Steve Flowers: 2024 elections around the corner
Folks, don’t look now, but our 2024 election year is upon us. Next year is a major year in politics nationwide. Not only does the nation elect a president, but most states also elect their governors and legislators for four-year terms in presidential years. We, in Alabama and in most southern states, elect our governors and legislators in nonpresidential years. Those of us who study and talk about Alabama politics refer to these years as gubernatorial years. We elected our governor and legislature last year in 2022. Historically, presidential years have been very dull and unexciting years for Alabama politics. There are very few statewide contests, and those that happen will be decided on March 5. Since we are such an overwhelmingly Republican state, the only way to be elected statewide in the Heart of Dixie is as a Republican. There are 29 statewide elected offices in Alabama, and all 29 are held by a Republican. There are four seats up for election on our Alabama Supreme Court. Justices Jay Mitchell, Tommy Bryan, and Will Sellers are up for reelection to another six-year term on the high tribunal. Justice Sarah Stewart’s seat is up for reelection. However, Sarah has opted to move to the open Chief Justice position, being vacated by the retirement of Chief Justice Tom Parker. Justice Sarah Stewart is a good choice for Chief Justice. She was a Circuit Judge in Mobile County for 14 years before she was elected to the Supreme Court six years ago. The Chief Justice is the administrator of the entire state judicial system. Sarah Stewart’s experience as a circuit judge is invalu,able and she also has the respect and support of most of the circuit judges around the state. Circuit judges are very respected in their counties and communities throughout the state. Sarah Stewart has been campaigning extensively and effectively all over Alabama during 2023. She has let no grass grow under her feet. Speaking of working hard, the judge who will move up to take Sarah Stewart’s seat on the Supreme Court will be Criminal Court of Appeals Judge Chris McCool. Judge McCool is one of the most proven ardent campaigners I have seen in recent years. I said when he announced a year ago that he would not be outworked, and he has proven me right. He has traversed the state from one end to the other, putting over 60,000 miles on his vehicle. Chris McCool will make a great justice and is the perfect representative on the court from the rural area of the state. He hails from rural Pickens County near Gordo and close to the Tuscaloosa County Line. His family has very deep roots in that area. The McCools settled there over 180 years ago, prior to the Civil War. They have farmed the land the entire time. Chris lives in the same place his ancestors lived six generations ago. Chris McCool borders on folk legend for an Alabama judge. He has three full-time professions. He was a lawyer with impeccable credentials. He graduated from the University of Alabama, undergraduate and law school. He practiced law in Gordo before being elected District Attorney of the Pickens, Lamar, and Fayette Circuit at age 30. He served as DA for 18 years and was elected to the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals six years ago. He is a minister. He pastors the Zion Primitive Baptist Church near his home. His family founded the church, and his great, great, great grandfather was the first pastor. He is also a farmer. Judge McCool’s seat on the Court of Criminal Appeals will be filled by one of two assistant attorney generals. Rich Anderson and Thomas Govan, both of Montgomery, are vying for McCool’s seat on the Court of Criminal Appeals. Both are well-qualified and would do a good job. Justices Chad Hansen and Christy Edwards are up for reelection to the Court of Civil Appeals. They are doing a good job. Justices Bill Cole and Richard Minor are up for reelection on the Court of Criminal Appeals. They both are doing an excellent job. This court has a very heavy caseload. Twinkle Cavanaugh will be elected to her fourth term as President of the Alabama Public Service Commission next year. Twinkle is becoming legendary as a public servant in our state. Although still young, she has built a stellar reputation for honesty, integrity, and conservatism. The former Chairman of the Alabama Republican Party is the best retail politician in Alabama today. She has crisscrossed the state campaigning in 2023 in preparation for 2024. Even though she will more than likely not have an opponent, she is running scared and not taking anything for granted. 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.
