Former Senate Pro Tem John Teague has died
Former Alabama State Senator John Allison Teague passed away Sunday following a long battle with cancer. The former Alabama Senate President Pro Tempore was 78 years old. Just days earlier, the Alabama Senate passed a resolution honoring Teague for his many career accomplishments. Teague represented the Senate and the State Alabama House of Representatives in his long, distinguished career. Senate Joint Resolution 64 (SJR64) was sponsored by all 35 members of the Alabama Senate. The Resolution was passed by the Alabama Senate on May 9 and passed by the Alabama House of Representatives on May 11. The Resolution reads, “HONORING MR. JOHN ALLISON TEAGUE, SR. FOR PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS. WHEREAS, with very special pleasure, we highly honor Mr. John Allison Teague, Sr. for his numerous professional achievements; and WHEREAS, Mr. Teague was born on July 9, 1944, in Childersburg, Alabama, to Mayburn and Ralph Teague; he is the father of Allison, Todd, and John; the husband of Tami Teague; and the brother of Ralph Judson Jr. and Ashley Teague.” “Mr. Teague graduated from Childersburg High School in 1962, attended Jacksonville State University from 1962-1963, and attended the United States Fidelity and Guaranty School of Insurance in 1976.” “Mr. Teague served as a member of the Alabama House of Representatives, representing District 55: Talladega, Childersburg, and Calhoun Counties from 1974-1976; he was elected through a special election to the Alabama Senate in 1976, where he was reelected for two full terms; he was elected as President Pro-Tempore of the Senate by his peers in 1983; as President Pro-Tempore, he was given a vote on every standing committee for the first time in Alabama history; he was elected as the Most Outstanding Senator by his peers in 1984 and 1986; served the State of Alabama Senate District 19: Talladega, St. Clair, and Calhoun Counties from 1976-1982; and served the State of Alabama Senate District 19: Talladega, Cleburne, Clay, Coosa, and Elmore Counties from 1982-1986.” “Mr. Teague has been the recipient of many profound awards and forms of recognition, including being a charter member of the Board of Trustees for the Alabama Motorsports Hall of Fame from 1975-1987; being a member of the Board of Trustees for Troy State University from 1980-1992, where he served on the Executive Committee and the Athletic Committee; being recognized on the cover of Alabama Magazine as The Most Effective Legislator in 1984; receiving the Lyndon Baines Johnson Political Freedom Award by the Alabama Democratic Conference in 1984; being granted a Doctorate of Humane Letters from Talladega College in 1984; receiving The University of Montevallo Area Public Official of the Year Award in 1985; being named Alabama Wildlife Federation’s Conservationist of the Year in 1986; and being the only person in the nation to receive the prestigious CIT Rebuilding America Award in 1988; in addition, Central Alabama Community College named its first ever scholarship award, The John Teague Scholarship Award, in 1984; the bridge over the Coosa River in Childersburg was named the John A. Teague Bridge in 1987; and the Alabama Legislature and Board of Trustees for the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind named the student center on the school’s campus the John A. Teague Student Center in 1989.” “A man of unwavering selflessness WHEREAS, a man of unwavering selflessness and diligence who is passionate about serving others, Mr. Teague has inspired many throughout his lifetime as a remarkable leader; now therefore, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA, BOTH HOUSES THEREOF CONCURRING, That Mr. John Allison Teague, Sr. is highly honored for his numerous professional achievements, and we hereby dedicate this resolution to him with warmest appreciation, admiration, and regard.” Teague lost the Democratic primary for Lieutenant Governor to Jim Folsom Jr. in 1986 – otherwise, Teague would almost certainly have been governor – Folsom was later elevated to the role when then-Gov. Guy Hunt was convicted of misusing inauguration funds. Teague was the President of Government Affairs Strategies, LLC for decades. In that capacity, he was a fixture in the Alabama Statehouse up until 2022. There Teague was a friend to legislators, his fellow lobbyists, industry leaders, government officials, staff, and journalists alike. Teague served a six-month federal prison sentence that was the result of an investigation of state transportation grants. Teague was granted a full pardon by the Alabama Board of