Kay Ivey stresses record, opponents challenge her on it
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey is seeking to avoid a runoff in Tuesday’s Republican primary, while her challengers are seeking to push her into one. In the closing hours of the gubernatorial campaign, Ivey stressed her record as she seeks a second full term in office. But her opponents, including former Trump ambassador Lindy Blanchard and businessman Tim James, portrayed Ivey as not adequately conservative, citing her support of a gas tax increase to fund road and bridge construction and her handling of the coronavirus pandemic, including a now-expired mask and business closure mandate. Standing with supporters, including House Speaker Mac McCutcheon and other legislative leaders, during a Monday campaign stop in Huntsville, Ivey stressed her record on job creation and conservative issues — including gun rights and abortion — as she faces a slate of right-flank challengers. She said her opponents have tried to distort her record. “We’re looking for a great night. Y’all have seen it for months; my opponents have been out there, spreading lies, trying to tear me down. It’s just plum sad. The good folks of Alabama know better. That dog won’t hunt,” Ivey said during the Monday campaign stop in Huntsville. She touted legislation she signed as governor, including a bill banning transgender girls from playing on female sports teams at public schools. She said legislation she signed outlawing abortion will be the law of the state, “when Rove v. Wade is finally overturned.” “During this campaign, we’ve stayed positive because I have a very positive record that I’m proud to run on and continue delivering on for four more years. I need y’all’s help to get this thing done without a runoff,” she said. Blanchard said voters thought they were getting a conservative when they voted for Ivey but said that turned out not be the case. “She forced a gas tax on us that goes on forever; I don’t know of any Republican who would do that,” Blanchard said, referencing the tax increase, which includes a mechanism for automatic increases. “I’ll be that conservative governor who makes proactive, not reactive choices and decisions for the state and for the voters. I’m going to give the voice back to the people,” said Blanchard, who served as former President Donald Trump’s ambassador to Slovenia. James said Monday that any primary with an incumbent is a referendum on whether “you want to keep this person to lead this state for the next four years or do you want someone to take the state in a new direction.” “We believe that the people of Alabama are ready for a change. They are ready for a new direction,” James said in a telephone interview. “This is not personal. She is a nice lady. She is not an enemy. But the Kay Ivey today is not the same person on policy to what she was, I think, years ago.” Ivey faces a total of eight primary challengers, including Blanchard, James — the son of former Gov. Fob James — and Lew Burdette, who runs King’s Home, a Christian-based nonprofit with group homes throughout the state. The other contenders are former Morgan County Commissioner Stacy Lee George; Opelika pastor Dean Odle; businessman Dean Young; Donald Trent Jones and Springville Mayor Dave Thomas. It is historically difficult for a primary challenger to defeat an incumbent governor. None of the primary challengers have the footprint to defeat Ivey alone. They instead are placing hopes that they can collectively garner enough primary votes and keep Ivey below 50% of the vote to spark a runoff and a new political ballgame. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
NRA endorses Gov. Kay Ivey in governor’s race
The National Rifle Association on Monday endorsed Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey in her bid to win a second full term in office. Ivey, in March, signed legislation abolishing the current state requirement to get a permit to carry a concealed handgun in public. The new law takes effect on January 1. In a brief campaign event announcing the endorsement, Ivey said people in Alabama will stand up for their constitutional rights, including the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms. “We demand them, and no one will ever take them away from us. I know they won’t be taking my Smith & Wesson from me either,” Ivey said. Ivey faces several challengers in next month’s primary, including Lindy Blanchard, who was former President Donald Trump’s ambassador to Slovenia, and Tim James, the son of former Gov. Fob James. The NRA has regularly endorsed sitting governors in Alabama, where there has been no serious endeavor to pursue new gun control measures. Alabama in 2020 had the nation’s fifth-highest rate of gun-related deaths – including suicides and murders — with 1,141 deaths, according to numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Steve Flowers: Fob James story, 1978 governor’s race