Steve Flowers: Women in Alabama politics
It is hard to imagine that it was only a little over 100 years ago that women were given the right to vote in the United States. The 19th Amendment to the Constitution, giving women full suffrage, was finally ratified in 1920. In recent decades, many folks have lamented that there are very few women in elected office in Alabama, especially in the legislature. We do indeed have a low percentage of female legislators, most particularly in the Republican ranks. We have some high-profile female statewide officeholders. Governor Kay Ivey, PSC President Twinkle Cavanaugh, and Supreme Court Justices Kelli Wise and Sarah Stewart, to name a few. Some of the more progressive states have ridiculed our lack of female political participants. However, history will reveal that we in Alabama were electing women to statewide offices many years before other so-called progressive states. In fact, women dominated the offices of Secretary of State, State Treasurer, and State Auditor for several decades during the 1960s and 1970s. My first observations of Alabama politics were watching women swap out the State Treasurer and Secretary of State posts every four years. In fact, these constitutional offices were considered women offices. In 1944, Governor Chauncey Sparks appointed Sybil Pool as Secretary of State. Two years later, in 1946, Pool won the office overwhelmingly and became the first woman in Alabama history to be elected to a statewide office. In that 1946 race, Pool carried 63 out of 67 counties. Four years later, in her victorious run for State Treasurer, she received the largest vote in state history. In 1954, she was elected to the first of four terms on the Public Service Commission. Prior to Pool’s first statewide victory, she had served in the legislature for two terms from her native Marengo County. She was only the second woman elected to the Alabama Legislature, in addition to being the first woman elected statewide. All-in-all, her political career included eight years as Secretary of State, four years as State Treasurer, and 16 years on the State Public Service Commission. Sibyl Pool was way ahead of her time, and she opened the political door for women to walk through in Alabama. Mary Texas Hurt Garner of Scottsboro was a lawyer by profession and an Assistant Attorney General before being elected Secretary of State in 1954. She then went on to become State Auditor in 1958. She was elected State Treasurer in 1962. Annie Laura Gunter held several prominent cabinet positions in the Wallace Administration. Afterward, Gunter was elected State Treasurer of Alabama in 1978 and served eight years in that important state office. Melba Till Allen was one of 10 children who grew up modestly on an Alabama farm. She rose to be elected as State Auditor and then was elected State Treasurer for two terms. Mabel Amos and Agnes Baggett were household names in Alabama for decades. Agnes Baggett was probably the most prominent and profiled female officeholder in state history after Sybil Pool. She served as Secretary of State from 1951-1955. She was then elected State Auditor in 1955, State Treasurer in 1959, and returned to Secretary of State in 1963. In 1967, she was elected again as State Treasurer and served eight years in this post. She finished out her career as Secretary of State, thus capping a career that made history. She served 28 consecutive years as an elected statewide officeholder, making her one of the most celebrated elected officials in Alabama history. Mabel Amos was one of the most beloved and revered women in state politics. She had an amazing career as the recording secretary for six governors, including Frank Dixon, Chauncey Sparks, James Folsom, Gordon Persons, John Patterson, and George Wallace. There is no telling what secrets and political deals Ms. Mabel knew of during this unbelievable 30-year reign inside the governor’s office. She was elected Secretary of State in 1966 and served eight years in that office. She was a native of Conecuh County and never married. Therefore, she had no direct heirs. When she died, she had a sizeable estate, primarily of family land. Because she had no children, the beloved lady left her estate with instructions that her money should be used for deserving Alabama female students who otherwise would not be able to attend Alabama colleges. 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.
Steve Flowers: Women rule in Alabama politics
For many years, Alabama has been ridiculed in national publications for having fewer women in political leadership positions than others assumed to be progressive states. States like Colorado, New York, and California were lauded for having an inordinate number of females in public office. Well, folks, take a cursory look around at Alabama’s political landscape, and it is a new day in the Heart of Dixie, and unlike the above-mentioned liberal states, our slate of women leaders are conservative Republicans. Our top two most powerful leaders in the state are Governor Kay Ivey and U.S. Senator Katie Britt. If you include PSC President Twinkle Cavanaugh into the mix, then the three most powerful and popular political leaders in the Heart of Dixie are women Republicans. You can eat your heart out, Colorado. This day did not just happen. These three women have been on the scene and the horizon for a while and arose the old-fashioned way by rising through and within the system to get to the top of the class. Kay Ivey was a student leader at Auburn. She spent a decade or more working with the legislature as the lobbyist for the Alabama Commission on Higher Education; then ran for and was elected State Treasurer and served eight years. She then was elected Lt. Governor, where she served for six years. She has been governor now for almost six years. Twinkle Cavanaugh has been on a leadership track since her high school years in Montgomery. She became Chairman of the Alabama Republican Party at a young age and has been President of the Public Service Commission for over a decade. She is the hardest working political figure in office in Alabama with a hardcore grassroots organization. Katie Britt also won our U.S. Senate seat the old-fashioned way. She worked hard and built a statewide grassroots organization that will hold her in good stead for years to come. All three of these ladies are conservative yet rational and reasonable leaders. They are exemplary of Southern grace, yet decisive, disciplined, and dignified. They are people we can be proud of and excellent role models. All three are Alabama born and bred and know the folks of Alabama. All three are closely aligned with and have proudly been supported by Alabama’s premier and most powerful and respected political organization, the Alabama Farmers Federation (Alfa). Currently, two of the most prominent jurists on the Alabama State Supreme Court are females. Justices Kelli Wise and Sarah Stewart grace the Court. I can see our Supreme Court in Alabama, as well as the United States Supreme Court, being majority female in future years. The majority of law students and graduates throughout the country are female. Women will dominate this profession in the next decade, if not already. The State Senate has two very prominent female leaders. The most powerful and proficient is veteran Mobile State Senator Vivian Figures. Senator April Weaver from Bibb/Shelby is on a fast track in the Alabama Senate. Another sign of women taking their rightful place in the Alabama Legislature is the takeover of Republican House Seats in the Shelby and Baldwin County Republican suburban districts. There were five new Republican women in these two Republican bastions that all took seats previously held by older men. Susan Dubose and Leigh Hulsey will be joining three females from Baldwin County. All three of the Baldwin County GOP seats will be held by female Republicans, including Jennifer Fidler, Donna Givens, and Frances Holk-Jones. Representative Cynthia Almond (R-Tuscaloosa), a relative newcomer, is a star on the horizon. Three of the most prominent leaders in the House of Representatives are women. Representative Margie Wilcox of Mobile is in a leadership position. Representative Ginny Shaver of Cherokee County works extensively on family and adoption issues. Representative Terri Collins of Morgan County is the education guru in the Alabama House. Speaking of education, our Alabama State Board is currently made up of eight female members and only one man. This eight-to-one female majority really becomes nine-to-one because Governor Kay Ivey serves as ex-officiate Chairman of the Board of Education. So, folks, as you can see, women rule in Alabama politics, and my guess is that this trend will not diminish in years to come. 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.
