voterview. Voter turnout is expected to be moderate, according to a projection by Secretary of State John Merrill. Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. Here’s a quick look at major statewide races and issues: US SENATE Republican Katie Britt faces Democratic nominee Will Boyd and Libertarian John Sophocleus in the race for the rare open Senate seat in Alabama. Britt is outgoing U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby’s former chief of staff and the former leader of the Business Council of Alabama. Britt was endorsed by former President Donald Trump in the GOP primary and has emphasized border security, concern about the national debt and a need for new voices in Congress. Boyd, a pastor, supports Medicaid expansion and efforts to protect the Voting Rights Act. Sophocleus, a former college economics instructor at Auburn University, supports the abolishment of federal gun laws and the creation of a flat tax. GOVERNOR Republican Gov. Kay Ivey is looking to win a second full term in office as she faces Democrat Yolanda Flowers and Libertarian Jimmy Blake. Ivey avoided a runoff in the spring despite facing eight Republican challengers in the primary. Flowers, an educator, is the first Black woman to win a major party’s gubernatorial nomination in the state. Blake is a physician and a former Birmingham City Council member. LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR Republican Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth faces Libertarian Ruth Page-Nelson. There is not a Democratic candidate in the race. The lieutenant governor presides over the Alabama Senate. However, the most notable thing about the position is that the lieutenant governor becomes governor if the governor leaves office for any reason. Libertarians believe the race is their strongest hope of hitting the 20% vote threshold needed to maintain ballot access in 2024. SECRETARY OF STATE Alabama will elect a new person to the office that oversees elections. Republican Rep. Wes Allen faces Democrat Pamela Laffitte and Libertarian Matt Shelby. Allen, citing security concerns, opposes alternative means of voting such as curbside voting, mail-in voting, or allowing people to vote absentee for any reason. Laffitte supports expanded methods, such as early voting and no-excuse absentee voting, to make voting more convenient. Shelby supports changing Alabama’s stringent ballot access law that has made it difficult for third-party candidates to run. He also supports alternative systems such as ranked-choice voting. ATTORNEY GENERAL Republican Attorney General Steve Marshall faces Democrat Wendell Major. Marshall is seeking his second full term as Alabama attorney general. His campaign has emphasized his role in lawsuits challenging vaccine mandates and other policies of President Joe Biden’s administration. Major is the police chief of Tarrant. He has emphasized the need to address the state’s opioid crisis and mental health crisis. OTHER RACES — In the state treasurer’s race, Republican incumbent Young Boozer faces Libertarian Scott Hammond. — In the state auditor’s race, Republican Andrew Sorrell faces Libertarian Leigh Lachine. — In the race for commissioner of agriculture and industries, Republican incumbent Rick Pate faces Libertarian Jason Clark — In the races for Public Service Commission, Republican incumbents Jeremy Oden and Chip Beeker face challenges from Libertarians Ron Bishop and Laura Lane. — In the race for Alabama Supreme Court, Place 5, Republican Greg Cook faces Democrat Anita Kelly. NEW CONSTITUTION Alabama voters will decide whether to ratify the Alabama Constitution of 2022 that removes racist language, such as references to segregated schools and an interracial marriage ban. It also reorganizes the document, which has been amended nearly 1,000 times, to remove repealed provisions and make it more user-friendly. However, it makes no changes to how government operates. CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS There are 10 proposed statewide constitutional amendments. Those include Amendment 1, which would give judges more discretion to deny bail to people accused of violent crimes. Amendment 10 is a companion amendment to the ratification vote that would allow new amendments to be placed within the document. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
Wes Allen wins GOP nomination for Secretary of State, Dem gubernatorial nominations set
