Steve Flowers: 2022 elections six months away
Believe it or not, we are six months away from the 2022 elections. All statewide offices will be decided in the May 24, 2022, Republican Primary. Winning the Republican Primary is tantamount to election in the Heart of Dixie. Therefore, garnering the endorsement of the most conservative group in the state is vitally important towards an election. That group is the Alabama Farmers Federation or commonly known as Alfa. The Farm PAC Alfa endorsement is the gold standard for conservatism, and it is the ticket to election in Alabama. The Alabama Farmers Federation is governed by county federation leaders in each of the state’s 67 counties, and the word leaders should be emphasized. The leaders of each county federation are respected men who have been born and raised in their community. Many have owned farmland for generations, are respected agribusinessmen, deacons in their churches, and board members of their local banks. In other words, they are centers of influence, and their words and recommendations extend well beyond their agricultural base. To win the Alfa endorsement, statewide candidates have to go see each of the county federation members in all 67 counties. There are over 100,000 actual farmers in the state that vote the Alfa endorsed ballot right down the line. There are also affiliated agribusiness groups that toe the Alfa line. In addition, there are over 100,000 insurance policyholders throughout the state who have their car and homeowners’ insurance with Alfa, and they see the Farm PAC endorsement and usually follow it because they have contributed to Farm PAC. Additionally, a good many Alabamians will see their friends and neighbors with an Alfa ballot and ask them who Alfa has endorsed in certain races. Then they will vote that way because they know Alfa has vetted the candidates and chosen the most conservative ones. The Alfa endorsements for the May 24, 2022 elections were decided on September 28, 2021. These endorsements will be decisive. Katie Britt won the endorsement for the open U.S. Senate race, which will be the marquee race next year. She got it the old-fashioned way. She worked for it. She got out and visited and got to know almost every farmers federation member in the state. This endorsement will probably propel her to victory. Governor Kay Ivey received the endorsement. She has been the darling of Alfa her entire career. The Farm PAC endorsement was critical in allowing her to win the governorship without a runoff four years ago. They have been with her from the get-go when she was State Treasurer two terms and Lt. Governor two terms. Will Ainsworth received the Alfa endorsement for reelection as Lt. Governor. This endorsement is the reason he upset Twinkle Cavanaugh in their race four years ago. Alfa was the reason he won that race and has made his political career. Incumbent Attorney General Steve Marshall has been endorsed by Alfa because he has proven to be a real conservative. Rick Pate has won the Alfa endorsement for a second term as Agriculture Commissioner. He had the endorsement four years ago, and it helped him win. Folks are really interested in who Alfa endorses for Agriculture Commissioner. Incumbent PSC Commissioners Chip Beeker and Jeremy Oden received the coveted Alfa nod. One of the most critical endorsements Alfa made was selecting Greg Cook for the Alabama Supreme Court seat of retiring Judge Mike Bolin. This endorsement of Greg Cook is pivotal. It proves that he is the conservative pro-business candidate for the Supreme Court. It will probably assure his victory. Popular incumbent Supreme Court Justice Kelli Wise got the endorsement even though she may be unopposed. Three candidates for secondary constitutional offices received the endorsement of Alfa and will be instrumental in their elections are Wes Allen for Secretary of State, Young Boozer for State Treasurer, and Rusty Glover for State Auditor. Glover’s getting the endorsement is that race is pivotal, as is Wes Allen’s in the Secretary of State. Alfa has endorsed all of the incumbent Republican Congressmen, including Jerry Carl, Barry Moore, Mike Rogers, Robert Aderholt, and Gary Palmer. They have endorsed Dale Strong in the open 5th district congressional race. He appears to be the favorite. All of Alfa’s statewide endorsements are Republicans. That makes sense because every statewide officeholder in the state is a Republican. If you made me bet, I would wager that all of the above-mentioned Alfa endorsed candidates will win next year. We will see in about six months. See you next week. Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at www.steveflowers.us.
