Pro-life SBA List endorses Twinkle Cavanaugh for Lieutenant Governor
The national pro-life group Susan B. Anthony List (SBA List) on Thursday announced its endorsement of Twinkle Cavanaugh for Lieutenant Governor of Alabama. Dedicated to pursuing policies and electing candidates who will reduce and ultimately end abortion, the SBA List and its network of more than 630,000 pro-life Americans nationwide emphasize the education, promotion, mobilization, and election of pro-life women. “Susan B. Anthony List has a special calling to promote strong pro-life, pro-woman leaders like Twinkle Cavanaugh. We are proud to endorse her for lieutenant governor,” said former congresswoman Marilyn Musgrave, SBA List’s Vice President of Government Affairs. “Twinkle’s pro-life convictions are unshakeable. She will be a powerful advocate for unborn children and their mothers, as well as the taxpayers of Alabama in the role of lieutenant governor, which doubles as president of the state senate. We encourage pro-life voters to support her.” Cavanaugh said she was humbled by the endorsement. “I am humbled by Susan B. Anthony List’s endorsement,” said Cavanaugh. “Alabama is a profoundly pro-life state where the voters believe every life is precious and deserving of protection. I am deeply committed to the future of all our children, including those yet unborn. It will be a privilege to serve as lieutenant governor and stand up for these values at every opportunity.” Twinkle Cavanaugh is president of Alabama’s Public Service Commission where she works to ensure taxpayers’ confidence in local government. Previously, she was the first woman to serve as chair of the Alabama Republican Party. The primary election will take place on June 5.
Here’s everyone who the BCA has endorsed in the 2018 election cycle
The Business Council of Alabama (BCA), considers itself Alabama’s foremost voice for business. It is a non-partisan, statewide, business association representing the interests and concerns of nearly 1 million working Alabamians. The BCA works with the Alabama Legislature to promote “pro-business” reforms such as: Tax credits for small business Job creation Incentives for economic development Ethics reform Positive changes in our public education system Here are the candidates who the BCA has endorsed, who they believe will bring the best changes and initiatives for Alabama’s businesses: Statewide Races: Governor: Kay Ivey Lieutenant Governor: Twinkle Cavanaugh Attorney General: Steve Marshall Secretary of State: John Merrill State Treasurer: John McMillan Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries: Rick Pate Judicial Races: Chief Justice: Lyn Stuart Associate Justice Place 1: Sarah Stewart and Brad Mendheim Associate Justice Place 2: Tommy Bryan Associate Justice Place 3: Will Sellers Associate Justice Place 4: Jay Mitchell Court Of Civil Appeals Place 1: Christy Edwards Court Of Civil Appeals Place 2: Judge Terri Thomas Court Of Civil Appeals Place 3: Judge Terry Moore Court Of Criminal Appeals Place 1: Richard Minor Court Of Criminal Appeals Place 2: Chris McCool Court Of Criminal Appeals Place 3: Judge Bill Cole State Senate Races Senate District 2: Tom Butler Senate District 3: Arthur Orr Senate District 5: Greg Reed Senate District 7: Mary Scott Hunter Senate District 12: Del Marsh Senate District 13: Randy Price Senate District 14: Cam Ward Senate District 16: Jabo Waggoner Senate District 17: Shay Shelnutt Senate District 18: Rodger Smitherman Senate District 32: Chirs Elliott State House Races House District 3: Humphrey Lee House District 6: Andy Whitt House District 8: Terri Collins House District 