Pardons and Parole less than two years later. Former State Auditor Jim Zeigler said on Facebook, “Sad that long-time lobbyist and former State Senator John Teague has died on Mother’s Day. He fought gallantly against serious injury and illness. Prayers for Tami and his family.” Longtime friend and lobbyist former Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries Commissioner Ron Sparks said on Facebook, “I lost an amazing friend today. In the past 20 years there were not many days I was not with Teague or not talk to him. Teague and I traveled the world together and he was one of the smartest and wisest men I have ever known. My life changed forever today.” Teague’s son said on Facebook, “Memorial service for my dad will be held this next Wednesday, May 24th, at First Baptist Church in downtown Montgomery with visitation from 3-4 and service at 4.” To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Republicans are hoping for another sweep in 2022 election
On Tuesday, Alabama voters are going to the polls to elect new leaders for the state. The Alabama Republican Party is hoping to see history repeat itself again in this election, and they will maintain their dominant position in Alabama politics. “Just a reminder that if you are tired of sky-high gas prices, out-of-control inflation, and rising crime, you have a choice. Vote Republican tomorrow on Election Day,” the Alabama Republican Party wrote on Facebook Monday. Alabama Republicans hope that this election follows the script of recent Alabama elections. In 2010, the Alabama Republican Party won every statewide office on the ballot. U.S. Senator Richard Shelby was easily re-elected to another term. Republican nominee for Governor, State Rep. Robert Bentley, defeated his Democratic opponent Ag Commissioner Ron Sparks. Then Treasurer Kay Ivey defeated incumbent Lieutenant Governor Jim Folsom in a race that even most Republicans at the time thought was a long shot. The people of Alabama, however, had grown tired of Alabama Education Association-dominated Democrats and found President Barack Obama’s policies too liberal for Alabama. National voters agreed, and 2010 was a massive “red wave” election that gave Republicans control of both Houses of Congress. In Alabama, Republicans won supermajorities in both Houses of the Alabama Legislature after 135 years of Democratic domination of the state legislature. In 2014 Bentley, Ivey, and the rest of the Alabama GOP were back. Bentley faced former Congressman Parker Griffith, and Ivey faced former State Rep. James Fields. Democrats viewed the 2014 election as so hopeless that they did not even find a candidate to run against popular U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions. The Alabama voters once again rewarded Republicans with every statewide office on the ballot, and they grew their supermajorities in both Houses of the Legislature. In 2018, Bentley was gone, and Ivey had been elevated to Governor. Shelby was reelected to a sixth term in 2016. Democrats, however, were optimistic because their nominee for U.S. Senate, Doug Jones, had just defeated the Republican nominee, former Chief Justice Roy Moore in a special election. It had been the first win for an Alabama Democrat in a statewide race since 2008. Speaker of the House Mike Hubbard, who had masterminded the Republican campaigns in 2010 and 2014, had been convicted of corruption in 2016 (he is still in prison to this day). None of that mattered. Ivey easily bested her Democratic opponent, Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox. In the Lieutenant Governor’s race, State Rep. Will Ainsworth defeated his Democratic opponent, Florence Pastor Dr. Will Boyd. The Republicans also grew their supermajorities in the state legislature. Former Auburn head football coach Tommy Tuberville beat Sen. Jones in a landslide in 2020, so once again, there is no statewide Democratic officeholder in Alabama. On Tuesday, Ivey is seeking her second full term as governor. This time she faces political newcomer Yolanda Flowers and a Libertarian – Dr. James “Jimmy” Blake. Ainsworth faces Libertarian Ruth Page Nelson. Democrats failed to run a Lt. Gov. candidate. Shelby is retiring after 36 years in the Senate and 52 total years in office. His former Chief of Staff, Katie Britt, is the Republican nominee for Senate. She faces Boyd and Libertarian John Sophocleus. This is the first election since 2002 where there are Libertarians on the Alabama ballot. There are a lot of parallels between the 2022 election and the 2010 election. Once again, Democrats control both Houses of Congress and an unpopular Democratic Presidential incumbent, former Obama VP Joe Biden, is in the second year of his presidency. Many political analysts are predicting that Tuesday will be a second “red wave” election, like 2010, that will sweep Democrats out of office and give Republicans control of both Houses of Congress again. Alabama Republicans are hoping this is true of Alabama as well, and the GOP will retain its almost total mastery of Alabama politics. That is for the voters of Alabama to decide. Polls will open at 7:00 am and close at 7:00 am. Voters need to bring a valid photo ID with them to the polls. Various forms of photo ID are acceptable. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Kay Ivey outpaces other gubernatorial candidates in September fundraising
The September campaign finance reports are in, and incumbent Governor Kay Ivey, the Republican nominee, is lapping her opponents in fundraising. According to the campaign finance reports filed by the Secretary of State’s office, the governor entered the month of September with $75,583.16 in her re-election account. During September, the governor raised another $316,011 in contributions. Ivey outspent everyone else in the race: combined with expenditures of $189,915.81 in September alone. Ivey enters the month with $201,678.35 in cash on hand. Ivey is only the second woman to be elected as Governor of Alabama. She is the longest serving woman governor in state history as Gov. Lurleen Wallace died of breast cancer in office during her one and only term. Ivey was twice elected as State Treasurer and twice elected as Lieutenant Governor; before being elevated to governor in 2017 when then Gov. Robert Bentley resigned. Ivey was elected to her own term of office in 2018. Dr. James “Jimmy” Blake is the Libertarian candidate for governor. Blake, as a challenger, enters the race with less name recognition than the incumbent governor. The way a campaign builds name recognition is through commercials: radio, TV, internet, print, direct mail, signs, and billboards, and all of that costs money in a state with over five million people and multiple media markets. The Libertarians did not even get ballot access until late May, so building a fundraising apparatus to challenge an incumbent Governor has been challenging. The Blake campaign began in September with just $834. Over the course of the month, Blake raised $9,325, spent $5,389.90, and entered October with $4,769.10 in cash on hand. The situation is even bleaker for the Democratic nominee for Governor. Yolanda Rochelle Flowers reported contributions for the month of just $2,150. The Democratic nominee only had $673.32 in funds coming into September. After spending just $2777.09, the Flowers campaign was left with only $46.23 entering October. The last three Democratic nominees for governor Walt Maddox, Parker Griffith, and Ron Sparks, were running campaigns that were at distinct disadvantages to their Republican counterparts. Still, ideological liberals, Democratic Party loyalists, and allied special interests did at least fund their campaigns. Flowers can’t raise money, and Democrats appear to have thrown in the towel on this and every other statewide race. Democrats aren’t giving to Flowers, who already has a mountain to climb to establish name recognition, much less win votes on election day. Flowers is the first Black woman to be nominated for Governor of Alabama by one of the two major political parties. Ivey, Blake, and Flowers are the only three candidates that will appear on the ballot on November 8, but there are also at least two write-in candidates who do not have the advantages of a statewide political party working for their cause. Write-in candidate Jared Budlong began the month of September with just $105.23 in his campaign account. Over the course of the month, he raised $918.40 in contributions for his campaign and borrowed another $370.07. Budlong spent $659.72 on the campaign and entered October with $733.98 in cash on hand. Lee county pastor and former Republican primary candidate Dean Odle is running as a write-in candidate. Odle entered the month of September with $12,081.61 in cash on hand. Odle reported cash contributions of $5,735.02, in-kind contributions of $666.40, expenditures of $11,550.16, and an ending cash balance of $6,266.47. To vote for Budlong or Odle, voters must check the write-in candidate as their choice for governor and then write in their name on the paper ballot. Republican candidates have dominated fundraising in this election cycle. Republican candidates have raised $46,753,741.68. Political Action Committees have raised $19,798,304.29 in contributions. The Democratic candidates have contributions of $7,282,846.27 combined. All other candidates, including the 65 Libertarian candidates on the ballot, have only raised $178,572.12 combined in this cycle. By comparison, Ivey by herself raised $316,011 just in the month of September. Ivey has raised $9,898,554.35 in this election – more than every Democrat, Libertarian, and independent candidate combined. The election will be on November 8. If, for some reason you are unable to vote on November 8, you can apply for and obtain an absentee ballot. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Walt Maddox, former Governor Don Siegelman join forces in Selma
