Tim James and Kay Ivey launch new gubernatorial ads, highlighting their fight against progressive policies
New ads for incumbent governor Kay Ivey and candidate Tim James were released this week, with both campaigns highlighting what they see as critical topics for Alabama. James released the first ad of his campaign. In the 30-second spot, titled “Fight Back,” he highlights his ideas on American society, describing Democrats as ‘left-wing bigots’ and arguing that Democrats want to ‘destroy our country.’ “We’ve reached a tipping point,” James said in a statement. “We will turn back to our Judeo-Christian values or be ruled by some form of godless Marxism that controls every aspect of our lives under the yoke of fear and intimidation.” James says in the ad, “It’s time to wake up. The secular left wants to destroy our country. They want to tear it down. They think America is evil. They think America is racist. “They think our Founding Fathers were wrong. They think there are 50 genders, and they want to teach this crap to our children. And if you disagree with these left-wing bigots, they’ll cancel you. They’ll get you fired from your job. “I’m Tim James. It’s time to fight back. Ivey’s reelection campaign released its second TV advertisement, with the governor pushing back against the Biden administration’s progressive policies. Ivey said, “Washington wants to control everything we do, but that isn’t happening here in Alabama.” In a statement to Yellowhammer News, campaign manager William Califf stated, “The liberal Democrats running Washington D.C. aren’t happy with controlling the federal government alone; they want to control what happens in states like Alabama as well. Kay Ivey is a fighter who works every day to protect the people of this state from the Biden regime’s un-American, un-Alabamian approach towards government. Governor Ivey will continue to defend Alabama’s conservative values and work to make this state a better place to live, work and raise a family.” The ad transcript is as follows: Ivey: “Washington wants to control everything we do, but that isn’t happening here in Alabama. We do not teach hate to our kids. We do not pay people to quit work. And we do not use tax dollars to kill our babies. Speaker: “Kay Ivey, Alabama’s Trump tough conservative governor. Fighting Joe Biden every step of the way.” Ivey: “Alabama is working again, but Washington? Better not hold your breath.”
Tim James opens gubernatorial campaign with evangelical appeal
Business owner Tim James appealed to evangelical Christian voters as he opened his Republican campaign for Alabama governor Wednesday, railing against the threat of “godless Marxism,” quoting scripture and claiming God has called the conservative state to lead the nation. Standing before the white-domed Capitol with Christian music playing and beside a flag decorated with a cross, the son of former Gov. Fob James, after a prayer, attacked GOP leaders including Gov. Kay Ivey, who is seeking another term, over the approval of medical marijuana and an educational system that trails much of the nation. James, a toll road developer who has said he isn’t vaccinated against COVID-19, said Republican leaders hadn’t done enough to fight vaccine mandates, allowing one to take effect at the University of Alabama at Birmingham before the state attorney general’s office intervened. James said he would fight “casino barons” to prevent Alabama from becoming “the Las Vegas of the South.” While Alabama “has always been mocked for our values,” James said, it supported the formation of Israel years before it became a nation in 1948 and has a special place in the nation’s future. Support of Israel is a foundational issue for many evangelicals. “We stand at the gate of our state Capitol and seek God’s forgiveness for the sins of America, and we decree in the name of Jesus that Alabama will lead America in the years ahead, back to its proper position of authority amongst the nations, of which authority was granted by God at our inception,” said James, who quoted scripture. Angela James said her husband is a warrior who is prepared to lead a “crusade” and has the same evangelical zeal and spiritual discernment as his mother and father, who was elected to a four-year term in 1979 and reelected to a second term in 1995. “The apple does not fall far from the tree,” she said. James previously staked out far-right positions, including criticizing legislation that allowed students to do yoga in public schools. James ran for governor in 2002 and 2010, when he narrowly missed making the GOP runoff, finishing about 200 votes behind the eventual winner, Robert Bentley, who was elected governor that year and later resigned. Former Books-A-Million executive Lew Burdette; Lindy Blanchard, who served as ambassador to Slovenia under former President Donald Trump; correctional officer and former Morgan County Commissioner Stacy George; and Opelika pastor Dean Odle have also announced their candidacies against Ivey. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Kay Ivey running for re-election in 2022