Steve Flowers: Jo Bonner inaugurated as president of University of South Alabama
Jo Bonner was officially sworn in as the fourth president of the University of South Alabama on September 23, 2022. The University of South Alabama is the crown jewel and flagship of the Alabama Gulf Coast. It is a sprawling, manicured, beautiful, and functional modern campus. It is currently the third-largest university in the state. Under the leadership of President Jo Bonner, it will grow and prosper to where within the next decade, it will be thought of as one of our premier “Big Three” major flagship universities along with the University of Alabama and Auburn University. Its location as the only major university in the populous metropolitan Mobile/Baldwin growth area of our state, coupled with having the University of South Alabama Medical School and Center on the campus, portends for exponential growth and prosperity for the University of South Alabama. The prosperity of USA is assured by the selection of Josiah R. Bonner, Jr. as President. Over the next decade, he will be thought of in the same terms and same breath as the legendary founding President of USA, Frederick Whiddon, who oversaw the first 35 years of USA. There has never been a more perfect selection to be the leader of a major university in our state than the appointment of Jo Bonner as President of USA. His knowledge of the business, civic, and social community of the Mobile/Baldwin area is unique. Through his decade of service as their congressman, he is an integral part of the Mobile community. He left Congress with the highest regard and admiration. He was so well respected by his congressional colleagues that he was Chairman of the U.S. House Ethics Committee. You can be assured that there is no university president, lobbyist, or board of trustee member who can walk the halls of Congress and bring home the bacon from the limitless federal trough than Josiah Bonner, Jr. You can also rest assured that there is no university president in the state that has the clout and reverence on Goat Hill in Montgomery than Josiah Bonner, Jr. This is a very unique and perfect blend for prosperity and growth for USA. It is well known in political circles that Jo Bonner is Governor Kay Ivey’s closest confidante. He served as her Chief of Staff for four years. Their families go back as friends and relatives in Wilcox County for generations. Jo Bonner’s father, the first Josiah Bonner, was Probate Judge of Wilcox County. Jo is the baby of the family, a good 15 years younger than his brother, Jim, who grew up as friends and in school together with Governor Kay Ivey. Jo’s sister, Judy, and Senator Jeff Sessions were in school together in grades K-12, then Jo came much later. The aforementioned sister, Judy Bonner, was President of the University of Alabama. Never before in Alabama’s history has there been two siblings being presidents of major universities in Alabama. Jo Bonner actually became President of USA in January. The official inaugural event was on September 23. It was a magnificent program. Governor Ivey gave the keynote address. She beamed with pride as she talked about her “little brother” from Wilcox County. Dr. Jack Hawkins, the 30-year Chancellor of the Troy University System, gave a brilliant address. He spoke for all of the university presidents in the state as the Dean of University Presidents. Jo Bonner’s family was recognized, beginning with his sister, President Judy Bonner. His wife, Janee, along with his two outstanding children, son Robin, and daughter Lee, were in attendance. The Inaugural Event was held in the magnificent Mitchell Center. The Mitchell family has been a major benefactor to USA. Mrs. Arlene Mitchell is Chairman of the Board of Trustees. Another Board of Trustees member is Dr. Steve Stokes, a radiology oncologist from Dothan. He and his wife Angela have been generous donors to USA, also. Stokes Hall is the newest dorm on campus. It was truly fitting that Jo Bonner had a throng of political dignitaries attend his Inaugural Event. It was like a political gathering of Who’s Who in Alabama politics visiting on the floor of the Mitchell Center prior to Jo’s inauguration. The list of attendees is too long to enumerate. However, in addition to Governor Ivey was Mac McCutchen, John McMillan, John Merrill, Bobby Singleton, Vivian Figures, Young Boozer, Bill Poole, Twinkle Cavanaugh, Sandy Stimpson, Will and Liz Filmore, Cathy Randall, Gordon and Ellen Stone, Jim Purcell, Victor Gaston, Chip Brown, Margie Wilcox, Alan Baker, and Judge Sarah Stewart, just to name a few. They were all there to honor a man who is revered and respected in Alabama – Josiah “Jo” Bonner. Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column is read in over 60 Alabama newspapers. Steve served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at www.steveflowers.us.