9: Scott Stadthagen House District 13: Connie Rowe House District 14: Richard “Bull” Corry House District 27: Wes Kitchens House District 30: Craig Lipscomb House District 36: Randy Wood House District 39: TJ Maloney House District 40: K.L. Brown House District 41: Corley Ellis House District 42: Jimmy Martin House District 43: Arnold Mooney House District 44: Danny Garrett House District 45: Dickie Drake House District 46: David Faulkner House District 47: David Wheeler House District 48: Jim Carns House District 49: April Weaver House District 50: Jim Hill House District 55: Rod Scott House District 73: Matt Fridy House District 87: Jeff Sorrells House District 88: Jeremy Arthur House District 89: Marcus Paramore House District 96: Matt Simpson House District 102: Willie Gray
Wetumpka TEA Party hosts GOP candidate meet and greet
The Wetumpka TEA Party will host the River Region Candidate Fair on Monday evening from 6:30-8:30 p.m. for candidates running in the 2018 Republican primary election. Over 40 candidates have confirmed their attendance for the event, which will be held at the Wetumpka Civic Center. Advertised as a “meet & greet,” the event will allow Alabamians to meet each candidate individually and ask them questions about the position they are seeking, rather than listen to speeches and debates. The Wetumpka TEA party will also be conducting a straw poll at the end of the night, with results posted Tuesday morning. “Our mission at the Wetumpka TEA Party is to educate citizens on national, state and local issues and help them get involved in our representative government,” said Wetumpka Tea Party founder Becky Gerritson. “It is important that people vote for their elected officials because they know what the candidates stand for and do not just rely on 30 second commercials and attractive yard signs. This is a terrific opportunity to meet the candidates who are running for an elected position, to ask them questions and understand what each candidate stands for.” The following candidates have confirmed their attendance on Monday night: CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICES Governor: Bill Hightower, Kay Ivey, Scott Dawson, Tommy Battle (will send a representative) Lieutenant Governor: Will Ainsworth, Twinkle Cavanaugh, Rusty Glover Attorney General: Chess Bedsole, Troy King, Alice Martin Auditor: Stan Cooke, Elliott Lipinsky, Jim Zeigler Secretary of State: Michael Johnson, John Merrill Treasurer: Stephen Evans, John McMillan Commissioner for Agriculture and Industries: Gerald Dial, Rick Pate (will send a representative) STATE LEGISLATURE Alabama House of Representatives 31: Dustin DeVaughn, Mike Holmes Alabama House of Representatives 88: Al Booth Alabama Senate 25: Will Barfoot, Ronda Walker Alabama Senate 30: Clyde Chambliss (Unopposed) ALABAMA COURT SYSTEM Supreme Court Chief Justice: Tom Parker AL Supreme Court Place 1: Sarah Stewart AL Court of Civil Appeals Place 1: Michelle Thomason, Pat Thetford Circuit Court 19 Judge: Bill Lewis (Unopposed) PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION Public Service Commission Place 1: Jeremy Oden, Jim Bonner Public Service Commission Place 2: Chip Beeker, Robin Litaker LOCAL AND CIRCUIT RACES: Elmore County Sheriff: Bill Franklin (Unopposed) Probate Judge (Elmore): Vicki Bonner-Ward, John Thornton Elmore County Commission Dist 4: Bart Mercer (Unopposed) Coroner (Elmore): Brad Linville, Jody Jeffcoat Circuit Clerk (Elmore): Michael Dozier, Angie Cruise-Gardner FEDERAL RACE U.S. Congress Dist 2: Rich Hobson, Bobby Bright, Barry Moore A flier for the event may be viewed here: River region candidate fair.