Republican Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has qualified to run for re-election to the state’s highest office in 2022. Making the announcement via the official governor’s Facebook page, Ivey said she “enjoyed visiting with supporters” at the state Republican Party headquarters where she “qualified to run in the 2022 Republican Primary for Governor” Tuesday morning. “I look forward to asking Alabamians for their support so we can continue to deliver results to the people of our state,” Ivey said in the post. “I am proud to be your Governor and would be honored to serve Alabamians for a second term. We have accomplished a lot, but there is more that needs to be done. The primary election is scheduled for May 24. Ivey completed the paperwork and also paid the qualifying fee of $2,491.28 to run for the office. Before being elected governor, Ivey served as lieutenant governor from 2011 to 2018 and served as Alabama treasurer from 2003 to 2011. Ivy is a graduate of Auburn University, Duke University’s Governor’s Center for Public Policy, Alabama Banking School, and the University of Colorado School of Banking. She has worked as a high school teacher, a bank officer, and was Assistant Director of the Alabama Development Office. According to BallotPedia, Ivey could potentially have five other party members to beat out to win the party’s nomination. Potential opponents in the primary include Lynda Blanchard, Stacy George, Tim James, Dean Odle, and Jim Zeigler. The website names Christopher Countryman and Chad Chig Martin as candidates in the Democratic primary. William Califf, who runs Ivey’s campaign, told Yellowhammer News, that the governor has “been a fighter for Alabamians” and “has consistently delivered strong results to the people of this state. “Governor Ivey has achieved the lowest unemployment rate in Alabama history, created over 44,000 new jobs, secured record funding for our schools with record pay for our teachers, and banned transgender athletes from competing in school sports,” Califf told the news outlet. “She made substantial improvements to our state’s infrastructure, signed the strongest pro-life bill in the country, strengthened the integrity of our elections, banned vaccine passports, and the list goes on.” By Brent Addleman | The Center Square Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
Lew Burdette, former Books-A-Million CEO, to run against Gov. Kay Ivey
Former Books-A-Million CEO Lew Burdette, who now heads a nonprofit that provides shelters and group homes for abused women and children, announced Tuesday that he is running for governor of Alabama against fellow Republican Gov. Kay Ivey. Burdette joins a growing list of candidates challenging Ivey in the GOP primary in May. Burdette filed qualifying papers Wednesday after making his announcement Tuesday at the main campus of the King’s Home nonprofit in Chelsea, outside Birmingham. “I’m Alabama through and through. It’s just in my DNA, and it just breaks my heart that when I left the University of Alabama 40 years ago, we were at the bottom of every category — in health care and prisons and education. And here we are 40 years later, and we’re in the same spot. Nothing’s changed,” Burdette said in an interview with The Associated Press. Burdette, 63, spent 13 years with Books-A-Million — starting when it was a mall chain called Bookland — and served as executive vice president and chief operating officer. He left the retail giant in 1998. In 2002, he became the president of King’s Home, a Christian-based nonprofit organization that operates 21 residential group homes. The King’s Ranch serves neglected and abused children, while Hannah Home serves women and children fleeing domestic violence. “For the past 18 years, I’ve poured my heart and soul into fighting for abused youth, women, moms, and children fleeing domestic violence,” Burdette said. “I’ve seen countless lives transformed, given hope and opportunity, and our precious children deserve more than they’re getting in Alabama. They deserve fighting for.” In his announcement video, Burdette recalled surviving a kidnapping when he was 15. He said he was abducted outside his father’s grocery store in Roanoke, shot, stabbed, thrown down a well, and “left for dead.” “I battled for my life in the bottom of that well and only survived by the grace of God,” Burdette said on the video. Former Donald Trump ambassador Lindy Blanchard, businessman Tim James, correctional officer former Morgan County Commissioner Stacy George, and Opelika pastor Dean Odle have also announced their candidacies against Ivey. Burdette is making his first run for political office. Like other challengers to Ivey, he positioned himself as a political outsider and said he would be a “disrupter” in Montgomery. “As a political outsider, somebody who has never been involved in