Steve Flowers: Women and young folks prevail in 2022
In my observations of Alabama politics, every election year brings an underlying election year surprise or two. The underlying prevailing theme emerging from the Alabama political arena this year is that women have arrived politically in the Heart of Dixie. Governor Kay Ivey is only the second female elected Governor of Alabama, Lurleen Wallace being the first in 1966. Governor Ivey won a decisive second-term nomination as the Republican nominee in May. She will face another female Democratic nominee, Yolanda Flowers, in the November General Election. This is the first time two women will face each other for governor. In fact, the first and second place finishers in both the Republican and Democratic primaries were women. Governor Ivey was followed by Lindy Blanchard, who finished second in the GOP primary. Dr. Yolanda Flowers, a retired Birmingham educator, was in a runoff with second place Democratic female State Senator Malika Sanders Fortier in the Democratic primary. Katie Britt emerged victoriously from the Republican U.S. Senate contest, and if elected in November, as is expected, she will be the first female elected to the U.S. Senate from Alabama. Katie Britt is the brightest young star in Alabama politics. She is the new rock star of the state. Not only will she be the first female senator, but she is also the headliner for the second theme of 2022. That is, we have a pair of new youthful stars arriving on the scene as the dust settles from the June 21 runoffs. Wes Allen and Andrew Sorrell have become the new stars on the scene. Wes Allen defeated veteran politico Jim Ziegler in the Secretary of State race. Andrew Sorrell bested Stan Cooke and Rusty Glover to become State Auditor. Both Sorrell and Allen were about to become freshmen members of the Alabama House this time four years ago. Now, they are the new stars on the statewide political block. They will be joining Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth as young constitutional officeholders with a future. You have four young stars on the horizon in the state. Rockstar Katie Britt is 40, superstar Will Ainsworth is 41, star Wes Allen is 46, and star Andrew Sorrell is 36. Another young superstar has arrived on the behind-the-scenes political consulting arena in Alabama politics. Twenty-seven-year-old Sean Ross ran the Katie Britt campaign masterfully. He is absolutely brilliant. He ran one of Twinkle Cavanaugh’s campaigns four years ago when he was just graduating from the University of Alabama. Katie did a good day’s work when she acquired his services with a recommendation from Twinkle. He is the hottest item in Alabama political consulting. There were four vacancies in the Alabama State Senate. State Representative Merika Coleman, a Bessemer attorney, won a very impressive victory for the seat of retiring Priscilla Dunn. She is young and brilliant and is going to be a star in the Alabama State Senate. Lance Bell won the seat of retiring state Senator Jim McClendon. Bell beat his opponent 73% to 27% in this Republican seat. Keith Kelley emerged victorious over Wendy Ghee Draper, in the Anniston-based Republican seat of retiring veteran state Senator Del Marsh. In probably the biggest upset surprise of the 2022 primary season was the victory of Josh Carnley to fill the Republican Southeast Alabama Senate Seat held for decades by the powerful and popular Jimmy Holley. This district is comprised of Coffee, Covington, Pike, and part of Dale counties. Twelve-year veteran State House member Mike Jones of Andalusia was expected to waltz to victory having every business group’s endorsement. Carnley carried his home county of Coffee overwhelmingly, and veteran political consultant David Mowery did a masterful job with Carnley’s ads. Popular first-term state senator, Dan Roberts, was challenged by a self-financed urologist in Roberts’ silk stocking Jefferson/Shelby district, but Roberts won handily. For the first time in 40 years, there will not be a Sanders representing the Black Belt in the Alabama Senate. Veteran Senator Hank Sanders failed in his bid to take back his seat he loaned to his daughter, the aforementioned Malika Sanders Fortier. Hank Sanders had served nine terms as the Black Belt’s senator. He was defeated by Robert Stewart of Selma. Jay Hovey won the coveted Lee/Tallapoosa/Russell County State Senate seat, prevailing over incumbent Tom Whatley by one vote. For the most part, the powerful 35-member State Senate will return intact with only a few new faces. 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.