Voters selected the Republican nominee for Alabama’s top election official in the runoff Tuesday, and the general election race for governor was set as Democratic voters picked their gubernatorial nominee. Three other statewide races plus a U.S. House nomination also were on the ballot. Here is a look at the races: SECRETARY OF STATE State Rep. Wes Allen won the Republican nomination for secretary of state on Tuesday in contest that featured both candidates promoting the need to tighten election security in harmony with former President Donald Trump’s false claims that he lost the 2020 presidential race because of fraud. Allen defeated outgoing State Auditor Jim Zeigler and will face Democrat Pamela J. Laffitte, an Air Force veteran and corrections supervisor in Mobile County, in the general election to become Alabama’s top election official. Zeigler received the most votes among four candidates in the primary election in May, but Allen overcame the deficit. Allen, from Troy, previously served as probate judge in Pike County. Citing the potential for fraud, he opposed early voting and no-excuse absentee balloting and sponsored a law that barred “curbside” voting meant in part to make it easier for people with disabilities to cast a ballot. During the campaign, Zeigler dubbed himself a “watchman” against ballot fraud, so-called “ballot harvesting” and voting by mail. Trump has blamed all those and more for his loss to Democratic President Joe Biden, and many GOP voters believe him despite a lack of evidence. The current secretary of state, Republican John Merrill, couldn’t run again because of term limits, and the GOP nominee will be a heavy favorite to win in November. GOVERNOR Yolanda Rochelle Flowers defeated state Sen. Malika Sanders Fortier in the Democratic race for governor to become the first Black person to win a major party’s gubernatorial nomination in Alabama. Flowers, a career educator from Birmingham, narrowly led a six-person field in the May primary. In what will be the state’s first all-female gubernatorial race, she will be a decided underdog against Gov. Kay Ivey, who vanquished eight challengers to win the GOP primary without a runoff. Almost four times as many people voted in the Republican primary as the Democratic primary in May, and Republicans hold every statewide office. Flowers ran on a platform of “reconstructing” Alabama by rebuilding its economy and systems for education, health care, and criminal justice. Among other things, she advocated for a state lottery and a state minimum wage of $15. Fortier, a state lawmaker from Selma, campaigned on the theme of building the biblical “beloved community” promoted by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. by improving the state’s economy, schools, and health care. She is the daughter of former state Sen. Hank Sanders and attorney Faya Rose Toure. STATE AUDITOR Andrew Sorrell claimed the GOP nomination for state auditor by defeating Stan Cooke, a win that was tantamount to election since there’s no Democratic contender for the office. Sorrell, a state representative from Colbert County who led balloting in the May primary, tried to make election security a prime issue, saying a strong auditor is needed to appoint county registrars who will keep voter rolls clean. Cooke, a pastor from the Jefferson County town of Kimberly, claimed Alabama is at a crossroads where it could remain a conservative state or come under the control of liberal Democrats. Echoing Trump’s false claims of election theft, he highlighted the auditor’s role in appointing county election officials who can prevent Democrats from stealing elections. The current auditor, Republican Jim Zeigler, was barred from seeking another term. U.S. HOUSE Madison County Commission chair Dale Strong won the only runoff among the state’s seven U.S. House seats, claiming the Republican nomination for an open position in north Alabama’s 5th District. Strong defeated Casey Wardynski, a former Huntsville school superintendent. Strong handily led a six-candidate field with about 45% of the primary vote in May but couldn’t avoid a runoff. Strong will face Democrat Kathy Warner-Stanton of Decatur in the mostly Republican Tennessee Valley district in November. The seat was given up by U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks, who lost a runoff race with former business lobby leader Katie Britt for the seat being vacated by U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby. ALABAMA PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION Two Republican incumbents on the Alabama Public Service Commission faced challenges to keep their jobs on the utility-regulating board, and at least one won. Chip Beeker, a former Greene County commissioner first elected to the PSC in 2014, defeated Robert L. McCollum to win the GOP nomination for Place 2. Beeker portrayed himself as an opponent of Democratic environmental policies, while McCollum, a small business owner from Tallapoosa County, argued the commission is too close to Alabama Power Co. Jeremy Oden, a former state legislator from Cullman seeking his third term on the three-member commission, cast himself as a conservative bulwark against liberal environmental policies. He received the most votes in May in a four-way race for the Place 1 seat that saw attorney Brent Woodall, a PSC staffer, and Republican activist, come in second. No Democrat qualified for either position, making a victory in the Republican runoff tantamount to election. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
A look at nominations for five statewide offices