Stump speeches: Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh on Right-sizing the government
Public Service Commissioner Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh has served on the commission since 2010. While the focus of the commission is regulated industries, Cavanaugh has gone and beyond the call of duty in reevaluating the cost to taxpayers of running commission as a whole. While on the stump running for Lieutenant Governor, she is highlighting more than just the work at the commission has done in dealing with consumer protections, she’s also highlighting her efforts to “Right Size” government. We offered Chairman Cavanaugh the opportunity to tell our readers a little more about these efforts and here’s what she had to say: The first thing I did after being sworn in was grab my red pen and start looking for fat to trim from the commission’s budget. As a small-business owner, I know the value of a dollar and what it feels like to tighten our belts. Alabama’s state budgets were stretched thin during this time. This was during the Great Recession and the slow and painful recovery from it. Families all over Alabama were sitting around the kitchen table hoping they’d have some decent meals to share together. When I grabbed the reins of the PSC, we had 119 employees. I undertook a careful analysis and learned we could do the same job, probably better than ever before, if we sharpened our staff and reduced the headcount. Without firing a single employee, the PSC now has 72 employees, down more than 39% from when I got there. As employees retired or took other positions outside of the commission, we reorganized, retrained, reduced our numbers, and remained laser focused on making sure the commission continued its inspections and regulatory functions without missing a beat. We are now saving nearly $2.6 million annually because of the rightsizing of our staff, without sacrificing our pipeline and railway safety duties. Public servants must lead by example. When I got to the PSC, it looked like that episode of Oprah where she gave the entire audience a new car. We had 59 cars – essentially one car for every two employees. The very first decision I made at the PSC was to tear up the paperwork for the car the commission wanted to assign to me. I had my own personal car, and I didn’t need the taxpayers giving me another one for free. Then I started getting rid of every single car at the commission that wasn’t absolutely needed. I got rid of three out of every five cars the PSC had in its fleet. We went from 59 cars down to 24. Now, the only employees who are assigned cars are those who have daily responsibilities requiring daily travel, like the employees in Gas Pipeline Safety. We also retained a very small pool of cars that can be checked out by employees who absolutely must travel for state business. As you can imagine, as we reduced the headcount in the building, more and more offices were sitting dark and empty and collecting dust. In 2014, I looked into the possibility of moving the entire commission into another building to save money, but I found we could save even more money by merely reducing the amount of space we rent in our current building. Again, leading by example, I reduced my personal office space by 65% and then reduced our commission’s overall office space by 38%. Finally, I put the brakes on employees traveling on the taxpayers’ dime. Since I arrived in 2010, out-of-state travel expenses have been cut by 74% and in-state travel has been cut by 70%. The commission still continues to travel to necessary functions, but the days of frivolous trips taken by previous commissions are over. I’m proud of my work over the last seven years. I work with great commissioners and employees who are as dedicated as any public servants and employees I’ve ever known. I’ve asked a lot of them as we’ve trimmed the fat in our budget and slashed expenses by 32% – or $3.2 million annually. Every dollar we save at the PSC allows the state legislature to appropriate those dollars to other areas of need. As a result, our savings at the PSC help keep taxes and fees as low as possible in Alabama. I want other agencies to follow our lead, examine their budgets line by line, and substantially trim the fat. Every dollar sent to the government was earned by the blood, sweat, tears, and sacrifice of an Alabamian who should trust us to use it wisely. And my faith tells me to be a good steward of money, particularly when I’m managing other people’s money. There is no higher calling in public service than keeping a careful watch over every single dollar sent to the government. Ultimately, we owe it to each Alabamian to carefully examine the use of those dollars and cut expenses anywhere and everywhere possible.” Amount sent to the General Fund 2009 – $3.8 million (year before I got into office) 2018 – $13 million PSC Operating Expenses 2010 – $9.9 million 2017 – $6.7 million The positions or interpretations set forth in this statement are those of Commissioner Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh and do not reflect the official position of the Commission.