politics, I don’t owe anybody any favors. Nobody has influence over me. I’m going to go down there; I’m going to be an agent for change. I’m going to be a disrupter because that’s the only way we’re going to move the state forward,” he said. Asked about what he would do on corrections and health care — two of the policy areas he mentioned — Burdette said he thought better training opportunities are needed for inmates so they can have a “path for success” when they are released. He said rural areas are struggling with health care access, noting the hospital that cared for him after the kidnapping has since closed. When asked, Burdette did not say if would support Medicaid expansion — something advocates have argued would help small hospitals stay financially afloat. He said he has seen the program’s benefit to the abused and neglected children they serve, but as a conservative, he was “wary of Washington printing money.” Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Kay Ivey draws challengers in 2022 GOP primary
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, who had been considered a safe incumbent as she seeks a second full-term in office, is drawing challengers in next year’s 2022 Republican primary with candidates gambling that they can capitalize on ties to former President Donald Trump or conservative voter dissatisfaction with the pandemic and other matters. Lynda Blanchard, who was Trump’s ambassador to Slovenia, is switching from the U.S. Senate race to the gubernatorial contest, according to a copy of a campaign event invitation she tweeted. Toll road developer Tim James, the son of former Alabama Gov. Fob James, confirmed Monday that he is launching a primary challenge against Ivey. Blanchard’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the invitation that said a Tuesday campaign announcement was sponsored by the Lindy Blanchard campaign for governor. James said he is entering the race because he believes many conservative voters are “anxious” about the state’s recent political decisions. Among them, he cited a gas tax increase, a push by some Republicans to legalize casinos, a medical marijuana program, and aspects of the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic such as past mask mandates on K-12 students. “This is not who the people of this state are,” James said in a telephone interview Monday. “It’s certainly not what normal, conventional-type Republicans believe in.” James ran for governor in 2002 and 2010, when he narrowly missed making the GOP runoff, finishing about 200 votes behind eventual winner Robert Bentley. Bentley went on to win the post that year. Ivey is seeking her second full term after Bentley stepped down in 2017 amid a legislative push to impeach him. Blanchard has scheduled a Tuesday campaign event in Wetumpka. Taking on a well-funded incumbent is typically an uphill battle in a primary. James is already known to primary voters. Blanchard, a businesswoman and mother of eight, is expected to lean into her ties to Trump, who remains popular among state Republicans. “The MAGA Movement is the heart and soul of this nation. I entered the Senate race to serve Alabama’s people, and no matter what the future may bring, that will always be my main goal,” Blanchard said last month amid speculation she was switching races. Trump on Monday backed former U.S. Sen. David Perdue’s challenge to Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp in that state’s GOP primary next year. Trump encouraged Perdue to run after lashing out at Kemp, claiming he did not do enough to overturn Democratic President Joe Biden’s electoral victory in Georgia. It is unclear if Trump will weigh in on the Alabama race. He told Newsmax on Monday that he is looking at races but did not mention any candidate by name. “Well, I look at Alabama. It’s been a great state. I won it by record numbers, as you know. And a lot of people (are) asking for endorsements. And I’ll probably endorse people, various people at Alabama,” Trump said, noting he has already endorsed U.S. Mo Brooks in the U.S. Senate race. The primary is set for May 24, 2022. Stacy Lee George, a correctional officer and former Morgan County commissioner, is already running against Ivey. Speaking about the growing field, James noted his father used to say that “a governor’s race ought to draw a crowd.” Fob James served two terms as governor, once as a Democrat after being elected in 1978 and then as a Republican after being elected in 1994. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
As Kay Ivey attempts to re-write history, Donald Trump supporters see through it and a path to her defeat