The party nominations for five statewide offices, including secretary of state on the Republican side and governor on the Democratic ticket are on the ballot in Tuesday’s primary runoff election in Alabama. The GOP nomination for a lone congressional seat also will be decided. Here is a look at the races: SECRETARY OF STATE With many Republican voters embracing former President Donald Trump’s false claims that fraud cost him the 2020 presidential election, the two remaining GOP candidates to become Alabama’s top elections official, secretary of state, campaigned on themes of tightening election security. Jim Zeigler, who was barred from seeking another four years as state auditor because of term limits, dubbed himself a “watchman” against ballot fraud, so-called “ballot harvesting,” and voting by mail. Trump has blamed all those and more for his loss to Democratic President Joe Biden, and many GOP voters believe him despite a lack of evidence. Rep. Wes Allen is a state representative from Troy who previously served as probate judge in Pike County. Citing the potential for fraud, he opposes early voting and no-excuse absentee balloting and sponsored a law that barred “curbside” voting meant in part to make it easier for people with disabilities to cast a ballot. The Republican nominee will face Democrat Pamela J. Laffitte, an Air Force veteran and corrections supervisor in Mobile County, in November. The current secretary of state, Republican John Merrill, couldn’t run again because of term limits. GOVERNOR Either Yolanda Rochelle Flowers or state Sen. Malika Sanders Fortier will become the first Black person to win a major party’s gubernatorial nomination in Alabama in the Democratic runoff for governor. Flowers, a career educator from Birmingham, narrowly led a six-person field in the May primary. She ran on a platform of “reconstructing” Alabama by rebuilding its economy and systems for education, health care, and criminal justice. Among other things, she has advocated for a state lottery and a state minimum wage of $15. Fortier, a state lawmaker from Selma, campaigned on the theme of building the biblical “beloved community” promoted by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. by improving the state’s economy, schools, and health care. She is the daughter of former state Sen. Hank Sanders and attorney Faya Rose Toure. The eventual winner face Gov. Kay Ivey, who vanquished eight challengers to win the GOP primary without a runoff. Nearly four times as many people voted in the Republican primary as the Democratic primary in May, and Republicans hold every statewide office. STATE AUDITOR Stan Cooke and Andrew Sorrell are vying for the Republican nomination to succeed Zeigler as state auditor. Cooke, a pastor from the Jefferson County town of Kimberly, claims Alabama is at a crossroads where it could remain a conservative state or come under the control of liberal Democrats. Echoing former President Donald Trump’s false claims of election theft, he is highlighting the auditor’s role in appointing county election officials who can prevent Democrats from stealing elections. Sorrell, a state representative from Colbert County who led balloting in the May primary, also tried to make election security a prime issue, saying a strong auditor is needed to appoint county registrars who will keep voter rolls clean. The eventual nominee will not have a Democratic opponent in the fall. U.S. HOUSE North Alabama’s 5th District features the only runoff for one of the state’s seven U.S. House seats. In the Tennessee Valley region, Madison County Commission chair Dale Strong and Casey Wardynski, a former Huntsville school superintendent, advanced to a runoff from a field of six candidates in May. Strong led easily with about 45% of the vote but couldn’t avoid a runoff. The winner will face Democrat Kathy Warner-Stanton of Decatur. The 5th District seat is being given up by U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks, who is in a runoff with former business lobby leader Katie Britt for the seat being vacated by U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby. ALABAMA PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION Two Republican incumbents on the Alabama Public Service Commission face runoff challenges to keep their jobs on the utility-regulating board. Jeremy Oden, a former state legislator from Cullman seeking his third term on the three-member commission, cast himself as a conservative bulwark against liberal environmental policies. He received the most votes in May in a four-way race for the Place 1 seat that saw attorney Brent Woodall, a PSC staffer, and Republican activist, come in second. First elected to the PSC in 2014, former Greene County Commissioner Chip Beeker also portrayed himself as an opponent of Democratic environmental policies in his campaign to retain the Place 2 seat. Beeker, who led the primary vote, is opposed by Robert L. McCollum, a small business owner from Tallapoosa County who contends the commission is too close to Alabama Power Co. No Democrat qualified for either position, making a victory in the Republican runoff tantamount to election.
