Luther Strange releases new TV ad touting NRA endorsement, taking shots at liberal agenda
Luther Strange touted his endorsement by the National Rifle Association in a new TV ad released Wednesday in his bid to stay in the U.S. Senate. The 30-second spot — titled “Shooting Range” — also touched on Strange’s history of opposing former President Barack Obama during his time as Alabama’s attorney general. “He’s in Alabama conservative,” the ad says, “with the guts to take the conservative fight to Obama.” The ad shows “Big Luther” Strange at a shooting range taking aim at a target that says, “Obama’s amnesty plan for illegal immigrants” and talks of his fight to protect Second Amendment rights. Last week, Strange announced a pair of endorsements — the NRA and the Alabama Farmers Federation. The NRA support came from Strange’s support on Second Amendment issues. The Farmers Federation cited his record as attorney general, in challenging of the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s Waters of the United States rule. Eleven Republicans and 8 Democrats running in the Aug. 15 special primary, with a likely runoff to follow in September.
Steve Flowers: Lay of the land in U.S. Senate sprint
As the race for our open U.S. Senate seat begins, let’s look at the lay of the land. First-of-all it will be a sprint. The race is upon us with the primaries August 15 and the run-off six weeks later September 26. The Republican primary victor will be coronated December 12. We, in the Heart of Dixie, are a one-party state when it comes to major statewide offices. Winning the GOP primary is tantamount to election. Therefore, our new senator will probably be elected September 26. With 10 Republicans in the race, it will be highly unlikely that anybody could win without a run-off, so the initial goal is to make the run-off. There are amazingly 19 total candidates who qualified. You can write the 8 Democrats off as irrelevant because a Democrat cannot win in Alabama. With 11 Republicans running, it appears to be a crowded race. However, 6 of the 11 are “run for the fun of it” qualifiers. Therefore, even though the field has a lot of horses, there are only 5 of the 19 who could be considered thoroughbreds and probably only 3 who have a viable chance to win. Former Chief Justice Roy Moore and former State Attorney General and Robert Bentley appointee to the Senate, Luther Strange, are more than likely headed to a Republican run-off. Huntsville and Tennessee Valley Congressman Mo Brooks has the best chance to challenge for a run-off spot. Initial polling has Roy Moore at 30 percent, Luther Strange at 14 percent and Mo Brooks at 7 percent. Roy Moore’s removal from his post as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court by some vague Judicial Inquiry Commission for being against gay marriage has made him a hero and martyr among Alabama’s conservative and religious voters. There is a pent-up desire to right a wrong among the Alabama people. It is obviously showing up in the polling, but it could be illuminated and result in a higher than anticipated 30 percent. Polls are a picture of the total pool of voters. However, the final poll and the one that really matters is who actually shows up to vote August 15. Roy Moore’s folks will be there, they are ardent and mad. They will not be at the lake or the beach. In fact, if there is an extremely low turnout, Moore could conceivably win without a run-off. It is unlikely that occurs. However, he more than likely finishes first and has a spot in the run-off. Luther Strange will be fighting to hold on to the other spot in the Sept. 26 final dance. He will more than likely prevail in his quest to get into the run-off and keep the seat. Luther will have $10 million of Washington establishment super PAC ammunition at his disposal. It is hard to overcome that kind of money. It is the mother’s milk of politics. Luther is banking on the fact that most U.S. Senate seats are bought by special interest money. Folks, $10 million washes a lot of taint away from the Bentley to Luther deal. It looks inevitable that Roy Moore and Luther Strange will be in a run-off and the prevailing opinion is that Moore cannot get over 50 percent. However, polling indicates that neither Moore nor Strange can get over 50 percent. They both have a large base of detractors. This race was ripe to be won by an outside rich man who could spend $10 million of their own money. “Yella Fella” Jimmy Rane walked away from a U.S. Senate seat that was his for the taking. Congressman Mo Brooks has the best chance to knock Strange out of the run-off. He starts off with a base of support in the Tennessee Valley and $1.2 million in his federal war chest. If he were to raise $3 million, he would probably beat Luther and ultimately would probably beat Moore. Brooks is to the right of Attila the Hun and belongs to a right-wing congressional group known as the Freedom Caucus. There are some very rich right-wing zealots around the country who give to Freedom Caucus candidates. They may load ole’ Mo up and teach the Elitist Establishment Mitch McConnell crowd a lesson. If state Sen. Trip Pittman, from Baldwin County, could raise $5 million he could sell. He is the only serious candidate from the vote-rich Baldwin/Mobile area. Dr. Randy Brinson has the perfect background, narrative and family values story. However, like Pittman, he needs $5 million to tell his story. 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.
Perry Hooper Jr. declines U.S. Senate run, backs Luther Strange
Former state Rep. Perry Hooper Jr. will not run in the special election for U.S. Senate. Instead, Hooper, who served as Alabama co-chair of Donald Trump‘s campaign, is endorsing current Sen. Luther Strange. According to AL.com, the Montgomery Republican had sought the appointment by then-Gov. Robert Bentley to succeed Jeff Sessions after he became Trump’s Attorney General. In the end, Bentley chose Strange, Alabama’s attorney general at the time. Hooper held a news conference on the Capitol steps in Montgomery Wednesday morning, where he explained that he made the decision not to enter the race last week. While all the candidates in the race would make “competent” senators, Hooper said Strange was the best to put forward Trump’s agenda. “We need a strong conservative in Washington who will take up the mantle of Jeff Sessions and support the Trump agenda,” Hooper told reporters. “Every vote Sen. Strange has cast is exactly how Jeff Sessions would have voted.” Hooper is endorsing Strange based on his vote to confirm Neil Gorsuch for the U.S. Supreme Court and his Strange’s support of a bill to cut funding to sanctuary cities, using that money to build Trump’s wall on the country’s southern border. He added: “He has assured me that he will be a strong Trump floor leader in repealing and replacing Obamacare, cutting taxes on working Americans, reducing regulations that are stifling economy, rebuilding our border military and ensuring our border security.” Watch Hooper’s endorsement below:
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.