The crowded field for governor striving to oust incumbent Governor Kay Ivey includes Tim James. He has run before. In fact, this is his third try for the brass ring. His last race was in 2010, when he barely missed the runoff by a few votes. He was edged out by Robert Bentley, who went on to win. Tim James’ primary calling card has always been that he is the son of former Governor Fob James. The elder James was an ultra-successful businessman who was first elected governor in 1978 as a Democrat and then elected to a second term as governor as a Republican in 1994. Governor Fob James’s first election as Governor in 1978 is one for the record books. The 1978 Governor’s Race is one of the classics in Alabama political lore. That governor’s race, which began with three heavyweights – former Governor Albert Brewer, Attorney General Bill Baxley, and Lt. Governor Jere Beasley – was expected to be titanic. The Republicans were relegated to insignificance on the gubernatorial stage. Therefore, the winner of the Democratic Primary would be governor. Meanwhile, over in east Alabama, a little-known former Auburn halfback named Fob James strolled into the governor’s race. Fob’s entry evoked very little interest, only curiosity as to why he would want to enter the fray against three well-known major players. Fob was exposed as a card-carrying Republican, but even a political novice like Fob knew he could not win as a Republican, so he qualified to run as a Democrat along with the three B’s. Fob had become very wealthy by starting a successful manufacturing company in Opelika. When he signed up to run for governor, the press wrote him off as a rich gadfly who simply chose politics rather than golf as his pastime. Little did they know that the fact he was rich and had a lot of time on his hands could spell trouble for the average political opponent, who had to worry about fundraising and feeding their family while running a full-time campaign. Fob realized he was no political professional like the three B’s who had spent their entire political adulthood in public office, so Fob sought out professional advice. He had the money to think big and wanted to know who the best political consultant in the South was. It was an easy answer: Deloss Walker was a political public relations genius who lived in Memphis. His track record for electing governors of southern states was 5-0. Walker was the most renowned and expensive political guru in the country in 1977. Fob quietly sought out Walker, who at first refused to take Fob’s race. Walker’s first impression was that even he could not mold Fob into a winner against three well-financed, experienced thoroughbreds. Nobody was aware Fob had garnered the genius Walker and had already been to political school when he signed up to run for governor in the spring of 1978. Brewer, Baxley, and Beasley ignored Fob. Baxley even praised him, saying, “Fob would be a good governor. Too bad he’s not a serious candidate.” Those words would come back to haunt Baxley. Fob traveled the state in a yellow school bus and let the three B’s tear each other up. Baxley, Beasley, and Brewer spent all their time and money attacking each other with negative ads, all the while Fob ran positive ads. Folks were of the opinion that the three B’s had all probably shot their mothers in a bar fight, but they liked old Fob James, even if they thought his name was “Bob” James. It was too late for the three B’s when they saw a poll about a week before the election showing Fob ahead of all three of them. Baxley refused to believe it and kept hammering at Beasley and Brewer, ignoring Fob. When the votes were counted, Fob was in first place, Baxley second, Brewer was third, and Beasley finished fifth behind State Senator Sid McDonald. Fob easily beat Baxley in the runoff. After all, what could Baxley say? He had run all over the state for three months saying Fob would make a good governor. Fob James had pulled off one of the most amazing upset victories in the history of Alabama politics. The Fob James story of the 1978 Governor’s Race is truly one for the record books. 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.
Tim James calls to repeal 2019 gas tax increase, sales tax on food
Republican gubernatorial challenger Tim James on Wednesday called for a repeal of Alabama’s 2019 gas tax increase — as well as an end to the state’s sales tax on groceries — saying families need relief from soaring prices. James, the son of former Gov. Fob James, is one of several GOP candidates challenging Gov. Kay Ivey in the upcoming Republican primary. He is seeking to use the gas tax increase that Ivey supported as a wedge issue with primary voters. James said he supports a repeal of the 10-cent-per-gallon gas increase approved in 2019, as well as a repeal of the state’s sales tax on food and business privilege tax. “The people of Alabama are fed up,” James said during a news conference in Montgomery. “It’s affecting whether they can fill up their car with gas or make a house payment or sign up their kids for baseball. That’s how serious this is,” James said. Alabama lawmakers in 2019 approved the increase on gasoline and diesel fuel taxes to fund road and bridge construction. The increase amounts to $6 per month for a person who uses 15 gallons of gasoline per week. James said he understands some people argue that “isn’t that big of a deal,” but repealing it would reduce what families and businesses pay in fuel costs. James is one of a number of Republicans challenging Ivey in the May 24 primary. The field also includes Lindy Blanchard, who served as ambassador to Slovenia under former President Donald Trump. A spokesman for Ivey’s campaign cited her record on job creation, unemployment as well as social issues, including an attempt to outlaw abortions in the state and a ban on transgender girls playing on female sports teams. “While others talk, Governor Ivey delivers …. Governor Ivey is a fighter, and she will remain focused on getting results for Alabamians and defending conservative Alabama values,” her campaign said. Some legislative leaders have said a repeal of the 10-cent increase would not have a major impact on prices at the pump but would interrupt the road and bridge construction being funded by the 2019 Rebuild Alabama Act. Ivey, after a morning appearance at the Montgomery Chamber of Commerce, said she did not