Twinkle Cavanaugh switches from Governor’s race to Lieutenant Governor’s
They say it’s the woman’s prerogative to change her mind, and that certainly seems to be the case with the president of the Alabama Public Service Commission Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh. Cavanaugh, a Republican, on Thursday announced she is no longer running for governor, but will run for lieutenant governor instead. Cavanaugh began to explore the idea of running for governor in January, when the state was plagued by scandal under former Gov. Robert Bentley. In March, she announced she would run for governor, but by April, Bentley had resigned and Gov. Kay Ivey had been sworn in. In the months that have followed, Cavanaugh says Ivey has “provided the leadership we needed to move our state forward” and thus, no longer feels she could best serve the state by running for lieutenant governor instead. While Ivey has yet to say if she running in 2018, there is growing speculation and expectation that she will. “At this time, I believe that I can best serve the people of Alabama not by running against Governor Ivey but by working with her to help enact real conservative reform as the Lieutenant Governor,” said Cavanaugh. “Brighter days are ahead, but we must push forward with strong, conservative leadership.” She continued, “It is important for our state to have an experienced conservative providing leadership in the Lieutenant Governor’s office. Alabama needs to see conservative solutions when it comes to jobs, the economy, infrastructure and rural broadband, education, eliminating government waste, and much more. It is time for Alabama to take charge of its own education system and produce a top-notch, trained workforce. With education as a priority, we will grow existing businesses and expand industrial recruitment. I look forward to continuing to lead on job creation in the Lt. Governor’s office.” Cavanaugh joins a crowded field of Republican hopefuls who are also seeking the post, including State Rep. Will Ainsworth, Sen. Rusty Glover and state Board of Education member Mary Scott Hunter. The lieutenant governor presides over the Alabama Senate.
Steve Flowers: Sorting out ‘unforeseens’ in Alabama Governor’s race
Those of us who follow Alabama politics had circled June 6, 2017, as the beginning of the 2018 governor’s race. However, we did not foresee Donald Trump’s election as President in November and the subsequent appointment of our U.S. Senator, Jeff Sessions, as his Attorney General, thus, opening a U.S. Senate seat and causing the need for an unanticipated special election for the open Senate seat this year. Therefore, the race for Sessions’ Senate seat will dominate the political news for at least the next three months. This Senate seat race has pushed back the timetable for gubernatorial aspirants by about three months. The thoroughbreds who might enter the Derby for the Brass Ring of Alabama politics probably have the luxury of waiting until Labor Day or maybe after the Sept. 26 GOP runoff for U.S. Senator. However, they do need to declare by Oct. 1, because qualifying will begin in late November for next year’s June 5 Primary. Also, we did not anticipate the resignation of Gov. Robert Bentley April 10 and the ultimate elevation of Lt. Gov., Kay Ivey, to Governor. Kay Ivey has been governor for less than three months; however, she has taken to the post like a “duck to water.” She has been deliberative and decisive and looks very gubernatorial. She is slowly putting her people into Cabinet posts. Enterprise Mayor, Ken Boswell, is a good choice for ADECA Director. This is a prime post as it doles out all the Federal grants that come to the state for infrastructure projects. She has named Christopher Blankenship acting Commissioner of Conservation and Natural Resources. She has removed Serve Alabama Director Jon Mason, and Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Secretary, Stan Stabler. Her two closest advisors throughout her career have been Steve Pelham and Will Sellers. She has brought Pelham with her as her Chief of Staff. She has appointed Will Sellers to a vacant seat on the state Supreme Court. Pelham will be the most important person in state government for at least 18 months. These unforeseen events have changed the political landscape dramatically when it comes to the 2018 governor’s race. This time last year, Roy Moore and Luther Strange were two of the lead horses for governor. They are now the two frontrunners for the open Senate seat. Win or lose they are removed from the governor’s race. Kay Ivey’s elevation to governor has made her the favorite at this time. However, as this past year’s events reveal, a lot can change in a year’s time. As we assess the field with less than a year to the finish line, Kay Ivey is the linchpin of the race. She is the incumbent. She has good name identification and her age, 72, is an