Governor Kay Ivey’s supporters will tell you that the governor is untouchable based on favorability numbers that don’t paint a full picture of the current state of collapsing support for her election. State Auditor Jim Zeigler, one of the state’s most prolific campaigners, will tell you, “Governor Ivey’s support is a mile wide and an inch deep.” This is why she’s drawing primary opponents who are confident that she is beatable, not just for what she’s done, but for what they are quick to point out she hasn’t done: Pushed a Donald Trump agenda or stood by him strongly enough. In stark contrast to other supportive elected officials, specifically governors around the nation have done, Ivey’s official website reflects that she has put out only three formal statements in support of Trump through her official office. There is no record of a formal statement in support of him during his second impeachment hearings. As a matter of fact, rather than defending the President, according to AL.Com, “Ivey did not answer the question about whether Trump was to blame” for the events of January 6 at the U.S. Capitol. In her response to questions, instead of taking the opportunity to voice her support for Trump and his supporters, she echoed the chorus of their opponents who blamed them for the events that day, stating, “All Americans need to press pause on divisive rhetoric, take a step back and do some deep soul-searching on how we got to this point of pain, ugliness, and loss of life.” In the same interview, Governor Ivey gave a tepid response to Nancy Pelosi and Never Trumpers pushing for Vice President Mike Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove Donald Trump from office. She stated, “One of the hallmarks of our system of government is the orderly transition of power after an election. Vice President Pence has stated that he has no intention of invoking the 25th Amendment, and I do not believe a partisan impeachment would do anything other than further divide our nation. Invoking the 25th Amendment would create more chaos and would only incite further violence.” Trump was not the only person Ivey refused to support outright, telling the outlet in response to U.S. Congressman Mo Brooks’s fiery speech that day, “Everyone should be held accountable for the words they use,” Ivey said. “I’ve long believed that as elected officials, we should be held to a higher level of accountability. If the people of the 5th District believe their views are not being properly represented, then they need to express their disappointment directly to Congressman Brooks and, if necessary, hold him accountable at the ballot box. Moreover, it should be noted, he does not speak for all Republicans, much less all Alabamians.” While Ivey has been cagey in her history of Trump support, rarely mentioning his name or supporting his policies before heading back into campaign season, she was quick to celebrate Joe Biden publicly and directly. In fact, Ivey has praised Joe Biden and celebrated his election. Pledging to work with him, a promise she has made good on this week by joining Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg, and Vice President Kamala Harris in pushing electric vehicles, a key component of Biden’s big-government agenda Build Back Better. As Alabama Today reported in August, in a matchup of possible gubernatorial candidates, Ivey had only 41.5%, well below the threshold to win without a runoff at 50% plus one vote. Incumbents below 50% are considered vulnerable. The independent poll was conducted by Montgomery-based Cygnal August 17-18 among 600 likely Republican primary voters. It has a margin of error of +/- 4.0%. It was paid for by Alabama Daily News. Zeigler, who has filed to run for governor, says his campaign against Ivey would be “Zeigler and the Taxpayers vs. Ivey and the Insiders.” Though he’s one of the most vocal opponents, Zeigler has publicly hedged on getting into the race himself, citing his inability to finance the endeavor saying, “If I could keep the campaign about common sense and not about the millions of dollars and cents raised for Gov. Ivey by the Montgomery Insiders, I could win.” Tim James is rumored to be announcing a run for governor as well, a position he ran for in 2002 and 2010, when he narrowly missed making the GOP runoff. When asked about the difficulty of taking on an incumbent, James commented, “Look, I’ve lost. It didn’t kill me. But I think if we do it, I think I’ll win it.” When asked about a possible run for governor, Lynda Blanchard told Alabama Today exclusively, “I’ve been all over this state and the one thing I hear repeatedly is that the people want a conservative fighter like President Donald Trump at every level of government; someone who will not just talk the talk but has shown loyalty to President Trump’s agenda to make our nation the strongest it can be for America’s families and businesses. The America First agenda has been the cornerstone of my race for the U.S. Senate and will continue to be on the forefront of my mind as I prayerfully consider the options before me to serve the people of our state in the best capacity. I have great respect for President Trump and his supporters and will not let them down.” Don Wallace, President of the Alabama Republican Assembly, believes that Ivey can be beaten, even as an incumbent. “I do believe Kay Ivey is beatable based on the encouragement others are getting to run. Many people are looking for stronger leadership to push back against the very liberal Biden Administration,” Wallace commented. When asked if voters support Ivey, Wallace mentioned the I-10 plan, the prison plan, and other controversial issues that have shown a willingness of the people and elected officials to break ranks with her and push back against her plans or goals. “Many have also been concerned about Ivey’s governing decisions when it comes to the original I-10 plan, the faulty prison plan, and efforts to take
