Personnel update: Hope Scarborough as Andrew Sorrell’s Chief of Staff
On Tuesday, State Auditor Andrew Sorrell announced that he has appointed Hope Scarborough as his Chief of Staff, effective February 1. “Immediately after I won my Primary in 2022, people began recommending that I keep Hope Scarborough on staff,” Sorrell said in a statement. “I heard this everywhere I went- from Registrars, elected officials, lobbyists, and other government employees in Montgomery.” Scarborough most recently worked as Executive Assistant to former State Auditor Jim Ziegler. She also previously held the executive assistant’s role for then Public Service Commissioner Terry Dunn. “I needed someone with familiarity to the duties of the Auditor’s office who also shared my vision for strengthening the office legislatively by requesting additional duties and responsibilities,” Sorrell said. “Hope Scarborough was the most qualified person for the position and will do an excellent job leading our staff for the next four years,” Scarborough is a native of Union Springs, the ‘Field Trial Capital of the World,’ in Bullock County Scarborough has a great love and appreciation for dogs and horses. She lives in Auburn with her husband, Scott. They have three children. Hope is an active member of Opelika First United Methodist Church. Scarborough has a bachelor’s degree from Auburn University at Montgomery (AUM) and is a graduate of AUM’s Certified Public Manager program. Scarborough was appointed by Gov. Robert Bentley (R) to serve as a Board of Trustee for the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind and served from 2014 to 2021. Scarborough is a longtime member of the Alabama Society of Certified Public Managers, where she has served as President and Board member. State Auditor is a constitutional officer created by the historic Alabama Constitution of 1901. In 1939 the Alabama legislature undermined the office by taking away its auditing powers. Since the 1940s, the Auditor has been tasked with only maintaining state property inventories. Sorrell ran for the office in 2022, campaigning for the office’s historic powers to be restored so that the office can guard against misuse of state funds – similar to the role that the State Auditor plays in Mississippi. Passing that government accountability legislation could be difficult in the Alabama Legislature. In the 2022 Alabama Regular Legislative session, a group of legislators actually pushed a controversial proposed state constitutional amendment that would have abolished the office of State Auditor. Sorrell defeated a Libertarian in the 2022 general election for the open Auditor’s position. Sorrell served in the Alabama House of Representatives from 2018 to 2022. Sorrell is a small businessman, who has owned an online textbook store, a pawn shop that specialized in selling guns and guitars, and a real estate company. He is a graduate of the University of North Alabama. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Twinkle Cavanaugh defeats Terry Dunn, retains commission post
Twinkle Cavanaugh will keep her post as President of Alabama’s utility-regulating Public Service Commission after winning the race Tuesday against challenger Terry Dunn. First elected in 2012, Cavanaugh received 431,085 votes, 63 percent, with 100 percent of precincts reporting. Meanwhile Dunn, who served on the commission from 2010 to 2014, received253,056 votes, roughly 37 percent.
What to look for in Alabama on Super Tuesday
Alabama voters go to polls Tuesday as part of Super Tuesday contests in 12 states. Hillary Clinton, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio and Donald Trump all plan stops in Alabama in a last-minute hunt for votes before Tuesday’s election. Republicans and Democrats will also name their picks in congressional and state races. Here’s a look at what to watch for and a look at a few of the key races on Tuesday: • • • CONGRESS On Tuesday, Rep. Martha Roby, R-Montgomery, faces Tea Party challenger Becky Gerritson in the second congressional district that includes Montgomery and the Wiregrass. Roby is perhaps best known for being on the congressional panel investigating Benghazi and has been a vocal critic of delays and problems at Veterans’ Affairs hospitals in the region. Roby said she shares voter frustration with “Washington doublespeak.” “There are so many politicians out there that are so afraid of losing their jobs that they forget to do their jobs. My job is to listen to the people, study the issues, make decisions that are in the best interest of the people I represent and to be honest about it,” Roby said in an interview. Gerritson is the founder of Wetumpka Tea Party, one of the state’s largest and most active tea party organizations. She appeared on the national radar with emotional congressional testimony in 2013 regarding Internal Revenue Service probes of conservative political groups. “We need a true conservative in leadership for District 2,” Gerritson told voters at a campaign stop. “We see year after year, election after election, we are promised that things are going to change and they don’t,” Gerritson said. In South Alabama, Rep. Bradley Byrne is in a rematch with Dean Young, the bombastic real estate developer he bested three years ago for the open congressional seat. Byrne has a heady mix of endorsements ranging from the NRA, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Sen. Jeff Sessions. Young is running an ad of clipped-together news segments from their last race. News commentators refer to Byrne as the “establishment” candidate eight times in the 30-second spot. While any anti-establishment surge could hurt incumbents, challengers from the party’s far right, like Young and Gerritson, struggle under a compressed campaign season while facing opponents with superior name recognition and financial firepower. Five-term Sen. Richard Shelby is running an aggressive campaign, unloading a portion of a $19 million war chest, as he looks to a sixth term in office in the midst of the insurgent voter mood. Shelby faces off with four lesser known challengers in the GOP primary, most notably Jonathan McConnell, a former Marine who now runs a ship security business putting former Marines on vessels. • • • PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION PRESIDENT One of the few statewide races on the ballot is the Republican primary for president of the Public Service Commission. The race pits incumbent Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh against former PSC member Terry Dunn. • • • BRING PHOTO ID This will be the first presidential race under Alabama’s new photo identification requirement for voting. Alabama requires voters to show photo identification at the polls such as a driver’s license, passport, an Alabama non-driver ID, a university student ID or identification issued by the federal government. A person without photo ID can submit a provisional ballot, but it won’t be counted unless they bring in the required identification. • • • TURN THE BALLOT OVER Voters should remember to look on the back of the ballot. The presidential candidates and numerous delegates to party nominating conventions appear on the front of the ballot, while state and local offices are on the back. Republished with permission of the Associated Press.