advantage and not a disadvantage. She looks like your grandmother. That sells better than young and glamorous, especially among female voters. They can identify and feel comfortable with Kay. Currently, Kay is in the proverbial catbird’s seat. The million-dollar question is does Kay really want to run for a full four-year term. If she were to ask me as a friend, I would tell her no. If I were her, I would not want to go through the rigors of a yearlong campaign. She can go to the house and proudly say that she was Governor of Alabama. A 20-month tenure as governor is not an insignificant amount of time. There are four significant thoroughbreds in the race, regardless of Ivey’s intentions. PSC President, Twinkle Cavanaugh, 50, is popular and well positioned. She has won three statewide races. Agriculture Commissioner, John McMillan, 75, has been at his important post for eight years. He has done an exemplary job. However, he cannot run again. He is well-liked. Huntsville Mayor, Tommy Battle, 61, will be a player in the governor’s race. He is the popular Mayor of Alabama’s economic crown jewel. Jefferson County Commissioner, David Carrington, 69, could be a factor. He has some name recognition from being seen often in the all-important Birmingham media market. If he gets strong support from the Birmingham suburbs, he could be a dark horse. Birmingham-based evangelist, Scott Dawson, 49, might catch fire. Tuscaloosa’s popular young mayor, Walt Maddox, may make the gubernatorial plunge as a Democrat. We will see. 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: Looking at the thoroughbreds in governor’s derby
The race for our open U.S. Senate seat will be the marquee political event for the remainder of this year. It will be a great show. However, we have a sensational and pivotal 2018 governor’s race evolving simultaneously. This much-anticipated gubernatorial derby will be affected by the preliminary Senate horse race. The political landscape has changed dramatically with the decisive move by new Governor Kay Ivey to call for the election of Jeff Sessions’ successor to the Senate this year. Unlike in olden days where running a preliminary statewide race was a steppingstone to getting elected four years later, in recent years, losing statewide is not good — especially if that loss has occurred within less than six months. Therefore, three or more thoroughbreds are removed from the governor’s race. One will be in the Senate and the other two will be exiled to Buck’s Pocket and will not be players in the governor’s race. You can remove Roy Moore, Luther Strange and any unknown wealthy person, who can and will spend 5 to 10 million dollars of their own money. This unknown rich man will either be Senator or gone from the scene. Roy Moore’s removal from the governor’s race is the most significant change to the gubernatorial track. His evangelical base, which probably accounts for 20-30 percent of a GOP primary vote, will be splintered among the field. As I peruse the horses grazing in the pasture, let’s take a look at them because the race begins in less than a month, with fundraising for the June 2018 primaries beginning June 6. Before I mention some horses, who look to be front-runners, let me say that most of these folks ain’t ponies. Kay Ivey is 72. She would have probably gone out to pasture had she not become governor. With 18 months as governor she begins to look very gubernatorial. If she decides to run, she will be running as the incumbent and will be a viable horse, if not the front-runner. Huntsville Mayor, Tommy Battle, 61, is going to be a player in this race. He has done an exemplary job as mayor of Alabama’s most important and successful city. Folks, if we did not have Huntsville, we would be last in everything. Battle is popular in his neck of the woods and will come out of the Tennessee Valley with a good many votes. The “Yella Fella,” Jimmy Rane, 70, may make the race for governor. He is a successful businessman worth $600 million, according to Forbes Magazine. His business success has not gone to his head. He is and would come across as a “good ole guy.” Jack Hawkins, the 72-year-old Chancellor of the Troy University System, would be the best-qualified person to be governor. If you put his resume into a merit system roster, the computer would print out his name. He would also be an attractive candidate. Besides building and presiding over a university system for 30 years, he is tall, handsome, and very articulate and exudes honesty and integrity. He would also be the only Marine in the race. David Carrington, 69, is a Jefferson County Commissioner and successful businessman. He could garner significant support from the Birmingham business community. He also should have some name identification from being seen on Birmingham television for six years. John McMillan, 75, is one of the best-liked and successful statewide officeholders