State Sen. Slade Blackwell confuses field, withdraws from governor’s race
As quickly as he entered the gubernatorial race, Mountain Brook-Republican and State Sen. Slade Blackwell has exited it. Blackwell officially qualified to run for Governor on Friday, the last day to qualify for the Republican and Democratic parties, but then without an explanation withdrew his name on Monday. Alabama Today has confirmed his name has since been removed from the ALGOP’s list of qualified candidates for the governor’s race. First elected to office to 2010, Blackwell was originally expected to run for reelection to continue to represent Senate District 15, but filed for the gubernatorial race instead. Now, he has missed the deadline to qualify to run for reelection for his current seat. According to his January 2018 campaign finance report filing, Blackwell has a war chest of $212,049.70 cash on hand. It is unknown what he intends to do with those funds. Blackwell has not responded to Alabama Today for comment. In the Alabama State Senate, Blackwell is Chairman of the Banking and Insurance committee, Vice-Chairman of the Job Creation and Economic Development committee and serves on the Health, Confirmations, Education, Business and Labor, Finance & Taxation Education committees. He currently serves on the board for the Lakeshore Foundation, the Birmingham History Center, the Pinson Education Foundation, the Birmingham Golf Association and the Shelby Arts Council. He is also involved in several organizations throughout the state including the Alabama Republican Party, the Birmingham Business Alliance and several chambers of commerce. Blackwell also serves as a volunteer coach for several youth basketball teams. Blackwell’s exit leaves five Republican candidates vying for their party’s nomination: Gov. Kay Ivey, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, evangelist Scott Dawson, Mobile-State Sen. Bill Hightower and Michael McAllister. The Republican primary is scheduled for June 5.
Steve Flowers: Handicapping the ‘great show’ Senate Special Election
The decisive move by newly minted Governor, Kay Ivey, to declare a Special Election for the Jeff Sessions’ Senate Seat this year rather than next year changes the entire complexion of who will sit in that coveted seat. It also redefines the landscape of an ever changing and pivotal Alabama political scene. This next year will be an adventure as we elect a Senator and concurrently the 2018 Governor’s Race will begin its evolution. We have already seen the downfall of a sitting governor this year and by Sept. 26, we will see the election of a new junior U.S. Senator. There is an assumption that only a Republican can win statewide office in Alabama and winning the GOP primary is tantamount to election. The decision by Governor Ivey was the right decision. Most folks would assume that “forthwith” means this year rather than next year. It was also a wise political move by Ms. Ivey if she wants to run for a full term. Ivey’s calling for the Special Election for Sessions’ seat immediately, could be the death knell for Luther Strange. By December, he may go from being the newest and tallest member of the U.S. Senate to the shortest serving senator in Alabama history. His defeat could be very inglorious and humiliating. With the election being this year, it will be the only show in town. It will be a spectacle. Every politician who is in any office can run without risking his or her current posts. In other words, everyone has a free shot. Therefore, it will be a free-for-all. Everyone will run against poor Big Luther and the Bentley taint. They will use their campaign resources to give you the unmitigated details of how Luther got put in that seat by ole Bentley. You will be told so many times that Bentley and Luther got together in a backroom with Rebekah and brokered a deal to sell Luther the Senate seat in return for Luther not prosecuting Bentley and Rebekah that you will know the story by heart. Luther will be as tarnished and feathered as ole Bentley. In about two weeks, when the Washington PAC’s see the polling that reveals Luther is in trouble, his campaign resources will be less than he expected and he may not be able to defend against the onslaught of negative ads. The question becomes, who will be the early frontrunners? Roy Moore enters as the favorite. His evangelical base becomes crystallized in a large field. It will probably reserve him a place in the Sept. 26 run-off. Who will be the other candidate in the runoff? It may very well not be Luther Strange. The U.S. Senate is a select club. A cursory look around the chamber reveals very wealthy people or celebrities. Senate seats are bought by wealthy individuals in a good many cases. We have some people in Alabama who could very easily buy the Senate seat. The short period of time that exists to raise money for an Aug. 15 election even further enhances the advantage for someone who can self-finance and write a big check. The name on most lists is the “Yella Fella,” Jimmy Rane. He would sell. He is a natural salesman. Folks close to Yella Fella get the feeling that he does not want to go to Washington at this time in his life. However, he is adamant and determined that Luther Strange will not remain in the seat. Therefore, he may bankroll another candidate through a super PAC. Rumor has it that he will get behind Del Marsh. Marsh has his own money also. However, he needs more money because he is totally unknown to Alabama voters. I will keep you posted on the developments. I do not know how many of these folks will join the fray but this is how I will handicap the horses at this time. Jimmy Rane and Roy Moore are one and two. Other possibilities are Congressman Robert Aderholt, Congressman Bradley Byrne, Luther Strange, Secretary of State John Merrill, Congressman Mo Brooks, State Auditor Jim Ziegler, State Sen. Del Marsh, Trump Trumpeter Perry Hooper Jr., State Sen. Slade Blackwell, State Sen. Trip Pittman, ADECA Director Jim Byard, State Senator Arthur Orr, and State Rep. Ed Henry. It will be a great show. 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.