Greg Cook announces his candidacy for Alabama Supreme Court
Greg Cook has announced that he is running for the Alabama Supreme Court in 2022. Cook is general counsel for the Alabama Republican Party and a practicing attorney with 30 years of experience in the courtroom. He is running for the associate justice position currently held by Justice Mike Bolin. Justice Bolin is not running for re-election in 2022. Cook stated, “Judges should not legislate from the bench, but should apply the plain meaning of the written law. Judges should be like neutral umpires – just calling the balls and strikes – not favoring one side over another. Instead of calling balls and strikes, activist judges can deliver home runs for progressive policies. We can’t have that in Alabama. We need justices who will follow the law and fairly rule on the cases before the Alabama Supreme Court.” “I’m a conservative grounded in principle, who believes a judge is there to apply the law as written. This might sound boring and predictable, but it’s who I am,” concluded Cook. Cook is from Florence, Alabama. He attended Duke University on an Air Force ROTC scholarship and served in the Air Force. In 1988, Cook was admitted to Harvard Law School, where he worked on the Federalist Society’s Journal of Law and Public Policy with Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch. After finishing law school, Cook moved back to Alabama to begin practicing law in Birmingham. In 2000, he served as volunteer attorney for the Bush vs. Gore legal battle in Florida, where Cook helped supervise the hand recount of the famous hanging-chad ballots. He has served locally on the Jefferson County Republican Steering Committee, Executive Committee, and as Legal Counsel to the Jefferson County GOP for almost two decades. He served on the Alabama Republican Party Executive Committee for almost 15 years, including the past 4 years as General Counsel for the Alabama Republican Party. Cook has been married to his wife Kimberly for 33 years. They have three children: Geoffrey, Mary Catherine, and Will. Cook also gives back to his community by volunteering his time with several local non-profit organizations, including the United Way and the Boy Scouts in many different leadership roles, including as an officer for the Greater Alabama Council. The Council recently awarded him its highest honor, the Silver Beaver Award. Cook has held numerous positions with the ABA, Alabama, and Birmingham Bar. He serves on Alabama’s Supreme Court’s Civil Rules Committee and has authored a two-volume treatise, Alabama Rules of Civil Procedure Annotated, and two books for the ABA.
Judge Mary Windom withdraws candidacy for Alabama Supreme Court
Judge Mary Windom on Monday announced via a social media post that she will not seek election to the Supreme Court of Alabama in the 2022 election cycle. Windom stated on Twitter, “After prayerful consideration and discussion with my family, I have decided that I will not seek election to the Alabama Supreme Court in 2022,” Judge Windom wrote. “I will focus on spending time with my family and on my work as Presiding Judge of the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals,” Windom concluded. I thank the many wonderful people across Alabama who has encouraged me to run.” pic.twitter.com/K6TH998zeT — Judge Mary Windom (@JudgeMaryWindom) May 3, 2021 Windom, a judge of the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals, was viewed by many as the frontrunner for the Supreme Court race that will be open due to popular Justice Mike Bolin being age-limited out from running for reelection. She assumed office in 2008, and her current term ends on January 18, 2027. She ran for re-election for judge of the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals in 2020 and won. Insiders tell Yellowhammer News that Judge Chris McCool, a freshman member of the Court of Criminal Appeals, is now the likely frontrunner for the Supreme Court slot, although attorney Greg Cook could also mount a serious candidacy. “Judge Windom has a stellar record, is a rock-ribbed Republican and a prodigious fundraiser,” one insider told the Alabama Political Reporter. “She will be difficult to beat should she declare her candidacy for the State Supreme Court.” “Mary Windom is a winner; she’s honest and judicially consistent,” stated the second insider. “She is the very type of individual the people of Alabama can trust on the state’s highest court. I believe she will run, and she should.”
Steve Flowers: Who are the nine people who sit on our state Supreme Court?
This week allow me to share with you a sketch of the men and women who sit on our State Supreme Court. These nine Justices are all Republican, all conservative on both social and business issues. All are very devout in their faith and very connected to their church and their family. Chief Justice Tom Parker has been on the State Supreme Court since 2005. He was born and raised in Montgomery and went to Dartmouth College and Vanderbilt Law School. Chief Justice Parker and his wife the former Dottie James of Auburn have been married 39 years. Dottie was a supervisor of the governor’s mansion during the Fob James administration. They are Methodist. Justice Jay Mitchell is the most personable and definitely the tallest member of the Supreme Court. Jay was a star basketball player at Birmingham Southern where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa. He is imminently qualified for the Supreme Court having graduated from the University of Virginia Law School and had a sterling career with a Birmingham Law firm prior to being overwhelmingly elected to the high tribunal in 2018. Justice Mitchell and his wife, Elizabeth Mitchell, have four children. They reside in Homewood and are members of the Church of the Highlands. Justice Tommy Bryan is a popular and conservative member of the high court. Tommy was born on a family farm in Crenshaw County. He served on the Court of Civil Appeals and was an assistant attorney general prior to being elected to the Supreme Court in 2012. Justice Bryan and his wife, Pamela Bryan, are very active members of the First Baptist Church of Montgomery where he is a Deacon, Sunday School teacher, and sings in the choir. He