Progressive environmental activists pick ‘Republican’ favorites in Alabama Public Service Commission primary races
According to Alabama Secretary of State campaign finance records, radical “environmental justice” activists are once again pushing their agenda in Alabama. They have selected their preferred “Republican” primary candidates Robin Litaker and Brent Woodall for the Public Service Commission. As first reported by Dylan Smith of Yellowhammer News, both candidates have taken large sums of money from Nelson Brooke, of Black Warrior Riverkeeper. Brooke has made a total of $73,000 in contributions to Alabama candidates all of the money going to democrats except three contributions: $20,000 to Litaker this cycle, $10,000 to her in her last race, and $10,000 to Woodall. Alabama Today reported on Brooke’s contribution history in an opinion piece last cycle when Litaker, who is attempting her third run to the Public Service Commission. She ran against Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh in 2020. Cavanaugh handily won that election with 73.8% of the vote. In 2018, Litaker ran against Beeker with him getting 68.7% of the vote. In that race, she was her own biggest contributor and the next closest gave her $250.00. According to the Yellow Hammer report, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) campaign finance records show that Margaret Wade Johnston, from the advocacy group Sierra Club, loaned Litaker’s campaign $45,000. Johnston has a history of backing progressive candidates in an attempt to defeat incumbent conservatives in Alabama. Johnston donated to the Democratic challengers of U.S. Reps. Robert Aderholt and Mo Brooks in the 2018 general election and also donated to former U.S. Sen. Doug Jones in 2020. Like Johnston, Brooke also has a history of financially supporting far-left candidates in federal races, including former President Barack Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign and socialist U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential bid. It is unknown if the ALGOP will take action to decertify their elections based on these contributions. Earlier this year, Trip Powell was removed from the ballot for giving a $500 contribution to Walt Maddox. Litaker and Woodall supporter Brooke gave Maddox a total of $6,000. In 2018, the party voted to not certify a candidate who made social media posts that were described as “anti-Semitic, racist or otherwise offensive.” The primary election is on May 24, 2022. You can find your polling place or get more voting information at AlabamaVotes.gov.
Steve Flowers: Incumbency prevails in secondary constitutional offices
Incumbency is a potent, powerful, inherent advantage in politics. That fact is playing out to the nines in this year’s Alabama secondary constitutional and down ballot races. Several of the constitutional office incumbents do not have Republican or Democratic opposition. Of course, having a Democratic opponent is the same as not having an opponent in a statewide race in Alabama. A Democrat cannot win in a statewide contest in the Heart of Dixie. Lt. Governor Will Ainsworth will be elected to a second four-year term without opposition. He will be waiting in the wings to follow Kay Ivey as Governor. Agriculture Commissioner Rick Pate will be reelected without opposition. He has done a good job in this important state post. State Treasurer Young Boozer is running unopposed for another four-year term. He does an excellent job and is uniquely qualified for the Treasurer’s job. State Supreme Court Justice Kelli Wise is running for reelection unopposed. Kelli is popular and is a good jurist. She is home free for six more years on the state’s high tribunal. Attorney General Steve Marshall has token opposition in his run for reelection. One Republican and one Democrat qualified against Marshall. However, he will coast to reelection. There are two seats up for election on the Alabama Public Service Commission. There are three seats on this regulatory panel. The President of the PSC runs in a presidential year. Twinkle Cavanaugh is President and pretty much runs the ship. The two incumbents are Jeremy Oden and Chip Beeker. Oden has two unknown Republican opponents. Beeker has two opponents in the GOP Primary. One has some name identification, who has run before. Beeker and Oden will probably win reelection. There are only three hotly contested and interesting secondary statewide races. That is because these three posts are open without an incumbent on the scene. Popular Supreme Court Justice Mike Bolin, the former Probate Judge of Jefferson County, is term-limited by an antiquated law that prohibits a judge from running for the court after age 70. There are two qualified candidates seeking to follow Judge Bolin. Birmingham Defense Attorney Greg Cook is facing Anniston Circuit Judge Debra Jones. Cook appears to be the favorite to win. It is apparent that the business community in the state is backing Cook. He has also been endorsed by the Alabama Farmers Federation. The latest campaign finance reports reveal Cook has $552,000 to spend compared to Jones’s $15,000. The State Auditors position is open. Jim Ziegler has served his eight-year stint. This will be an interesting three-man race for this benign position. Former Mobile State Representative and State Senator Rusty Glover is facing Muscle Shoals State Representative Andrew Sorrell and Jefferson County Pastor Stan Cooke. All three are getting out and working the state. The race to succeed John Merrill as Secretary of State will be a good race. Merrill is term-limited after eight years. State Auditor Jim Ziegler is wanting to move next door in the Capitol and become Secretary of State. Because of his name identification advantage, Ziegler will be favored to win the race. However, he will get a significant challenge from State Representative Wes Allen. Young Wes Allen has been running for over a year and has a good many significant endorsements, including Alfa. He has an impressive resume having served a decade as Probate Judge of Pike County and four years as a State Representative. He also has two home bases. He has lived and served in office in Troy in Southeast Alabama and was born and raised in Tuscaloosa, where his father, Gerald Allen, has been a long-time State Senator. Ed Packard, who has run the Elections Division of the Secretary of State’s office for decades, is also running. He is very well qualified. The aforementioned current Secretary of State, John Merrill, is not seeking any elective office in 2022, even though he is still relatively young. I have said this before, and it holds true today, Merrill is currently the best and most prolific retail politician in the state and one of the best I have seen in Alabama. He has a real grassroots organization in Alabama. He is literally everywhere. Even though he is not on the ballot running this year, he is outworking every candidate mentioned in this column. You have not heard the last of John Merrill. 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.