Combining forces, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Walt Maddox and former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman spoke together on Tuesday at the opening of the African-American Episcopal Church Conference in Selma, Ala. Both men spoke to the attendees about the upcoming November general election, Maddox for his own campaign and Siegelman for his son, Joseph Siegelman‘s campaign for Attorney General. “I’m running for Governor because we hear the shouts,” Maddox said during his speech at the historic Brown Chapel AME Church according to his campaign website. “We hear shouts of the ballot box in Montgomery. We hear shouts about the mental health system across the state of Alabama. We hear the shouts about the hospitals in Alabama that are closing.” “Do you hear the shouts?” Maddox continued. “Our problems in Alabama deserve a solution. As Christians, we hear those shouts. If I’m elected Governor of Alabama, we will honor those shouts.” You can watch Maddox’s full speech here. Siegelman spoke for his son’s campaign, and told attendees to vote for Maddox as next governor, “My son’s a Civil Rights Attorney in the Johnny Cochran firm,” Siegelman told the crowd according to the Selma Times-Journal. “He works for the people and I’m real proud of him.” “Vote Walt Maddox as the next Governor of Alabama,” he continued. Siegelman’s endorsement of Maddox is just one in a list of Democratic leaders who have endorsed him over the course of his candidacy. Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin endorsed him in May, saying he influenced how he governs his city, “Walt’s ability to convince people to work together – black and white, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican – has inspired how I seek to lead Birmingham to a new era of excellence,” Woodfin said according to AL.com. Former Alabama Agricultural Commissioner Ron Sparks, Mobile-Democrat Sen. Vivian Figures, and former state Sen. Roger Bedford have also endorsed Maddox in his bid governor.
Walt Maddox receives endorsement from Ron Sparks, other Alabama influencers
Walt Maddox‘s campaign announced on the backing of former Alabama Agricultural Commissioner Ron Sparks on Monday. “Walt has compassion and he has leadership. He stood in the streets of Tuscaloosa in its darkest hours and darkest days. He showed compassion, leadership, and strength to rebuild the city,” said Sparks. “He will never put party over the people of Alabama.” Maddox hinted that should he be elected, Sparks might be asked to join his administration. “I am honored to receive the endorsement of Ron Sparks,” said Maddox. “Ron has been a political force in Alabama for years and he shares our vision for a better Alabama. He will be an invaluable asset to this campaign and to my administration should I be elected governor.” This is just one of many endorsements Maddox has received recently; last week he revived an endorsement from Mobile-Democrat Sen. Vivian Figures, and in March received and endorsement from Russellville-Democrat, former state Sen. Roger Bedford. “I am honored and proud to endorse Mayor Walt Maddox to be our next governor,” said Figures. “I know he is ready to serve all of the people of AL, because he’s not filled with empty rhetoric, but has a plan that will move AL to the next level.” Bedford said, “I know first-hand that Walt Maddox has what it takes. He has a proven record in Tuscaloosa and is a new fresh face we need in Montgomery. He has the knowledge, demeanor, and work ethic to make a difference and will make us proud to call him our governor.” Maddox will face former state Supreme Court Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb, along with Christopher Countryman, James Fields, Doug Smith and Anthony White in the June 5 Democratic primary. The winner will go on to face the Republican nominee in the general election, to be selected among: Gov. Kay Ivey, Tommy Battle, Bill Hightower, or Scott Dawson.