Paul DeMarco: Governor Kay Ivey popularity still high as deadline to challenge approaches soon
While we are now less than six months away from the Republican Party Primary on May 24, 2022, so far Governor Kay Ivey does not have a candidate who would appear to mount a serious challenge to her reelection. There have been grumblings from some circles about her conservative credentials and open discussions about who may throw their hat in the ring for the state’s top executive spot. The two names mentioned most prominently have been businessman Tim James and Senate candidate Lynda Blanchard. Both would have the financial resources for a race, but with the qualifying deadline the end of January, both will have to make a decision soon. There is still time for someone to qualify against the governor, but a poll released by Morning Consult this past week should give Ivey a boost of confidence. The polling showed that Ivey was ranked eighth in the Nation as one of the most popular governors in the Nation. With a 62 percent job approval, she also tops all other governors in the Southeast. Throughout her term as governor, Ivey has always enjoyed a high level of support from state voters. Her strong standing has remained, despite her taking on some of the most controversial issues during the pandemic and the tough economic times. Now politics in Alabama can change on a dime, so while this is good news for Ivey, we do not know what the future may hold before next year’s elections. Paul DeMarco is a former member of the Alabama House of Representatives
Former candidate Tim James eyes possible challenge to Kay Ivey
Former Alabama gubernatorial candidate Tim James said Wednesday that he is considering challenging fellow Republican Gov. Kay Ivey in next year’s governor’s race. James, the son of former Gov. Fob James, said he will decide by the end of the year. Taking on a well-funded incumbent is typically an uphill battle in a primary, but his entry into the race could thwart the governor’s hopes of having only minimal opposition in 2022. Staking out far-right political territory, the 59-year-old toll road developer has defended people’s decisions to decline the COVID-19 vaccine and on Wednesday called transgender acceptance, critical race theory, and yoga in gym class part of a “beast with three heads” threatening children in public schools. “I don’t have to tell you that many problems exist today in America, but they are pale compared to what this nation will look like if we lose this cultural war and America becomes a secular godless nation flowing to and fro in the wind with no plumb line, no principles,” James said. He criticized newly passed Alabama legislation that allowed students to do yoga in schools. “They took prayer out of schools and then they put in this Trojan horse called yoga,” he said, noting its ties to Hinduism. The elder James had fought legal battles a governor over school prayer. Ivey’s campaign zeroed in on his yoga comments when asked about James’ possible entry into the race. “We appreciate his unwavering commitment to the important fight on yoga. As for Governor Ivey, she doesn’t do any yoga,” Ivey’s campaign joked in a statement. Ivey this spring signed legislation reversing a decades-old ban on yoga in public schools. The legislation had a number of restrictions and forbids religious teachings with yoga and saying the greeting “namaste.” Rep. Jeremy Grey, the sponsor of the legislation, has said the exercises can boost physical and mental and the bill is written to forbid teaching religion. Alabama Superintendent of Education Eric Mackey has said critical race theory is not taught in public schools. James largely declined to comment on Ivey on Wednesday, saying that was a subject for another day. In July, he criticized Ivey’s comments saying unvaccinated people were to blame for a spike in COVID-19 case. James said Ivey’s comment was “off base.” James ran for governor in 2002 and 2010, when he narrowly missed making the GOP runoff, finishing about 200 votes behind the eventual winner, Robert Bentley, who was elected governor that year. “Look, I’ve lost. It didn’t kill me. But I think if we do it, I think I’ll win it,” James replied when asked about the difficulty of taking on an incumbent. Stacy Lee George, a correctional officer, and former Morgan County commissioner is running against Ivey. State Auditor Jim Zeigler has said he is also considering a run. Fob James turned 87 Wednesday. Tim James said his parents now live in Miami. His mother Bobbie James is in a nursing facility there, and his father lives in a nearby independent-living apartment in order to stay with her. James said his father is doing well. “He watches FOX News, just stays on top of everything. He loved Trump,” he said. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Steve Flowers: Summer political happenings