Steve Flowers: 2022 elections six months away
Believe it or not, we are six months away from the 2022 elections. All statewide offices will be decided in the May 24, 2022, Republican Primary. Winning the Republican Primary is tantamount to election in the Heart of Dixie. Therefore, garnering the endorsement of the most conservative group in the state is vitally important towards an election. That group is the Alabama Farmers Federation or commonly known as Alfa. The Farm PAC Alfa endorsement is the gold standard for conservatism, and it is the ticket to election in Alabama. The Alabama Farmers Federation is governed by county federation leaders in each of the state’s 67 counties, and the word leaders should be emphasized. The leaders of each county federation are respected men who have been born and raised in their community. Many have owned farmland for generations, are respected agribusinessmen, deacons in their churches, and board members of their local banks. In other words, they are centers of influence, and their words and recommendations extend well beyond their agricultural base. To win the Alfa endorsement, statewide candidates have to go see each of the county federation members in all 67 counties. There are over 100,000 actual farmers in the state that vote the Alfa endorsed ballot right down the line. There are also affiliated agribusiness groups that toe the Alfa line. In addition, there are over 100,000 insurance policyholders throughout the state who have their car and homeowners’ insurance with Alfa, and they see the Farm PAC endorsement and usually follow it because they have contributed to Farm PAC. Additionally, a good many Alabamians will see their friends and neighbors with an Alfa ballot and ask them who Alfa has endorsed in certain races. Then they will vote that way because they know Alfa has vetted the candidates and chosen the most conservative ones. The Alfa endorsements for the May 24, 2022 elections were decided on September 28, 2021. These endorsements will be decisive. Katie Britt won the endorsement for the open U.S. Senate race, which will be the marquee race next year. She got it the old-fashioned way. She worked for it. She got out and visited and got to know almost every farmers federation member in the state. This endorsement will probably propel her to victory. Governor Kay Ivey received the endorsement. She has been the darling of Alfa her entire career. The Farm PAC endorsement was critical in allowing her to win the governorship without a runoff four years ago. They have been with her from the get-go when she was State Treasurer two terms and Lt. Governor two terms. Will Ainsworth received the Alfa endorsement for reelection as Lt. Governor. This endorsement is the reason he upset Twinkle Cavanaugh in their race four years ago. Alfa was the reason he won that race and has made his political career. Incumbent Attorney General Steve Marshall has been endorsed by Alfa because he has proven to be a real conservative. Rick Pate has won the Alfa endorsement for a second term as Agriculture Commissioner. He had the endorsement four years ago, and it helped him win. Folks are really interested in who Alfa endorses for Agriculture Commissioner. Incumbent PSC Commissioners Chip Beeker and Jeremy Oden received the coveted Alfa nod. One of the most critical endorsements Alfa made was selecting Greg Cook for the Alabama Supreme Court seat of retiring Judge Mike Bolin. This endorsement of Greg Cook is pivotal. It proves that he is the conservative pro-business candidate for the Supreme Court. It will probably assure his victory. Popular incumbent Supreme Court Justice Kelli Wise got the endorsement even though she may be unopposed. Three candidates for secondary constitutional offices received the endorsement of Alfa and will be instrumental in their elections are Wes Allen for Secretary of State, Young Boozer for State Treasurer, and Rusty Glover for State Auditor. Glover’s getting the endorsement is that race is pivotal, as is Wes Allen’s in the Secretary of State. Alfa has endorsed all of the incumbent Republican Congressmen, including Jerry Carl, Barry Moore, Mike Rogers, Robert Aderholt, and Gary Palmer. They have endorsed Dale Strong in the open 5th district congressional race. He appears to be the favorite. All of Alfa’s statewide endorsements are Republicans. That makes sense because every statewide officeholder in the state is a Republican. If you made me bet, I would wager that all of the above-mentioned Alfa endorsed candidates will win next year. We will see in about six months. See you next week. Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at www.steveflowers.us.