in Alabama. He has had a stellar eight-year reign as Agriculture Commissioner. John is a native of Baldwin County, which is one of Alabama’s fastest growing and largest Republican counties. If there is a large field, a strong vote in his home county could catapult him into a runoff. What about the other statewide officeholders? Twinkle Cavanaugh and John Merrill are younger than the aforementioned horses. At 50, they could sit out this race and come back either four or eight years later. Most observers expect Twinkle to run for Lt. Governor. She would be a favorite in that race. John Merrill probably stays another term as Secretary of State, which is prudent. If he and Twinkle bide their time, they would be the front-runners for governor next time around. Two older horses in secondary statewide office are question marks. Young Boozer, 68, is term-limited from running again for Treasurer. He is mum on his plans. State Auditor Jim Ziegler, 68, has garnered a lot of press the last few years from that benign office. Folks would be wise to not underestimate him. However, his best race would be for Attorney General. He would enter as the favorite in that race. 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: Handicapping Democrats for 2018 governor’s race
Last week, we handicapped some of the potential horses in the upcoming 2018 Governor’s Race. We mentioned Judge Roy Moore, PSC President Twinkle Cavanaugh, Agriculture Commissioner John McMillan, Secretary of State John Merrill, State Treasurer Young Boozer, State Senator Del Marsh and Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle. Some others that may be considering pursuing the brass ring of Alabama politics are Lt. Governor Kay Ivey, Supreme Court Justice Jim Main, Jefferson County Commission President David Carrington, Trump’s Trumpeter in the State Perry Hooper, Jr., Huntsville State Representative Jim Patterson and ADECA Director and former Prattville Mayor Jim Byard. You can also add former Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville to the mix of possible gubernatorial candidates. All of these aforementioned horses would run as Republicans in the 2018 Gubernatorial Derby. It is assumed that only a Republican can win statewide office in Alabama and that next year’s June 2018 GOP primary is tantamount to election. Therefore, it is only a 15-month race to election for governor. The late Lucy Baxley was the last Democrat to hold statewide office in Alabama. She lost re-election to the PSC in 2012. It has been almost two decades since a Democrat has captured the Governor’s office. Donald Trump carried Alabama with almost 63 percent of the vote. It is thought by most political prognosticators that a Democratic candidate can at best get 40 percent of the vote in the Heart of Dixie. However, there are several brave souls who are die-hard Democrats and may be bold enough to test that theory. One of these emboldened is Parker Griffith, who ran as the Democratic nominee against Robert Bentley four years ago, in 2014 and received 36 percent of the vote. Griffith is a personable, former oncologist, State Senator and Congressman from Huntsville. He seems dedicated to making the plunge. The most mentioned Democratic candidate is former Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb. She was elected to the state Supreme Court in 2012, which was the last time a Democrat won statewide in Alabama. She is seriously considering the race for governor. She could be handicapped by the fact that she quit in the middle of her term on the Court and a Republican was appointed by the Governor. State Representative Craig Ford who has served as House Minority Leader is considering a run for governor. Like Griffith, Ford is likable. He is one of the few remaining white Democrats left in the Alabama House of Representatives. In fact, if Ford vacated his seat to run for Governor a Republican would probably take it. The wild card in a potential Democratic field might be the popular young Mayor of Tuscaloosa, Walt Maddox. He considers himself a Democrat. Maddox is well thought of in the Druid City, which is a more populous and vote-rich area of the state than most folks realize. If he got a strong support from Tuscaloosa coupled with the ADC and New South endorsements, it could propel him to the Democratic nomination. He would bring to the dance a sterling record of achievement as Mayor of Tuscaloosa. However, if he has to go through a bruising primary he may come to the prom beat up and broke. Not to mention that the Prom King/Queen is highly favored to be a Republican. He would be hard-pressed to raise campaign money in the fall campaign. Most of the bets would be placed on the Republican. This brings us to another chapter in the governor’s race. The folks who wrote our 1901 Constitution intended for the power in state government to be rested in the hands of the legislature. During the Wallace years, George Wallace had immense power over the legislature. This usurpation of power has incrementally declined over the years. It has culminated with a decimation of gubernatorial power. The last two governors, Bob Riley and Robert Bentley, have been rendered irrelevant by the legislature. Special interests have taken note of this transfer of power and their money has followed. Campaign money that use to go to the governor’s race now flows to legislative races. It is not unusual to see House seats cost $300,000 and State Senate races rise to $1 million. It is going to be a great election year. 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: Honest, diligent women make their mark in Alabama politics