Steve Flowers: Very impressive, high steppin’ victory for Gov. Kay Ivey
Our popular high steppin’ pistol tottin’ Governor Kay Ivey won a very impressive reelection victory for Governor on May 24. Ivey turned back eight GOP primary challengers to win the Republican gubernatorial nomination without a runoff. She garnered an amazing 54% of the vote and carried every county in Alabama. That is a feat not often accomplished, especially considering she had eight folks running against her. However, her popularity is probably the reason she had no serious thoroughbreds challenge her in the gubernatorial derby. Any knowledgeable political pro could look at the odds of defeating one of the most popular incumbent governors in the nation with plenty of campaign resources and walk away from that uphill battle. After all, she had beaten a more impressive field in 2018, which included Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, without the need for a runoff. Six of her male opponents were “also ran” unknown and still unknown candidates. The seventh male in the race, Tim James, whose claim to fame is that his daddy was governor, is becoming a perennial candidate. He has run three times and finished third three times. He got a respectable 15%, but he spent $5.7 million to get that amount. If he tries again, he will be considered in the Shorty Price category. The only female in the race was first-time candidate Lindy Blanchard. She finished second to Kay Ivey with 18%. Therefore, the two females running for governor finished first and second. However, there is a world of difference in getting 54% and 18%. Lindy is a nice lady. If you meet her, you cannot help but like her. She spent an amazing $11 million of her own money. That equates to about $100 per vote. That may be a new record. That should tell her that she just might not be cut out for politics. She nor Tim James ever got any traction or resonated. The fact that Blanchard and James spent most of their $16 million combined on negative ads, and I might add disingenuous ads against Governor Ivey, is even more of a testament to how popular and resilient Ivey remains. I said from the get-go that Ivey would win without a runoff and felt that way to the end. I have to admit that on the night of the election, when it appeared that the turnout was going to be lighter than expected, I wondered privately if she might dip below 50%. However, she outperformed and got about 54%. Kay and her team ran a flawless campaign. Her TV ads were folksy and effective. She did not take anything for granted. She never said a bad word about any of her opponents. In fact, she never acknowledged them or called their name. Even in her victory speech, she said we have got to keep running hard against our Democratic opponent. Even though winning a statewide gubernatorial race as a Democrat is extremely unlikely. Winning the GOP primary for governor in the Heart of Dixie is tantamount to election. Kay Ivey’s 2022 reelection victory is almost as remarkable as her mentor and idol and our only other female governor, Lurleen Wallace’s 1966 landslide victory. There are several other constitutional offices that will be decided on June 21. The Secretary of State runoff race will be the closest to watch. State Representative Wes Allen and two-term State Auditor Jim Ziegler are notched in a dead heat. Both got about 40%. Ziegler has name identification, having run a dozen times statewide. Wes Allen has the qualifications. He has been a Probate Judge for over a decade prior to his House term. This one will be close and interesting. The State Auditor’s job will be filled by either Florence State Representative Andrew Sorrell or Kimberly preacher Stan Cooke. The Reverend Cooke did benefit from having run for this job before, and he also received a significant hometown vote from Jefferson County. Our two incumbent conservative PSC members, Chip Beeker and Jeremy Oden, have liberal green-leaning opponents in the June 21 runoff. Greg Cook won an impressive 55-45 victory over Anniston Circuit Judge Debra Jones for Place 5 on the Alabama Supreme Court. He will fit in well with our current conservative and well-credentialed state high court. We will discuss the monumental runoff contest for our open U.S. Senate seat 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.