Steve Flowers: 20th anniversary of 9/11 terrorist attacks
This week marks the 20th Anniversary of the infamous 9/11 terrorist attacks on our nation. It was a day in your life where you remember where you were and what you were doing when you first heard of the attacks on the New York World Trade Center and Pentagon. It changed our world. Like most people, I thought the first plane that flew into the towering Trade Center, was an accident. However, when the second plane hit you knew it was not pilot error. It was traumatic and terrifying. I asked several of our state leaders their memories of that fateful day. Allow me to share some of their experiences. Today, only two members of our current congressional delegation were in Congress at the time: Senator Richard Shelby and Congressman Robert Aderholt. Our senior senator, Richard Shelby, was actually chairman of the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee. He was immediately briefed by the CIA, however, amazingly, he was not placed in a protective bunker. He quietly sat in his office with his staff and watched the day unfold on television. Congressman Robert Aderholt, who was a brand new 33-year old congressman recalls he and his wife, Caroline, were taking their daughter to her first day of school while all the 9/11 events were unfolding. That daughter, Mary Elliott, is now a senior at Auburn. PSC President Twinkle Cavanaugh had just left Washington and was back home in Alabama getting ready for a conference call. The call was canceled, and she sat in shock all day. Gov. Kay Ivey shared her memory. She said it was a typical September morning. She was attending a conference and learned of the first plane flying into the tower while getting coffee. At first, the news did not seem too alarming. However, a few minutes later, when news of the second plane hit and videos appeared showing the large plane crashing into the World Trade Center, an awful feeling started to sink in for everyone as they realized our world was changing in front of their eyes. The Governor’s Chief of Staff, Jo Bonner, at that time was Chief of Staff to Congressman Sonny Callahan and later took that seat in Congress. Bonner was also at a legislative meeting in Montgomery. He was having breakfast at the Embassy Suites, and he watched the planes fly into the tower. Gov. Ivey’s new State Finance Director Bill Poole had recently moved back from D.C. a few weeks prior to enrolling in the University of Alabama Law School. He was in class and was concerned about young friends he had left behind in D.C. Ozark State Representative, Steve Clouse, was a young legislator and was in Montgomery eating breakfast at the Madison Hotel. State Senator Clay Scofield was a junior at Auburn University. He watched on television and recalls feeling sad, angry, and extremely patriotic. Lt. Governor, Will Ainsworth, was also a student at Auburn. He was in his apartment getting ready to go to class. Pardons and Parole Director and former State Senator, Cam Ward, was on a plane headed to Washington, D.C. while the events were unfolding. They were diverted to West Virginia to land and then informed of what had happened. State Senator Greg Reed was in his home office preparing for a business trip to Baltimore, Maryland. His wife, Mitzi, ran into his office a little after 9:00 and told him to come watch what was unfolding in New York. Needless to say, his trip was canceled. State Senator Clyde Chambliss was in an Autauga County Leadership meeting. Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle was eating breakfast at a local restaurant in the Rocket City. State Treasurer John McMillan was head of the Alabama Forestry Association. They were at their annual meeting at the Perdido Beach Resort. Troy University Chancellor Jack Hawkins, a decorated Veteran of Vietnam, had just departed campus en route to Luverne on a communities tour. By the time they reached Montgomery, he said, “It was clear that America had been attacked. What began as a day of celebration concluded in Prattville as a day of mourning and patriotism.” Attorney General Steve Marshall had been serving as the district attorney for Marshall County for just over a month. He watched the events unfold on televisions in underground offices. It was his daughter’s 11th birthday, but his family did little celebrating on that day. Former Congressman Bradley Byrne was practicing law in Mobile. His law offices were in the same building as the FBI. They got their fully automatic rifles out and were guarding the building all day. 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.
Steve Flowers: 2022 big election year as Alabama chooses Shelby’s successor
Last week we alerted you to the fact that next year will be a banner year in Alabama politics. The governor, lieutenant governor, and all other statewide constitutional offices are up for election. All 140 members of the legislature are up for election and will be running under new lines. Our entire congressional delegation is up for reelection and they too will be running under new lines drawn by the legislature. All 67 sheriffs in the state are also on the ballot. This slate in and of itself would make this a marquee year. However, what will render this upcoming 2022 election year momentous is that we will have a very important U.S. Senate Seat to fill. Richard Shelby will retire after 36 years in the United States Senate. It will be impossible to replace Senator Shelby. The amount of federal dollars he has secured for the Heart of Dixie is incomprehensible and irreplaceable. He will be remembered as the greatest senator in Alabama history. Seniority is paramount in Washington. It is everything. It took Senator Shelby awaiting 20 years before he became one of the major players in Washington. Therefore, Senator Shelby would be the first to tell you that it is imperative for Alabama’s future that we elect someone young to be his successor. If you send someone over 60 to the U.S. Senate, they will never have any real power. The political hierarchy of the senate will recognize that and place our senator on obscure committees. The best thing for us to do is to send a younger person to the Senate, and also one that is not an ideologue demagogue who is more interested in being on Fox News than bringing home the bacon. First on most lists is Katie Boyd Britt. She served as Senator Shelby’s Chief of Staff and is now the CEO of the Business Council of Alabama. She is only 39 years old and she would have the potential to be a power in Washington. Shelby likes her. Someone who will probably be in the race and will be one of the early frontrunners is Secretary of State John Merrill. He has served his two four-year terms as Secretary of State and is precluded from running for another term in that office. Therefore, he has to go somewhere. He is the best retail politician in the state and is the only statewide official with a real grassroots organization. Merrill will be a player and has the acumen and diligence to be an effective senator. Congressman Robert Aderholt would be the logical favorite to take Senator Shelby’s seat. However, with 24 years of seniority in the House, Congressman Aderholt is making the right decision for himself and our state by remaining in his House seat. PSC President, Twinkle Cavanaugh, would be an excellent person to succeed Shelby. She is popular and still young, but she will probably not be in the race. Former Trump Ambassador to Slovenia, Lynda Blanchard, has already announced that she will enter the race for Shelby’s U.S. Senate seat in 2022. She is from Montgomery and has come to the table with $5 million. The person who might run but would not be an effective senator is Huntsville Congressman Mo Brooks. He would be an albatross for our state. During his 10 years in Congress, Brooks has been an obstacle for Senator Shelby and Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle as they have worked to build Huntsville’s Redstone Arsenal into the Science and Technology Capitol of Alabama and probably the nation. Brooks’ only mission is to be thought of as a right-wing extremist, who cares more about being a demagogue than representing and helping his district. If Brooks were to replace Shelby, it could be devastating to Alabama’s efforts to attract federal dollars or future economic prospects. It will be hard enough for Shelby’s predecessor to simply maintain everything Shelby has brought to Alabama. However, with Brooks in Shelby’s seat, Alabama might actually lose ground – not only the Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, but also UAB in Birmingham, Maxwell-Gunter in Montgomery, and Fort Rucker in the Wiregrass. 2022 is going to be a big year in Alabama politics. 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.