This long, hot, and wet summer is coming to a close, and Labor Day is on the horizon. Labor Day weekend will not only mark the beginning of college football season but also the traditional start of the 2022 political season. Most of the horses are in the chute for the May 24, 2022, primary election. So let the fun begin. Let me share some political happenings that transpired over the summer. Jim Ziegler, our colorful State Auditor, is edging closer to challenging Kay Ivey in the governor’s race. Ole Ziegler is an astute politician and campaigner, although not a very prolific fundraiser. He will be a viable candidate, but it is unlikely he can beat a healthy Kay Ivey. Tim James, who has run two worthy races for governor, may give it a third try. He, too, can make a good race but probably cannot beat Ivey. However, if both James and Ziegler get into the race, they could and probably would force Ivey into a runoff which would be very stressful for her. Both James and Ziegler are viable candidates, and it will make the race interesting – especially if Ziegler gets in. He is fun to watch. However, Kay Ivey is preparing for another term by securing a treasured asset in State Representative Bill Poole as her state finance director. She now has a dynamic duo by her side to rely and depend on with Poole as her Finance Director and Jo Bonner as her Chief of Staff. She also has a bevy of young lieutenants led by the wife and husband team of Liz and Bill Filmore. Bill Poole is considered the most popular and promising young politico on the Alabama political scene. He will be a tremendous asset for Governor Ivey as the manager of the state finances. Bill Poole was elected as a state representative from Tuscaloosa in 2010. In his 11 years in the House, he made a meteoric rise into the leadership within the state House of Representatives. In all my years watching the Alabama Legislature and Alabama politics, I have never seen anyone as universally respected and liked as Poole. He became Chairman of the Ways and Means Education Budget Committee in 2013 after only two years in the House. He has essentially written the State Education Budget for the last eight years. The Education Budget amounts to over three-fourths of all state dollars. He has become a guru and expert on the state’s revenues and budgeting. Kay Ivey could not have scripted anyone better than Poole to administer the state finances. In addition, his relationship with the legislature will expedite the passage of Ivey’s budget recommendations within the legislature. The race for the open Senate Seat of our Senior U.S. Senator Richard Shelby has been percolating all summer, and it is beginning to look like it will be a two-person race between Congressman Mo Brooks and Business Council of Alabama Chairman Katie Britt. It will be a classic battle of the two wings of the Republican Party. Brooks represents the right-wing, reactionary, firebrand, bombastic, Trump wing of the party. In fact, former President Donald Trump has enthusiastically endorsed Brooks and will probably rousingly promote Brooks at a rally in Cullman County this Saturday. Katie Boyd Britt will carry the banner of the moderate, pro-business, conservative, yet more sophisticated wing of the party. She would be a senator for Alabama who would protect our immensely valuable military defense meccas in the state, like the Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Maxwell-Gunter Air Base in Montgomery, and Ft. Rucker in her native Wiregrass. During the summer, Britt has raised a record-breaking amount of campaign money that will be essential as she and Brooks head towards a May 24, 2022, runoff duel. However, Britt also has been beating the bushes in rural Alabama. She has made almost every Farmer’s Federation County meeting in the state. You have to earn the Farmer’s Federation endorsement by the grassroots approach. The Alfa endorsement does not come from an ivory tower in Montgomery. Their endorsement is garnered by votes from each county federation. Therefore, you have to work for it and believe you me, that endorsement is important in a statewide Republican race in Alabama. The Farmer’s Federation will not endorse Mo Brooks. He is the only Republican Congressman from Alabama who has consistently voted against Alabama farmers. Look for Katie Britt to get the coveted Alfa endorsement. 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.
