John Wahl says ALGOP won’t be sitting on the sideline taking supermajority for granted
Alabama Republican Party Chairman John Wahl spent the weekend in Washington D.C. planning and strategy sessions for the upcoming midterm elections on November 8. The trip was part of finalizing the Republican Party’s 2022 election priorities. During the four-day trip, he attended multiple high-level meetings with different political organizations. “The Alabama Republican Party is ready to help our candidates at home, as well as around the country,” Wahl said in a statement. “We won’t be sitting on the sidelines taking our state’s supermajority for granted. We’ve been working hard for the people of Alabama and doing our part to help partners in other states so we can take back the U.S. House and Senate. Too much is at stake, and we must do all we can to restore America and reign in the out-of-control liberal policies of the Biden Administration.” Chairman Wahl said he has finalized plans with the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC). The Alabama Republican Party has been involved in a joint fundraising committee with the NRSC geared at helping U.S. Senate nominees from around the country. The Senate is currently divided 50:50, and Republicans are hoping that they can pick up seats and regain control of the U.S. Senate, which the party lost in 2020. “The ALGOP has been working hard to make sure our candidates have the resources they need. Republicans have the opportunity to flip several seats this year, and I hope our joint fundraising committee will play an important role in gaining a majority in the U.S. Senate,” Wahl stated. The Chairman also spent time with the Republican National Committee (RNC). Wahl said that the RNC’s involvement is crucial in the ALGOP’s Restore America campaigns in Georgia and other states, helping Republican efforts stay on the same page. There could be as many as 100 volunteers from the Mighty Alabama Strike Force traveling to Georgia to help Herschel Walker’s campaign for U.S. Senate. The first round of volunteers will leave Alabama for Georgia on Sunday. “It’s exciting to have so many volunteers from across the state of Alabama joining in the fight to take back the Senate in 2022,” Wahl commented. “This election cycle is going to be critical if we have any chance to save our economy and restore the America we know and love. Herschel Walker is a special candidate who understands the American dream and the struggles facing the middle class because of bad government decisions. He has energized people across the country with his common sense conservative message, and we look forward to helping him win this November.” Wahl said that this trip finalized much of the work started at the RNC Winter and Summer Meetings in Salt Lake City and Chicago. “We had the opportunity to review election forecast data and really look at how we can best help our candidates,” Wahl said. “It’s so important that we know where to best spend our resources – both financial and boots on the ground.” The Alabama Republican Party cited several preparations that they have made for the midterm election and are in the middle of implementing in an attempt to make 2022 one of the Party’s strongest general election campaigns ever. • Set a one-day political fundraiser record of $1.1 million at the Party’s Cullman Trump Rally. • Elected the State’s first African-American Republican, Kenneth Paschal, to the State House • Launched an Outreach Coalition to minority voters • Started the Restore America campaign to help Republican candidates win across the country • Target over 40 candidates across the state of Alabama in one of the largest financial commitments in the history of the ALGOP. The Alabama Republican Party won the governorship for the first time since the 1870s in 1986 when probate Judge Guy Hunt defeated Lt. Gov. Bill Baxley. Since then, the ALGOP has been gaining strength and momentum. In the Red wave 2010 election, the ALGOP won supermajorities in both Houses of the Alabama Legislature as well as every statewide elected office on the ballot. The elections that have followed have only increased the GOP’s status as the dominant political party in Alabama. The general election will be on November 8. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Luther Strange supporters launch joint-fundraising effort for crowded Senate race
He’s only been in office a few short months and already Sen. Luther Strange is having to do something most sitting senators don’t have to worry about but once every six years — campaign to keep his seat. Facing a bevy of primary challengers — former Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court Roy Moore; State Rep. Ed Henry; President of the Christian Coalition of Alabama Dr. Randy Brinson; Birmingham businessman Dom Gentile — Strange has his work cut out for him preparing for the August 15 GOP primary. Which is precisely why a new joint-fundraising effort has been launched on his behalf. Seeking to boost the senator’s chance of winning the primary and to clear a path for a December special election victory, former Republican National Committee CFO Benjamin Ottenhoff filed the paperwork on Tuesday creating the Strange Victory Committee to fundraise on behalf of Strange for Senate and the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC). The move should come as no surprise as NRSC communications director Katie Martin told Politico last month, “We have made it very clear from the beginning that Sen. Luther Strange would be treated as an incumbent. It has also been a clear policy that we will not use vendors who work against our incumbents.” Martin said Strange is considered an incumbent by the NRSC and will be protected like one. Fundraising aside, Strange may already have a leg-up on his opponents. According to his campaign’s latest filing with the Federal Election Commission he already has $763,612 cash-on-hand. Last month Gov. Kay Ivey moved the date of the special election to 2017 from 2018, giving little time for his opponents to catch up on the fundraising front. Prior to that, the special election was set to coincide with the 2018 regular election cycle as set by former-Gov. Robert Bentley. “I promised to steady our ship of state. This means following the law, which clearly states the people should vote for a replacement U.S. Senator as soon as possible,” Ivey said in a statement. “The new US Senate special election dates this year are a victory for the rule of law.” In February, Bentley appointed Strange to the Senate seat to replace Jeff Sessions. The GOP primary will be his first test of approval to see if Alabamians support Bentley’s decision.