and Pam are very close and have raised two fine children. Justice William “Will” Sellers, like Justice Parker, is a Montgomery native, as is Will’s outstanding wife, Lee Grant Sellers. Justice Sellers and Lee have been married 33 years and have three adult children and are active members of Trinity Presbyterian Church of Montgomery. Will was a prominent Tax Attorney prior to going on the court. He is a graduate of the University of Alabama Law School and has a New York University tax degree. Justice Brad Mendheim was a Circuit Judge in Houston County prior to going on the Supreme Court. He was born and raised in Dothan and is one of the most respected young men to have come out of his hometown. He is a graduate of Auburn University and Cumberland School of Law. He and his wife of 24 years, Michelle Mendheim, are very active members of the First Baptist Church of Dothan and they have three fine sons. Justice Greg Shaw epitomizes a judge both professionally and personally. He is said to be the hardest working member of the Court and takes his role seriously and is well above reproach. He has an outstanding wife, Samantha “Sam” Shaw, who has also had a sterling career in politics. She was overwhelmingly elected State Auditor twice, serving eight years. Greg and Sam live on a farm about an hour from Montgomery. They have two outstanding sons and are members of the Auburn United Methodist Church. Justice Shaw graduated from Auburn and Samford’s Cumberland School of Law. Justice Sarah Stewart is a longtime Mobilian and was a Mobile Circuit Judge prior to going on the Court. She is a very respected jurist and a graduate of Vanderbilt Law School. She and her husband, Craig Stewart, have two children and are Methodists. Justice Mike Bolin is one of the finest men I have ever known. Mike was a stellar and popular Probate Judge in Jefferson County prior to his service on the Supreme Court. He is a graduate of Samford University and a graduate of Cumberland School of Law. Justice Bolin and his wife, Rosemary Bolin, have one daughter. They attend St. Peter the Apostle Church in Hoover. Unfortunately, Judge Bolin cannot run for reelection next year. He will be over 70 and is term limited under state law. However, last but not least, Justice Kelli Wise is well below 70 and can and will run for reelection next year and she will win. She is a very popular member of the high court. Kelli served several terms on the Court of Criminal Appeals before matriculating to the Supreme Court. Justice Wise and her husband, former District Court Judge Arthur Ray, have one daughter and are members of the St. James United Methodist Church. Kelli is a Wiregrass native up for reelection next year in 2022. 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.
Chief Justice Lyn Stuart picks up major endorsements in primary
Six current and former Alabama Supreme Court justices have endorsed Alabama Chief Justice Lyn Stuart in a Republican primary. The current and former justices on Thursday announced their support for Stuart who faces Associate Justice Tom Parker in the June 5 GOP primary for chief justice. Justice Mike Bolin, Justice Jim Main, retired Justice Gorman Houston, retired Justice Patti Smith, retired Justice Champ Lyons, and retired Justice Bernard Harwood said they were supporting Stuart. The GOP primary pits Parker, a longtime ally of former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore, against Stuart, who took over Moore’s duties when Moore was suspended from the bench. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey later appointed Stuart as Moore’s replacement. The winner of the GOP primary will face Democrat Bob Vance in November. Reprinted with permission of the Associated Press.
Marriage group files ethics complaints against Alabama Supreme Court Justice Mike Bolin
Adding to their ever-growing lists of complaints against Alabama Supreme Court justices, the Sanctity of Marriage Alabama (SOMA) filed an ethics complaint against Justice Michael “Mike” Bolin. SOMA, the same group that filed complaints against suspended Chief Justice Roy Moore and Acting Chief Justice Lyn Stuart, filed the complaint Monday with the Alabama Judicial Inquiry Commission (JIC) saying Bolin blatantly disregarded the Canons of Judicial Ethics by failing to disqualify himself from proceedings in Moore’s case. The group also says all Alabama voters should write-in an honorable attorney instead of Bolin at the polls on Tuesday. “Justice Bolin has recently recused himself from Moore’s appeal,” said Tom Ford, spokesman for Sanctity of Marriage Alabama, “however, he failed to do so in May of 2016 where his impartiality was equally questionable. Why the attempt to save face now? No Alabamian can expect a fair trial at the Alabama Supreme Court with acting Chief Justice Lyn Stuart and Mike Bolin heading the group.” In March of 2016, Justice Bolin joined a portion of Justice Greg Shaw’s opinion condemning Chief Justice Moore’s stance in a gay marriage case, the group explains. Later that opinion was used by the JIC in an effort to oust Moore. “That opinion was used by the Judicial Inquiry Commission and radical leftists in their crusade to oust Chief Justice Moore,” according to SOMA’s press release. In May 2016, Justice Bolin failed to disqualify himself from the ethics proceedings against Moore, but in Sept. 2016 suddenly recused himself from hearing Moore’s appeal. “Perhaps to save face,” the group surmises. “Justice Bolin does not deserve the vote of the people of Alabama on Tuesday,” Ford continued. “Conservative voters have been betrayed ever since the day Justice Bolin gave Alabamians and conservatives the cold shoulder by joining the Southern Poverty Law Center in condemning Chief Justice Moore for legally defending the conservative platform. Love or hate Chief Justice Moore, all voters of all parties should be outraged by Justice Bolin’s unethical and political handling of the case.” Ford concluded, “As Justice Bolin is unchallenged on Tuesday, we urge all Alabamians to refuse to give Justice Bolin your vote and write-in an honorable Alabama attorney for Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Place No. 1.” Alabama Today’s efforts to reach Bolin for comment were unsuccessful.