Tim James: A house divided against itself cannot stand
Last week the discussion of Covid vaccination burst into the news and ripped the scab right off the wound, exposing the divide among Alabamians about whether to vaccinate or not. We all know there can be tense moments among friends and family when the vaccine topic comes up, especially when there are differing opinions in the room. Well, last week, the discussion hit a fever pitch on a grand scale and landed on the front pages of the national news outlets. According to news reports, in Alabama, there are about 2.5 to 3 million people that have CHOSEN NOT to take the vaccine out of the state’s population of 5.1 million. Approximately sixty percent of all Alabamians have made this their personal health choice. I am writing this letter today to express my distaste for those bent on shaming people in which they disagree on the vaccine issue. They divide Alabamians into two classes: the vaccinated and the unvaccinated. The media’s contempt is in overdrive for anyone that dares to disagree and not blindly follow the government directives. So, they shame by spewing their poison, proclaiming the unvaccinated are the problem. Their assertion of “Blame” by extension means the unvaccinated are responsible for the spread of Covid. If you want to blame someone or something, blame the virus and the makers of it. As everybody knows, it was not the bats. The problem is not the unvaccinated, but rather those spawning division among the population. It’s the BLAME GAME. They shake their fingers in the face of millions of Alabama citizens for refusing to take the vaccine and are beside themselves when everyone does not fall in line like sheep. I guess the unvaccinated are the “New Deplorables.” I’ve listened to their shaming long enough and felt it was time to stand up for millions of Alabamians that have made their decision, over the many months, NOT to take the vaccine. I fall into this category; however, like most families, I have family members that have chosen TO take the vaccine. Alabamians know full well what is going on in their communities, local hospitals, nursing homes, and churches. They are not ignorant to the medical realities and associated risks. Neither are they reckless or selfish. Every unvaccinated person has considered whether to take the vaccine for months. They have discussed the matter with others, prayed about it, and even may have tolled back and forth on the decision. In the end, their “call” was to not take the vaccine for their own personal reasons. I can’t help but wonder why so many vaccinated people lecture everyone else when they themselves have marginal health risk as they are the vaccinated class. Has it occurred to them that their shaming is certain to follow children into the classroom in the form of bullying? Do they care about young women in childbearing years who are rightfully cautious about what goes into their bodies? It’s ironic that people that CHOOSE NOT to take the vaccine are labeled dissenters even though they are the majority in Alabama and across all races and political lines. Going forward, I want to encourage people to take a deep breath and stand back from the situation. Covid, of course, can be lethal, but at the same time, the odds of fatality are extremely low. This is one of those times when we must not succumb to fear. Fear is the root from which anxiety and worry bud. Fear is a weapon used to manipulate the public, and the press is its enabler. The Lord speaks to the issue of fear through the Apostle Paul. “For God hath not given a spirit of fear but of power and sound mind” – 2 Timothy 1:7 I also would like to take this opportunity to say something about Governor Ivey’s statement last week concerning unvaccinated Alabamians. She said, “It’s time to start blaming the unvaccinated folks, not the regular folks. It’s the unvaccinated folks that are letting us down.” The unvaccinated people represent approximately sixty percent of the population in our state. The Governor’s comments triggered uncontrollable elation and gaiety from politicians and news anchors at CNN, NBC, and others. As one could expect, President Biden and Dr. Fauci were ecstatic at Alabamians being scolded by their Governor over this issue. I believe the Governor’s comments were off-base. I also believe she likely misspoke in the heat of the moment, something any of us could do. As we navigate forward, we need to lower the tone and not take the bait of those whose goal is to sow seeds of division amongst Alabamians. I have a message for the American press corps concerning their hysterical, fear-based coverage of the pandemic. It’s a quote from Edward R. Murrow, the great broadcast journalist during the first half of the twentieth century. He effectively warned his fellow journalists what would happen if the free press became compromised. He wrote… “No one can terrorize a whole nation unless we are his accomplices.”