support a temporary freeze on state gas taxes “at this time.” She put the blame for rising prices on “Biden policies.” “Under President Trump, you could go buy gas and not have to hold your breath,” Ivey said. Gas prices have soared in recent months partly because of global supply concerns following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The situation has prompted several states to pause gas taxes. James said he would also repeal the state’s 4% sales tax on food. Repealing the sales tax on groceries has often been proposed in Montgomery but has never been approved over concerns about the loss of the approximately half-billion dollars it provides for the state’s education fund. Alabama is one of only three states with no tax break on groceries, according to Alabama Arise. James also proposed a repeal of the state’s business privilege tax, a tax on entities doing business in the state, that generated $186 million last year. James said he would not replace the revenue, arguing that lawmakers could use a current budget surplus and then economic growth to maintain state services without cuts. The Legislative Services Agency has cautioned that the state is seeing an unusual growth in tax collections and that another economic downturn is likely. James previously staked out far-right positions, including criticizing legislation that allowed students to do yoga in public schools. James ran for governor in 2002 and 2010, when he narrowly missed making the GOP runoff, finishing about 200 votes behind the eventual winner, Robert Bentley, who was elected governor that year and later resigned. Serving as lieutenant governor at the time, Ivey took over as governor in 2017 upon Bentley’s resignation and was elected to a full term the following year. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Tim James opens gubernatorial campaign with evangelical appeal
Business owner Tim James appealed to evangelical Christian voters as he opened his Republican campaign for Alabama governor Wednesday, railing against the threat of “godless Marxism,” quoting scripture and claiming God has called the conservative state to lead the nation. Standing before the white-domed Capitol with Christian music playing and beside a flag decorated with a cross, the son of former Gov. Fob James, after a prayer, attacked GOP leaders including Gov. Kay Ivey, who is seeking another term, over the approval of medical marijuana and an educational system that trails much of the nation. James, a toll road developer who has said he isn’t vaccinated against COVID-19, said Republican leaders hadn’t done enough to fight vaccine mandates, allowing one to take effect at the University of Alabama at Birmingham before the state attorney general’s office intervened. James said he would fight “casino barons” to prevent Alabama from becoming “the Las Vegas of the South.” While Alabama “has always been mocked for our values,” James said, it supported the formation of Israel years before it became a nation in 1948 and has a special place in the nation’s future. Support of Israel is a foundational issue for many evangelicals. “We stand at the gate of our state Capitol and seek God’s forgiveness for the sins of America, and we decree in the name of Jesus that Alabama will lead America in the years ahead, back to its proper position of authority amongst the nations, of which authority was granted by God at our inception,” said James, who quoted scripture. Angela James said her husband is a warrior who is prepared to lead a “crusade” and has the same evangelical zeal and spiritual discernment as his mother and father, who was elected to a four-year term in 1979 and reelected to a second term in 1995. “The apple does not fall far from the tree,” she said. James previously staked out far-right positions, including criticizing legislation that allowed students to do yoga in public schools. James ran for governor in 2002 and 2010, when he narrowly missed making the GOP runoff, finishing about 200 votes behind the eventual winner, Robert Bentley, who was elected governor that year and later resigned. Former Books-A-Million executive Lew Burdette; Lindy Blanchard, who served as ambassador to Slovenia under former President Donald Trump; correctional officer and former Morgan County Commissioner Stacy George; and Opelika pastor Dean Odle have also announced their candidacies against Ivey. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Kay Ivey draws challengers in 2022 GOP primary
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, who had been considered a safe incumbent as she seeks a second full-term in office, is drawing challengers in next year’s 2022 Republican primary with candidates gambling that they can capitalize on ties to former President Donald Trump or conservative voter dissatisfaction with the pandemic and other matters. Lynda Blanchard, who was Trump’s ambassador to Slovenia, is switching from the U.S. Senate race to the gubernatorial contest, according to a copy of a campaign event invitation she tweeted. Toll road developer Tim James, the son of former Alabama Gov. Fob James, confirmed Monday that he is launching a primary challenge against Ivey. Blanchard’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the invitation that said a Tuesday campaign announcement was sponsored by the Lindy Blanchard campaign for governor. James said he is entering the race because he believes many conservative voters are “anxious” about the state’s recent political decisions. Among them, he cited a gas tax increase, a push by some Republicans to legalize casinos, a medical marijuana program, and aspects of the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic such as past mask mandates on K-12 students. “This is not who the people of this state are,” James said in a telephone interview Monday. “It’s certainly not what normal, conventional-type Republicans believe in.” James ran for governor in 2002 and 2010, when he narrowly missed making the GOP runoff, finishing about 200 votes behind eventual winner Robert Bentley. Bentley went on to win the post that year. Ivey is seeking her second full term after Bentley stepped down in 2017 amid a legislative push to impeach him. Blanchard has scheduled a Tuesday campaign event in Wetumpka. Taking on a well-funded incumbent is typically an uphill battle in a primary. James is already known to primary voters. Blanchard, a businesswoman and mother of eight, is expected to lean into her ties to Trump, who remains popular among state Republicans. “The MAGA Movement is the heart and soul of this nation. I entered the Senate race to serve Alabama’s people, and no matter what the future may bring, that will always be my main goal,” Blanchard said last month amid speculation she was switching races. Trump on Monday backed former U.S. Sen. David Perdue’s challenge to Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp in that state’s GOP primary next year. Trump encouraged Perdue to run after lashing out at Kemp, claiming he did not do enough to overturn Democratic President Joe Biden’s electoral victory in Georgia. It is unclear if Trump will weigh in on the Alabama race. He told Newsmax on Monday that he is looking at races but did not mention any candidate by name. “Well, I look at Alabama. It’s been a great state. I won it by record numbers, as you know. And a lot of people (are) asking for endorsements. And I’ll probably endorse people, various people at Alabama,” Trump said, noting he has already endorsed U.S. Mo Brooks in the U.S. Senate race. The primary is set for May 24, 2022. Stacy Lee George, a correctional officer and former Morgan County commissioner, is already running against Ivey. Speaking about the growing field, James noted his father used to say that “a governor’s race ought to draw a crowd.” Fob James served two terms as governor, once as a Democrat after being elected in 1978 and then as a Republican after being elected in 1994. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Former candidate Tim James eyes possible challenge to Kay Ivey
Former Alabama gubernatorial candidate Tim James said Wednesday that he is considering challenging fellow Republican Gov. Kay Ivey in next year’s governor’s race. James, the son of former Gov. Fob James, said he will decide by the end of the year. Taking on a well-funded incumbent is typically an uphill battle in a primary, but his entry into the race could thwart the governor’s hopes of having only minimal opposition in 2022. Staking out far-right political territory, the 59-year-old toll road developer has defended people’s decisions to decline the COVID-19 vaccine and on Wednesday called transgender acceptance, critical race theory, and yoga in gym class part of a “beast with three heads” threatening children in public schools. “I don’t have to tell you that many problems exist today in America, but they are pale compared to what this nation will look like if we lose this cultural war and America becomes a secular godless nation flowing to and fro in the wind with no plumb line, no principles,” James said. He criticized newly passed Alabama legislation that allowed students to do yoga in schools. “They took prayer out of schools and then they put in this Trojan horse called yoga,” he said, noting its ties to Hinduism. The elder James had fought legal battles a governor over school prayer. Ivey’s campaign zeroed in on his yoga comments when asked about James’ possible entry into the race. “We appreciate his unwavering commitment to the important fight on yoga. As for Governor Ivey, she doesn’t do any yoga,” Ivey’s campaign joked in a statement. Ivey this spring signed legislation reversing a decades-old ban on yoga in public schools. The legislation had a number of restrictions and forbids religious teachings with yoga and saying the greeting “namaste.” Rep. Jeremy Grey, the sponsor of the legislation, has said the exercises can boost physical and mental and the bill is written to forbid teaching religion. Alabama Superintendent of Education Eric Mackey has said critical race theory is not taught in public schools. James largely declined to comment on Ivey on Wednesday, saying that was a subject for another day. In July, he criticized Ivey’s comments saying unvaccinated people were to blame for a spike in COVID-19 case. James said Ivey’s comment was “off base.” James ran for governor in 2002 and 2010, when he narrowly missed making the GOP runoff, finishing about 200 votes behind the eventual winner, Robert Bentley, who was elected governor that year. “Look, I’ve lost. It didn’t kill me. But I think if we do it, I think I’ll win it,” James replied when asked about the difficulty of taking on an incumbent. Stacy Lee George, a correctional officer, and former Morgan County commissioner is running against Ivey. State Auditor Jim Zeigler has said he is also considering a run. Fob James turned 87 Wednesday. Tim James said his parents now live in Miami. His mother Bobbie James is in a nursing facility there, and his father lives in a nearby independent-living apartment in order to stay with her. James said his father is doing well. “He watches FOX News, just stays on top of everything. He loved Trump,” he said. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Inside the Statehouse: How has coronavirus affected Alabama politics?
