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.
Election skeptics seek Alabama secretary of state’s office
The Republican runoff for Alabama secretary of state features two candidates who have voiced concerns about election and voter roll integrity while opposing the expansion of early or absentee voting. One candidate, state Auditor Jim Zeigler, is endorsed by a key supporter of former President Donald Trump’s baseless claims that the 2020 election was stolen, and the other, state Rep. Wes Allen, is vowing to withdraw from a national system of shared voter registration data. The two face off Tuesday for the GOP nomination for secretary of state, the state’s top elections official. The winner will take on Democratic nominee Pamela J. Laffitte, a law enforcement officer from Mobile, in November. Interest in secretary of state contests across the nation has surged in the wake of the 2020 election as Republicans campaign on suspicions of voter fraud and, in some cases, deny the result of the last presidential election. Zeigler joined the “America First Secretary of State Coalition,” a slate of candidates who continue to question the legitimacy of the 2020 election, and is endorsed by Trump ally Mike Lindell, the MyPillow founder. Several America First candidates have secured GOP nominations, including Jim Marchant in Nevada, a key political battleground. Another candidate, Jody Hice, lost in Georgia as Trump tried unsuccessfully to unseat Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. “I’m not an election denier. I’m an election questioner. There are many questions about the 2020 election,” Zeigler said in an interview. Allen is a former probate judge who oversaw elections on the county level and is a current member of the Alabama Legislature. In the House of Representatives, Allen sponsored bills to ban curbside voting as well as outside donations to election offices — legislation fueled by conservatives’ suspicions about Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg’s donations to help election offices deal with the coronavirus pandemic. “A core function of our government is to administer safe, secure, transparent elections, and we can do that. I just don’t think that we need that private money infiltrating local jurisdictions that oversee our elections,” Allen said. The League of Women Voters of Alabama, Black Voters Matter, and other groups opposed the donation ban, calling it a possible voter suppression measure that would hurt the state’s poorest counties by prohibiting them from accepting grants and other help. Allen also has championed a proposal to remove Alabama from the Electronic Registration Information Center, or ERIC. The system allows the 31 participating states to securely share voter registration data, so they know if someone has moved to another state or died and remove them from their roll. “They are outsourcing who is taking care of our voter registration information. So, on Day 1, I’ll start the process of getting us out of ERIC,” Allen said. Zeigler has said he would review ERIC participation but has not campaigned on withdrawing. Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill, also a Republican, said the push to withdraw from ERIC would actually undermine election security because of its importance in maintaining clean voter rolls. He said the system has had “zero instances” of known problems. Merrill, who cannot run again because of term limits, said he is disheartened by the campaign trend to cast doubt on the integrity of elections and registration maintenance systems. “I am concerned about it because it breeds potential problems in people’s minds. When that happens, it can actually put people in a defensive posture and think, if their candidate loses, ‘Well, then the reason my candidate lost is my candidate got cheated.’ It could just be that you have a poor candidate, or your candidate is not very well funded, or your candidate did not have a good plan for a political campaign.” Merrill said. Allen was one of a handful of Alabama probate judges who stopped issuing marriage licenses to anyone to avoid giving them to same-sex couples after federal court ruled that gay couples had a right to marry. Couples had to go to a neighboring county until lawmakers changed the process. As a member of the Alabama Legislature, he also sponsored legislation, currently blocked by a federal judge from taking effect, that made it a felony to treat transgender minors with puberty blockers or hormones. Zeigler was elected state auditor in 2014 and cannot seek reelection because of term limits. Although the role of state auditor is to keep track of state property and has limited official duties, Zeigler turned the office into a public platform to play gadfly to Republican administrations. In 2016, Zeigler filed an ethics complaint against then-Gov. Robert Bentley, accusing him of misusing state resources after audio leaked of the governor having a romantically charged conversation with a top aide. “As the state auditor, I served as a watchman for the public against government waste, mismanagement, and corruption. As secretary of state, I will serve as a watchman for election integrity and participation,” he said. Both Allen and Zeigler oppose expanding voting beyond Election Day, such as early voting or allowing people to vote by absentee ballot without certifying an illness or travel-related reason. The Democratic candidate in the race, Laffitte, said Alabama should join the majority of states that allow early voting or no-excuse absentee ballot voting. People in both parties are busy with work, child care, and other obligations, she contended and would benefit by having more convenient methods to vote. She said voter turnout is low in Alabama because “we continue to run things as if we are running in the dinosaur days.” Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
Jim Zeigler picks up endorsement of Alabama Republican Assembly for Secretary of State
The group that calls itself “the Republican wing of the Republican party” has endorsed Jim Zeigler for Secretary of State in this Tuesday’s Republican runoff. The Alabama Republican Assembly, a 25-year-old statewide organization, says “Zeigler has been a watchdog for taxpayers.” He faces off against State Rep. Wes Allen on Tuesday. Zeigler led the May primary with 43% to Allen’s 39%. State ALRA President Don Wallace stated, “Jim Zeigler has been a watchdog for the Alabama taxpayers his entire career. He has stood for honest government, and the Alabama Republican Assembly believes he will stand strong for honest and transparent elections.” “Jim Zeigler has been a conservative leader in our state, and the Alabama Republican Assembly recognizes his commitment to good government with our endorsement to be the next Secretary of State,” Wallace continued. The winner of Tuesday’s Republican nomination faces Democrat Pamela Lafitte and Libertarian nominee Matt Shelby in the November general election. On Thursday, Zeigler stated, “Over the next eight years, the job of Secretary of State will be vital. We face national attempts to manipulate honest election procedures. Alabama needs a proven fighter against government overreach to be our fighting Secretary of State.”