Manufacture Alabama endorses Twinkle Cavanaugh for PSC president
The powerful pro-business consortium Manufacture Alabama has endorsed Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh for re-election to the presidency of the state Public Service Commission. The group cited Cavanaugh’s conservative “business-minded” approach to regulations and said her leadership on the commission helped protect the pocketbooks of Alabamians. “Throughout her tenure at the PSC, Twinkle has protected ratepayers by standing up to environmental extremists and the federal government’s mounting EPA regulations,” said Manufacture Alabama President George Clark. “Her business-minded leadership at the PSC is vital to our state and our state’s industry — because when the price of energy rises, the impact is felt not only by residential and industrial ratepayers but also by our state’s business climate. Competitive and reliable energy is necessary to drive business.” Cavanaugh, a Republican, responded in kind to the group’s endorsement. She expressed a shared commitment to promoting economic growth through a conservative regulatory style. “During these difficult times, the most important issues for Alabama families are jobs, jobs, jobs. Growing manufacturing jobs in our state is critical to putting mamas and daddies back to work,” said Cavanaugh. “If re-elected, I will continue to fight the liberal EPA and rogue environmental interests in their efforts to raise energy costs and burden employers with mandates that jeopardize our ability to retain and attract good-paying jobs for Alabamians,” continued Cavanaugh. Cavanaugh joined the commission in 2010 and was re-elected in 2012 after a narrow loss to Democrat Lucy Baxley in 2008. The PSC regulates and approves rates for the state’s energy utilities. Cavanaugh so far faces a challenge from former commissioner Terry Dunn, who joined the race just before the qualifying deadline in November. Dunn originally filed for the race in August, but then dropped out in October citing concerns that the utilities would spend “a lot of money” to defeat his bid to return to the commission. Before joining the commission, Cavanaugh served as the state Republican Party’s first female executive director and an adviser to former Gov. Bob Riley.
Terry Dunn qualifies in Alabama PSC race against President Twinkle Cavanaugh
Former Public Service Commission member Terry Dunn made good on his vow to run against Commission President Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh as qualifying ends Friday at 5 p.m. The 11th-hour move was confirmed by the Alabama Republican Party’s Reed Phillips by phone Friday afternoon. The former commissioner has been called a “closet liberal in league with environmentalists” from some quarters, and is likely to be opposed heavily by state-backed utilities like Alabama Power. Dunn has filed to challenge Cavanaugh, first elected in 2010, in the state’s Republican primary elections. It was reported as recently as Wednesday that no one would challenge Cavanaugh. Dunn originally filed for the race in August, but then dropped out on October 26 citing concerns that the utilities would spend “a lot of money” to defeat his bid to return to the commission. During his time on the commission, Dunn received political pushback for advocating formal rate hearings for Alabama Power, something opposed by fellow commissioners Cavanaugh and Jeremy Oden. Dunn echoed the call of environmental groups and the AARP in that effort, which opponents feared would create a “judicial setting” requiring all testifiers to retain attorneys. In lieu, several informal hearings were held throughout the state in 2013. Dunn’s chief of staff David Roundtree has also been criticized among conservatives for perceived stances against the coal industry, which employs thousands of Alabamians. The pro-coal group Coal Jobs Count released a video back in April lumping in Dunn with President Barack Obama, an exceedingly unpopular figure in Alabama. The video features coal miner John Box telling Dunn, “If you really care about jobs, get out of the way,” in response to a bill proposed by Dunn to ban commissioners from accepting contributions from the industry. The primaries are set for March 1, 2016 as part of Alabama’s new alignment with the so-called “SEC primary,” by which a new bloc of Southern states is banding together to increase their importance in national elections. The following post was made by Dunn on his personal Facebook page yesterday, foreshadowing a run: Dunn could not be contacted for comment at press time.
Former Commissioner Terry Dunn drops out of PSC presidential race
Former Public Service Commissioner Terry Dunn has decided to drop out of the race for PSC president. In a statement Monday, Dunn cited one reason he would not seek the post is that he feared Alabama Power Co. will spend “a lot of money” to oppose him. Alabama Power spokesman Michael Sznajderman has repeatedly said the company isn’t, and has never been, involved with Public Service Commission campaigns and elections. “With the Republican Party now being the dominant party in the state,” Dunn’s statement says, “the Republican establishment needs to realize their obligations are not just to big businesses, but also the welfare of all individuals.” As previously reported by Alabama Today, Dunn launched his latest effort to return to office Aug. 1, challenging incumbent PSC President Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh for the Republican Party nomination. Last year, Dunn lost his re-election bid to remain on the commission, defeated by Greene County Commission Chairman Chip Beeker 59 to 41 percent. During his time on the commission, Dunn received political pushback for advocating formal rate hearings for Alabama Power, something opposed by fellow commissioners Cavanaugh and Jeremy Oden. The PSC handles setting rates for Alabama Power not through formal hearings, but by a process known as stabilization and equalization. Dunn argued the process gives an advantage to Alabama Power, allowing the utility to charge higher rates than those in other states. In 2013, the commission held a series of public hearings before approving changes to Alabama Power’s rate formula. At the time, Cavanaugh and Oden insisted it helped keep rates lower. Dunn disagreed. Alabama Power is raising rates 5 percent starting in 2015, a move equivalent to an increase of $6.78 a month for consumers using an average 1,000-kilowatt hours. AL.com reports that under the old formula, rates would have increased by an additional $1 a month. An Alabama Power representative also noted the most recent increase was the first since October 2011 and was necessary to recover rising energy costs.