Steve Flowers has a thing or two to say about Will Ainsworth’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
Inside the Statehouse: Budget is priority number one for legislative session
Steve Flowers discusses the unique ongoing legislative session and lists a who’s who in our budgetary process.
Five things you need to know about Kay Ivey
The primaries are over, and the real battle begins. Incumbent Governor Kay Ivey won the republican nomination for governor in a landslide victory, with just over 56 percent of the vote she will face-off against Walt Maddox in the November general election. With that in mind, Here’s five things you need to know about Kay Ivey: 5. She’s been involved in politics since high school Ivey’s first introduction into politics was in 1962 when she served as the lieutenant governor for the Wilcox County High School at Alabama Girls State. While in college at Auburn University she spent four years in the Student Government Association and coordinated for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Lurleen Wallace‘s campaign on the school campus. 4. She first ran as a Democrat in 1982 In 1979 she was appointed by then Democratic Governor Fob James to serve as a member of his state cabinet. Ivey then rose through the ranks quickly, serving as law clerk of the Alabama House of Representatives, and Assistant Director of the Alabama Development Office. In her first attempt to obtain a state office, Ivey ran as a Democrat, and was defeated by Jan Cook in the State Auditor’s race in 1982. Ivey didn’t change parties until 2002, when she began her race for State Treasurer and decided to run as a Republican. 3. She is only the second woman in the state’s history to serve as Governor Out of 54 governors who have been elected to serve as governor to the Yellowhammer State, only two have been female. Lurleen Wallace was the first and only female governor to hold the position until Ivey became the second woman to hold the office in 2017. 2. Under her watchful eye, the Alabama PACT program almost failed In 1989 the Alabama State legislature created the PACT program, allowing parents to pre-pay their children’s college tuition but when tuition rates begin to rise, and stock markets began to fall the program began struggling in the early 2000’s. Ivey, who served as State Treasurer from 2003-2011, said “only market conditions caused this, not staff or the board. It’s due solely to the economic conditions of the country,” according to AL.com. By 2010, the program stopped selling contracts, and the legislature had to pass a plan to save the program, shoveling $548 million over 13 years starting in 2015 to save the day. However, when Young Boozer took office in 2011 he said the money the legislature promised would not be enough to sustain the program, and in May the board approved the settlement of a class-action lawsuit filed by contract holders. 1. She was born on a cattle farm, and was raised as an only child Ivey was born in Wilcox county to Boadman Nettles Ivey, an Army Major and a World War II veteran who started a cattle farm in the small town of Camden, Ala. home to less than 1,000 people at the time. She used her upbringing in several different ads this campaign season, the most notable an ad in which she touted her knowledge of “mountain oysters” saying “don’t give me a mountain oyster and tell me it’s seafood.”
Steve Flowers: BP oil spill money, a missed opportunity for Alabama’s natural resources
We have unbelievable natural resources in Alabama starting with the Tennessee Valley and transcending to the beautiful white sands at Gulf Shores. Many of our natural resources have been exploited over the years. The prime example would be the exploitation of our rich vaults of iron ore discovered in Jefferson County in the early 20th Century. It created the city of Birmingham, the Steel City of the South. U.S. Steel swept in and bought the entire region and used cheap labor in the mines and steel mills and kept poor whites and blacks in poverty wages and shantytowns. They owed their soul to the company store. Finally, they organized into labor unions. The United Steel Workers Union Local in Birmingham became the largest in the nation. Alabama also became the most unionized state in the south. The TVA workers and Reynolds Aluminum workers in the Tennessee Valley were all unionized. The tire workers in Gadsden, Opelika, and Tuscaloosa were unionized. The federal workers around Ft. Rucker in the Wiregrass were union. The largest employer in Mobile was the docks. The dockworkers were unionized. When you combine these locales with the steelworkers in Birmingham, we were a pretty unionized state. In the course of our recent history, we have been more prudent with our natural resources. The prime example of that would be during the late 1970s when we sold the oil rights in Mobile Bay to Exxon Mobil. We got a fair price, and we put the entire corpus aside and preserved the money into a trust called the Heritage Trust Fund. Governor Fob James deserves credit for this accomplishment. It is the crowning achievement of his two terms as governor. It is quite a legacy. Not all governors leave a legacy. Ole