Jim Zeigler, Wes Allen in GOP runoff for secretary of state
Outgoing State Auditor Jim Zeigler and state Rep. Wes Allen advanced to the Republican primary runoff to succeed GOP incumbent John Merrill as Alabama’s top elections officer, secretary of state. Zeigler was barred from running again as auditor by term limits, and Allen served nearly a decade as probate judge in Pike County. Neither could get above the 50% vote threshold in a race that also included Ed Packard, who worked in the secretary of state’s elections division for nearly 25 years, and Christian Horn, a GOP activist and business owner from Madison County. None of the four candidates raised major complaints about election problems in Alabama, which is controlled by Republicans and voted heavily for President Donald Trump in 2020. But all talked about measures needed to tighten election security, an issue popularized among conservatives by Trump’s false claims that the 2020 election was stolen by President Joe Biden. The eventual Republican nominee will face Democrat Pamela J. Laffitte of Mobile in November. Merrill couldn’t seek the office again after serving two terms. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
Offices including secretary of state contested in Alabama
The campaigns for U.S. Senate and governor have gotten the most attention leading up to Tuesday’s primary in Alabama, but five other statewide races are on the ballot. With multiple candidates in some races, some nominations may not be decided until after runoff elections scheduled for June 21. Here are some of the key races to watch: SECRETARY OF STATE Four Republicans and one Democrat are on the primary ballot to succeed GOP incumbent John Merrill as Alabama’s top elections officer, secretary of state. Ed Packard, who worked in the secretary of state’s elections division for nearly 25 years, is seeking the Republican nomination in a field that includes Jim Zeigler, who was barred from running again as state auditor by term limits; state Rep. Wes Allen of Troy, who served nearly a decade as probate judge in Pike County; and Christian Horn, a GOP activist and business owner from Madison County. None of the four candidates has raised major complaints about election problems in Alabama, which is controlled by Republicans and voted heavily for President Donald Trump in 2020. But all have talked about measures needed to tighten election security, an issue popularized among conservatives by Trump’s false claims that the 2020 election was stolen by President Joe Biden. Merrill couldn’t seek the office again after serving two terms. The eventual Republican nominee will face Democrat Pamela J. Laffitte of Mobile in November. ATTORNEY GENERAL Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall faces a single primary challenger as he seeks a second four-year term as the state’s main law enforcement official. First appointed to the position in 2017, Marshall is opposed by Harry Bartlett Still III, an attorney from Daphne. Marshall, who previously served as district attorney in Marshall County, regularly opposes initiatives launched by Democratic President Joe Biden, including vaccination requirements for COVID-19 and federal policies along the border with Mexico, and he testified against the nomination of now-Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson to the U.S. Supreme Court. Still contends corruption is rampant in state government, and that the agency that oversees police standards and training in the state needs to be reorganized to increase public trust in law enforcement. He also supports replacing Alabama’s heavily amended Constitution, passed in 1901 to ensure white supremacy. The winner will face Democratic nominee Wendell Major, police chief in the Birmingham-area city of Tarrant, in November. STATE AUDITOR Candidates for Alabama state auditor typically emphasize the importance of keeping track of state property, but three Republicans seeking the office this year added another talking point in the era of false claims about a stolen presidential vote — election security. Stan Cooke, a pastor from Kimberly; Rusty Glover, a former history teacher from Semmes who served in the state Senate; and state Rep. Andrew Sorrell of Muscle Shoals all are emphasizing the auditor’s role of selecting county registrar boards as they seek the office. Almost directly echoing false claims by former President Donald Trump, Cooke’s campaign website says the state must get ahead of Democrats before they “try and steal our elections as they did in Pennsylvania, Arizona, and even our neighbor to the east, Georgia.” The incumbent, Jim Zeigler, couldn’t seek re-election after serving two terms and is running for secretary of state. Winning the Republican nomination is tantamount to election since no Democrat qualified to run for auditor. SUPREME COURT One Republican candidate for the Alabama Supreme Court is trying to woo voters with a mix that includes his devotion to God and former President Donald Trump. The other is emphasizing her experience in the courtroom — and her gun. Greg Cook, an attorney from metro Birmingham, and Debra Jones, a circuit judge who hears cases in Calhoun and Cleburne, are seeking the Republican nomination for the Place 5 Supreme Court seat held by Justice Mike Bolin, who is retiring. Cook is portraying himself as a “Trump-tough” Republican who was a Trump delegate and represented conservative interests in the 2000 presidential recount contest in Florida between Al Gore and President George W. Bush. Aside from partisan and legal qualifications, Cook’s campaign resume features his longtime church membership and leadership. Jones released a commercial late in the campaign boasting of her support for Trump, her short stature — “She’s 5 feet of concrete” — and a case in which she sentenced a person convicted of child molestation to more than 1,000 years in prison. The spot shows her firing a handgun and saying the only reason she didn’t put the person “under the jail” was that “the liberals” wouldn’t let her. All nine members of the court are Republicans, and the winner of the Place 5 race will be a heavy favorite over Democrat Anita L. Kelly, a judge in Montgomery, in the general election. CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT Voters will decide whether to let the state go into debt for $85 million in bonds to spruce up Alabama’s state parks and historical sites. A statewide constitutional amendment on the ballot would provide $80 million in funding for state park projects that include adding and improving camping sites, adding wireless service, upgrading electrical and water service, replacing playgrounds, constructing swimming pools, and repairing parts of Gulf State Park damaged by Hurricane Sally. The remaining $5 million would go to the Alabama Historical Commission for acquiring, renovating, and maintaining historical parks around the state. The agency wouldn’t be allowed to use the money at Confederate Memorial Park in Marbury. The park is funded by a tax that was originally intended for needy Confederate veterans. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