Hillary Clinton’s failure to break the proverbial glass ceiling in American politics came up a little short. More than 100 men have been nominated for president by the nation’s political parties over the past 220 years. She was the first female to be the nominee of one of the two major parties. After Hillary became the Democratic nominee last year, former Colorado Congresswoman Patricia Schroeder, who ran for president in 1988, said it best, “It’s been the ultimate tree house with a no girls allowed sign posted on it.” Nevertheless, national studies have indicated that women still face a double standard when it comes to political campaigns. These surveys reveal that voters will support a male candidate they do not like if they believe he is qualified. However, they are less likely to support a female candidate they think is qualified unless they also like her. Therefore, it appears that for women candidates, likeability is intrinsically linked to electability. However, when it comes to honesty and trustworthiness women have an enormous advantage. Voters simply trust women more than men. A study done by the respected Pew Research Center Poll revealed that 31 percent said women were more honest and ethical than men. Amazingly only 3 percent said men were more honest and ethical. I have observed and stated that same opinion for years. My observation when I was in the Legislature was that women legislators were more honest, forthright and more diligent in their duties. Other political experts have espoused this same belief, especially, when it comes to Alabama’s politics. In the 1990s, the nation’s business community brought the political guru, Karl Rove, to Alabama to help elect a pro-business state supreme court. He was successful in his endeavor. As he departed the state he left an emphatic statement, “If you want to hold the court in Republican pro-business hands, the best candidate is a conservative female Republican, preferably one who has experience as a Circuit Judge.” Voters simply trust women more and especially for judgeships. We now have a record number of women on our State Supreme Court and Courts of Appeals. There is no question that women in Alabama have an inherent advantage on the ballot in state judicial and secondary statewide races. If you put the name John Doe on a ballot against Jane Doe in Alabama and neither does any advertising and voters simply show up and vote in a secondary statewide race, Jane Doe will win every time. However, a survey conducted by the Center for Women and Politics at Rutgers University ranks Alabama 46th in the nation for women serving in the legislature. We are indeed inexplicably underrepresented by women in the State House and Senate. Although today we have numerous ladies in statewide office. Kelli Wise and Lyn Stuart are premier justices on the state Supreme Court. Judges Beth Kellum and Mary Windom serve with distinction on the State Court of Criminal Appeals. Judge Terri Thomas of Cullman is outstanding on the State Court of Civil Appeals. Kay Ivey is our Lieutenant Governor and Twinkle Cavanaugh serves as President of the Public Service Commission. In the course of history, it has not been that long that women were given the right to vote. The 19th Amendment to the Constitution gave women suffrage. Alabama’s legislature voted to ratify the 19th Amendment in 1953. However, women began to be elected statewide in Alabama long before other so-called progressive states. Beginning in the 1950s women dominated the offices of Secretary of State, State Auditor, and State Treasurer to such an extent that they became known as “the ladies’ offices.” The first woman elected to a statewide office was Sybil Poole who won the Secretary of State office in 1946. She was soon followed by the legendary Agnes Baggett and then Mary Texas Hurt Garner and Melba Till Allen. These women would simply swap the posts of Secretary of State and State Treasurer after their term limits. By the time Lurleen Wallace became the first female governor in 1967, women held almost half of Alabama’s constitutional offices. It may be time for another female governor. Twinkle Cavanaugh or Kay Ivey or someone else may make the leap. We will see. 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: Alabama will do just fine under Donald Trump