Steve Flowers: How Alabama ‘friends and neighbors’ politics will play in 2018
There is a proven theory espoused by political scholars that has prevailed in southern political history for decades. The premier political scholar, Dr. V.O. Key, first illustrated this repetitious theme that has wove its way through the southern electorate. He called it “Friends and Neighbors” politics. It is not a complicated hypothesis. It simply means that southerners tend to vote for someone from their neck of the woods. It is a truism in all southern states. However, it is most pronounced in the Heart of Dixie. This friends and neighbors vote comes to light in open races for governor and U.S. senator. Folks in Alabama will consistently vote for someone from their county or surrounding counties or region of the state overwhelmingly. I tell my university southern politics students that this tendency is so pervasive and tenacious that Alabama voters will vote for someone from their neck of the woods even if they know he is a crook or a drunk. They are probably thinking, “I know ole Joe is a crook and a drunk, but by gosh he’s our drunk or crook.” The earliest and best illustration of Alabama’s “Friends and Neighbors” occurred in the 1946 governor’s race. Big Jim Folsom was born and raised in Coffee County in the wiregrass area of the state. At about age 30, he moved to Cullman, sold insurance, and worked for the WPA getting lots of folks’ jobs. In that 1946 race, he ran against the Probate Judge of Calhoun County. Big Jim beat Judge Boozer because he had two home regions. He ran overwhelmingly in both the Wiregrass and North Central Alabama. On election night in 2010, I was sitting on the set of a Montgomery television station doing election commentary and analysis. As I perused and studied the county-by-county returns, I broke into a smile that bordered on a laugh. When I saw what was happening, it was obvious that friends and neighbors’ politics still persists in Alabama. Dr. Robert Bentley was carrying Tuscaloosa and the surrounding counties of Fayette, Lamar, Pickens and Bibb so overwhelmingly that I saw that the hometown vote was going to propel him past Tim James and Bradley Byrne and into the governor’s office. He ran like a scalded dog through Tuscaloosa where he had been a popular medical doctor for 30 years and there are a good many votes in Tuscaloosa. Bentley won because of “Friends and Neighbors” politics. How will “Friends and Neighbors” play out to the advantage of the potential candidates for this year’s open U.S. senate race and next year’s open governor’s race? It is early and all the horses are not in the race yet for governor. If Kay Ivey runs, she’s been around Montgomery so long that she is thought of as a professional politician who has camped out in the Capitol City for decades. There are so few Republican votes in her native Wilcox County that she can’t reap any hometown advantage. Just the opposite for Huntsville mayor, Tommy Battle. He is well-known and liked in the Rocket City. If he is the only major candidate from the Tennessee Valley and it’s a large field, that North Alabama vote might land him in the runoff. Mobile and Baldwin counties have a long history of supporting one of their own. There are a lot of votes down there. Agriculture Commissioner, John McMillan, has been around Montgomery for a while, but he has deep roots in Baldwin County, which is now one of the most populous Republican counties in the state. What about the current ongoing open U.S. Senate race: The two front-runners, Roy Moore and Luther Strange, are thought of as statewide candidates. Although Moore will carry Etowah and Strange will carry Mountain Brook, this race illustrates and reflects more of a class ideological struggle that is playing out in the national as well as state Republican Party. It’s the evangelical Christian/Donald Trump/George Wallace voter versus the Wall Street business big mules. Moore believes he can out religious anyone. It is Moses with the Hebrew children of North Alabama versus the Philistine Mountain Brook giant. The two tribes in the Republican Party will collide with the battlefield being around the Black Warrior River. 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.