Fob has one. Not as much can be said for our most recent governors. Don Siegelman, Bob Riley, and Robert Bentley cannot point to any accomplishment that will distinguish their time as governor. Jim Folsom Jr., who only served two years as governor, can lay claim to having lured and landed Mercedes, which has been the crucible that has catapulted us into the second leading automaker in the nation. Governor Bentley was given a golden opportunity to garner a place in history with the one-time BP oil spill money. Granted, it was not as much money as the Exxon Mobil oil rights nor did we get as good a settlement as could have been garnered. We will only see $693 million of the $1 billion settlement because we bailed out and sold out to get our money up front. Compared to Louisiana and Florida, it was not a good settlement. Essentially this one-time windfall will be squandered. The BP money was appropriated in a special session last September. The Legislature spent the entire BP oil settlement proceeds with a compromise bill that divided the money between state debt repayments, roads for Baldwin and Mobile counties and Medicaid. The allocation was $400 million for paying off state debts, $120 million for highway projects in Baldwin and Mobile counties, and a total of $120 million to Medicaid over the next two years. There had been a contentious battle over the funds for Baldwin and Mobile going back to last year’s regular session. Lawmakers from the coastal counties fought diligently for the road money because their counties received the brunt of the 2010 oil spill. Lawmakers from North Alabama felt that the BP settlement should compensate all Alabamians equally. Sen. Arthur Orr (R-Decatur), who chairs the Education Budget Committee in the Senate, led the fight for North Alabama and Sen. Trip Pittman (R-Baldwin), who chairs the Senate General Fund Committee, spearheaded the battle for Baldwin/Mobile. Senators compromised the final day of the special session. The money from BP is spent. The only thing to show for it will be some highway to the beach. They ought to at least name it the BP Expressway. It would be the only legacy from the windfall. 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.
Kay Ivey: Alabama’s longstanding partnership with Israel
Alabama has a long history of strong support for the State of Israel. Alabama lead the nation as the first state to officially call for the establishment of the Jewish state and homeland. At a time in the midst of World War II, when war was waging between America and Nazi Germany, but also systematic extermination and mass murders of the Jews in Europe was occurring, the Alabama Legislature made a pledge to stand with Israel. In 1943, a Joint Resolution was unanimously adopted. For more than 70 years, the State of Alabama has repeatedly demonstrated its pledge to stand with Israel. In 1981, Governor Fob James hosted a celebration of the 33rd Anniversary of Israel’s rebirth as a nation at the Governor’s mansion. In 1997, Alabama and Israel entered in a State-to-State Trade Agreement, signed by Governor James, to promote the exchange of manufacturing goods. In 2012, Israel ranked as Alabama’s ninth leading trade partner. Trade continues today as Alabama has exported $37 million of goods to Israel in 2015. In the wake of the September 2001 terrorist attacks, the Alabama Legislature passed another Joint Resolution to express support for Israel and for all the people suffering at the hands of terrorism. Governor Bob Riley declared August 14, 2006, “Stand with Israel Day” in Alabama. In 2012, Governor Robert Bentley and other state leaders publicly supported Israel to defend itself against years of deadly rockets fired from the Palestinian-controlled Gaza Strip. In 2013, by way of a Proclamation by the Governor, Alabama once again expressed its steadfast support of the State of Israel. On April 7, 2016, the Alabama Legislature invited Deputy Speaker of the Israeli Knesset, Hilik Bar, to address a Joint Session of the Legislature. Speaker Bar is the highest ranking Israeli official to visit Alabama. On the same day, SB81 by Senator Orr was passed out of the Senate that would require that all government entities must include a provision in certain purchasing contracts assuring that the business providing the good or service is not currently engaged in, and will not engage in, the boycott of an entity doing business with a jurisdiction with which the state can enjoy free trade. SB81 is currently awaiting passage by the House. In a time when the Middle East is threatened by terrorism, Israel’s sovereignty continues to be challenged. Alabama has proved for more than 70 years that our support is unwavering. As the first state in the country to call for the establishment of the State of Israel, Alabama stands committed to the existence and establishment of the democratic state in the Middle East. We will continue to contribute efforts to strengthening our state-to-state relationship. Alabama remains committed to stand with Israel. • • • Kay Ivey is the lieutenant governor of Alabama. Elected in 2010, she was the first Republican woman to hold the office in Alabama’s history.