Alabama is going to fare wall under President Donald Trump. There is an old adage that says, “Those that bake the pie get to eat it.” We truly baked the pie for Trump. We overwhelmingly supported him in the GOP primary and helped him secure the nomination. We then gave him one of the largest mandates in the nation in the November General Election. Trump is indeed returning the favor. He has named our own Jeff Sessions Attorney General. His confirmation hearings begin this week. In addition, speculation is that Alabama’s Bill Pryor is on a very short list to be named to the U.S. Supreme Court by Trump to fill the vacancy on the Court of the late Antonin Scalia. Pryor is a former Alabama Attorney General, who currently sits on the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta. Pryor is only 54. He served as Alabama Attorney General from 1997-2004. He was the youngest state attorney general in the country at that time. He was appointed to the federal bench in 2005 by President George W. Bush. During his 11 years on the federal bench he has rendered a sterling conservative record. Pryor and Sessions have amazingly similar backgrounds. Both call Mobile their native home. Both were Attorney General of Alabama. Both have impeccable arch-conservative philosophies and pedigrees. They are kindred spirits and good friends. That is probably why Pryor is on Trump’s short list for the High Court. Most of the frontrunners to win the open Sessions Senate seat have avoided Bentley’s appointment. So how is the race shaking out to fill the Sessions’ seat? The frontrunner out of the gate is Attorney General Luther Strange. Big Luther has run three successful statewide races and is sitting on over 50 percent statewide name recognition. Furthermore, he is dedicated to running and has been for 20 years. He spent the first 20 years of his professional career lobbying in Washington for Sonat. He came home 20 years ago to run for a secondary statewide office and lay the groundwork to get back to Washington as a U.S. Senator. He has been biding his time for his buddies Sessions and Shelby to retire or move on. When Sessions’ appointment became imminent, Big Luther hit the ground running and has been raising money for 2018 for two months. The other statewide elected officials will probably not join the 2018 Senate fray. Secretary of State John Merrill has a good future. He is 53 and will probably run for re-election or maybe Lieutenant Governor. PSC President Twinkle Cavanaugh will probably run for Lieutenant Governor or maybe Governor. It is uncertain what State Treasurer Young Boozer will do. However, his tentativeness has probably left him out of the Senate race. Agriculture Commissioner John McMillan is running for Governor. State Auditor Jim Ziegler will run for Governor, Attorney General or re-election. Roy Moore is the favorite to win the 2018 Governor’s Race. Congressman Robert Aderholt would be the best qualified to run and succeed Sessions. He and Sessions went to Washington together 20 years ago. However, his 20 years of seniority in the House has placed him in a powerful congressional leadership position. He is poised to be Chairman of the U.S. House Appropriations Committee. His move to being a freshman Senator would be a lateral move. Alabama and his district would be best served by his staying in the House. Mobile and Baldwin County folks believe that they deserve the Senate seat since Sessions is a Mobilian. There are three potential candidates from the Port City/Gulf Coast Region. Former Congressman Jo Bonner is not going to run. Current Congressman Bradley Byrne would have the best chance to win among all the potential Mobile candidates. He was almost elected Governor. However, Byrne is probably not going to leave his safe congressional seat. He likes it and is good at it. State Senator Trip Pittman from Baldwin County is in the race and is running hard. If he continues to be the only major horse from that area in the race and it becomes a crowded field, he may be in a runoff. Speaking of regionalism, look at a horse from Huntsville to enter the race. If there is one primary candidate from the Tennessee Valley they will be a player. Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle may pivot and move from the Governor’s race to the Senate. Folks in that area have always been more interested in national politics than state politics because of the Redstone Arsenal. State Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh of Anniston seems very interested in this open U.S. Senate seat. He has sought the Bentley appointment. However, being a powerful State Senator does not translate into statewide name identification. 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.
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.