Most of Alabama’s delegation not interested in Senate race
Several of Alabama’s congressional delegation, including a few high-profile Democrats, will be sitting out the August primary for the U.S. Senate seat, now held by Republican Luther Strange. Anniston Republican congressman Mike Rogers is not interested, according to spokeswoman Shea Snider Miller. The Montgomery Advertiser reports several Republicans rushed to file papers this week after Gov. Kay Ivey rescheduled the special election primary for the seat from June 2018 to August. Runoffs, if needed, will be in September; the general election is set for December. Republican congressman Robert Aderholt of Haleyville, tells the Advertiser he has received encouragement to run, and could a decision next month. But other Alabama congressional delegation staying on the sidelines. U.S. Rep. Martha Roby, the Montgomery Republican, does not plan to run for the Senate this time. Roby was the only member of the delegation who publicly withdrew endorsement of Donald Trump after audio emerged of him bragging about sexual aggression. “With her new committee assignments on Judiciary and Defense Appropriations, Rep. Roby is focused on growing the contributions she is making on behalf of Alabama’s 2nd District in the House,” Roby’s representative Todd Stacy said. Hoover Republican Gary Palmer and Democrat Terri Sewell of Birmingham also declined to run. Same for Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox and former Alabama Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb. Indeed, Strange will run for the seat, but the race is beginning to get crowded. Rep. Ed Henry, a Hartselle Republican who spearheaded the impeachment effort against Bentley, announced Tuesday he will seek the Republican Party nomination for the seat. Also contemplating bids are Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh of Anniston, as well as Republican state Sens. Slade Blackwell of Montevallo and Trip Pittman of Montrose. Strange, who served as the state’s attorney general, is taking heat over his Senate appointment by former Gov. Robert Bentley, which some suggest it was because his office was investigating the governor. Bentley resigned last week, pleading guilty to two campaign finance violations. In his announcement, Henry promised to raise the issue. Strange, as the incumbent, has many advantages, including statewide campaign experience and an ability to raise a lot of money, something his current opponents lack.
Marco Rubio earns endorsements from 32 Alabama lawmakers
Florida’s junior U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio is counting on neighbor state Alabama to show its strong support Tuesday in its Republican presidential primary. Hoping to build what Rubio’s team calls “Marcomentum” going into the weekend, Rubio rolled out endorsements from 32 Alabama elected officials Thursday, just days ahead of the March 1 primary. On the steps of the state capitol in Montgomery, Alabama state campaign chairman and Alabama state Rep. Will Ainsworth along with a group of his colleagues gathered to show their public, unified support for Rubio. “Our party needs Marco Rubio and I am so happy that all these leaders across our state are joining with me in supporting him,” said Ainsworth. “Now that this field has started to winnow, it’s clear that any vote not for Marco is a vote for Donald Trump. We need our nominee to be a serious conservative that can win in November and that is what Marco Rubio will be.” Fellow Rubio supporter, Alabama State Sen. Slade Blackwell agreed. “I am proud that I can stand beside so many influential Alabama leaders today as we announce our support for Marco Rubio,” Blackwell said. “Marco needs our support at the polls on March 1 because we need a nominee that can beat the Democrats in the fall and take back the White House so we can solve our nation’s problems through conservative principles.” Here’s the full list of Alabama state legislators supporting Rubio: Senate Majority Leader Gregg Reed State Senator Greg Albritton State Senator Slade Blackwell State Senator Steve Livingston State Senator J.T. “Jabo” Waggoner State Representative Will Ainsworth, State Chairman for Rubio Campaign State Representative Mike Ball State Representative Paul Beckman State Representative Chris Blackshear State Representative DuWayne Bridges Sr. State Representative K.L. Brown State Representative Mack Butler State Representative Terri Collins State Representative Danny Crawford State Representative David Faulkner State Representative Matt Fridy State Representative Danny Garrett State Representative Lynn Greer State Representative Jim Hill State Representative Mike Hill State Representative Mike Jones State Representative Nathaniel Ledbetter State Representative Jimmy Martin State Representative Jim Patterson State Representative Bill Poole State Representative Clay Scofield State Representative David Sessions State Representative Randall Shedd State Representative Harry Shriver State Representative Kyle South State Representative Jack W. Williams State Representative Jack “J.D.” Williams