Steve Flowers: Turnout for presidential election shatters record in Alabama
On the morning of the momentous November 3 Presidential Election Day, I began my day on my hometown radio station, WTBF in Troy, which has been my tradition for election days for over 30 years. As the polls began to open around 7 a.m., we began getting calls that the people were lined up for almost a mile outside of the two most populous voting locations in Pike County. Then, I started getting texts that a good many of the Republican boxes in major North Alabama cities had people waiting in line for two to three hours in voting precincts in Jasper, Hamilton, Cullman and Huntsville. Folks in Talladega were showing up in droves driven by a local amendment. When I voted around 10 a.m., the voting officials informed me that more people had already voted in record breaking numbers. About that time, I was receiving texts from other South Alabama locales like Daphne and Fairhope in Baldwin County and Enterprise and Ozark in the Wiregrass that records were going out the window. In Dothan, where I had spoken the day before, people were calling to tell me that records were being shattered at the Westgate polling place, which is one of the largest Republican boxes in the state. When I went on the popular Mobile talk radio Jeff Poor Show at 10:30 a.m., Jeff said reports were coming in of an unbelievable turnout. During the noon hour, I traversed to Montgomery for Talk Radio and interviews with my Capitol City television home, the Alabama News Network CBS 8 and ABC 32. I saw the same thing happening. At St. James Methodist Church where most of Wynlakes votes there were two-hour long lines. At Woodland Methodist in Pike Road it was two to three, and at most of the Republican boxes in Elmore County, especially Millbrook and Wetumpka, there were three hour waits. As I headed on to Birmingham for my election night TV appearance the scene in Shelby and Jefferson Counties was more of the same, if not more pronounced. My daughter, who votes at Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church said the line had been out the door and around the church all day with no parking. The two major voting locations of Hoover, the Finlay Center and Hoover Met, had lines that reached almost a mile. Around 6:00 p.m., while discussing the unprecedented turnout with Secretary of State John Merrill, who had joined me on CBS 42, we saw an unbelievable line out the street at the prestigious Church of the Highlands voting location in Tuscaloosa. The coup de gras was at around 9:30 p.m. a good two-and-a-half-hours after the polls had closed, our TV cameras showed a picture of Trussville City Hall where voters were still waiting in line to cast their ballot even though Trump and Tuberville had already been declared the winners by the Associated Press. Secretary of State John Merrill confirmed what I knew by that time, that indeed the state of Alabama had an unprecedented, unbelievable, amazing, record breaking turnout – 2.3 million Alabamians voted despite COVID which shattered any previous voting participation record. The driving force had to unquestionably be driven by a fervor to vote for President Donald J. Trump. The vote for President Trump was the largest for any candidate in the history of the state. Trump garnered an amazing 62.7% of the vote, which surpassed his 62% against Hillary Clinton. He provided immense coattails for Coach Tommy Tuberville who beat our-anomaly, liberal, two-year-tenured Democratic Senator Doug Jones by an amazing 60-to-40 shellacking. Tuberville is now Senator Tommy Tuberville. PSC President Twinkle Cavanaugh set a record in her reelection bid with almost 1.4 million votes. She gained the record by receiving the most votes for any candidate in a contested race outside the Presidency in state history. Tuberville set the record for most votes for any senatorial candidate in state history. He trounced Jones by over 20 points despite being outspent 4-to-1. According to unofficial election night results the top Alabama Counties for Trump were Winston 90.3%, Cleburne 89.7%, Blount 89.6%, Marion 88.4% and Cullman 88.2%. They were the brightest red in the ruby red Heart of Dixie. See you next week. Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column is in over 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at www.steveflowers.us.
Inside the Statehouse: Methodists have Dominated High Offices in Alabama History
Alabama’s leading columnists discusses the respective faiths of our state’s leaders.