U.S. Senate candidates Roy Moore, Luther Strange, Ed Henry report income, debt
Even through suspension, former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore had a decent payday last year, taking in $150,000, mostly through speaking engagements. Al.com is reporting that Moore was one of three Republican candidates seeking the U.S. Senate seat filed documents this month with the Alabama Ethics Commission. Also filing was Sen. Luther Strange, the former Attorney General who now holds the seat. Elected officials are required to report economic interests, detailing income and expenses. Moore, Strange and Hartsville Republican State Rep. Ed Henry each submitted ethics statements. Dr. Randy Brinson, former head of the Christian Coalition of Alabama, is not an elected official and therefore not required to file. Last month, Gov. Kay Ivey moved up the Senate special election primary for Aug. 15; the general election is Dec. 12. Records show Moore made $181,000 a year before his suspension over his defiance of a Supreme Court order on same–sex marriage. According to Al.com, Moore also listed speaking fees of between $50,000 — $150,000 in 2016 and Social Security income between $10,000 — $50,000. Moore’s wife, Kayla, earned a salary of between $10,000 — $50,000 from Nichols Construction. She also made over $10,000 last year as president of the Foundation for Moral Law, which Roy Moore once led. Moore has two bank debts of less than $25,000 each, and a credit union loan totaling between $150,000 and $250,000. As for Strange, he earned about $168,000 as Alabama Attorney General, and earns $174,000 a year as U.S. Senator. Strange’s wife holds a part–time job at the Alys Stephens Center at UAB — earning more than $10,000; $1,000–$10,000 in director’s fees from Oakworth Capital Bank; $1,000 — $10,000 in rental income from condominiums in North Carolina and Needle Rush Point in Pensacola; pension income of $10,000–$50,000; and investment income of $50,000–$150,000. Strange’s property in Lineville, North Carolina, has a listed value of $250,000, generating less than $10,000 in rental income. The senator’s debts include $150,000–$250,000 and mortgages between $150,000–$250,000. He also lists an individual or business debt of between $25,000. Al.com notes that Henry, as a state representative, is considered a part–time employee earning $42,830 annually. He reports interests in two businesses: My Practice 24 and Lightwire Solutions. Henry owns 50 percent of My Practice 24, a chronic care management system servicing physicians, and 30 percent of Lightwire, an information technology company in Decatur, each providing more than $10,000 in income. Henry’s debts include less than $25,000 each and mortgage debt of between $50,000–$100,000.
Mo Brooks ‘seriously considering’ Senate bid
Republican Congressman Mo Brooks is close to mounting a run for the U.S. Senate later this year. The four-term lawmaker from Alabama’s 5th Congressional District told AL.com Monday he is “seriously considering” a bid for the Senate seat now held by former Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange. It was the first comment from Brooks regarding the Senate race after Gov. Kay Ivey rescheduled the special election — moving it up a year — to fill the vacancy created in February when Jeff Sessions resigned to become U.S. Attorney General. May 17 is the qualifying deadline for candidates in the Aug. 15 party primaries. Brooks, a Huntsville native, told AL.com he will not announce his decision until just before the deadline. “I have polling data, I have talked with various individuals to discuss how much money would be required to be competitive and whether there are available sources of money to be competitive,” Brooks said. Brooks is the only member of the Alabama congressional delegation thinking about running for the Senate. Reps. Robert Aderholt, Bradley Byrne, Gary Palmer, Martha Roby, Mike Rogers and Terri Sewell have each said they are not interested in the seat. If he should enter the race, Brooks would bring a financial advantage that would immediately establish him as the leading candidate for the seat. Campaign finance reports from March 31 show Brooks with $1.2 million on hand. That war chest is more than that of any other Alabama House member, as well as interim Sen. Strange, who had raised about $763,000 so far. “That’s one of the strong points,” Brooks said of his perspective candidacy. “I have almost half-a-million dollars’ cash on hand more so than the second-place person and more than $1 million cash-on-hand more than every other candidate – rumored or announced.”
Alabama Senate leader Del Marsh makes decision on U.S. Senate race
The Republican state Senate leader says he’s made a decision on if he will run for U.S. Senate but won’t yet announce his plans. Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh said Tuesday that an official statement will come “later” but would not specify when. The wealthy Anniston lawmaker has deep ties to the state’s business community and could self-fund his campaign. Marsh also would not rule out a 2018 run for governor. Gov. Kay Ivey set a special election for the U.S. Senate seat in December, causing a flurry of announcements from hopefuls such as the chairman of the Christian Coalition of Alabama Dr. Randy Brinson and Hartselle Republican Rep. Ed Henry. Former state Attorney General Luther Strange currently holds the office and said he’ll run to keep his seat. Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
Steve Flowers: Handicapping the ‘great show’ Senate Special Election
The decisive move by newly minted Governor, Kay Ivey, to declare a Special Election for the Jeff Sessions’ Senate Seat this year rather than next year changes the entire complexion of who will sit in that coveted seat. It also redefines the landscape of an ever changing and pivotal Alabama political scene. This next year will be an adventure as we elect a Senator and concurrently the 2018 Governor’s Race will begin its evolution. We have already seen the downfall of a sitting governor this year and by Sept. 26, we will see the election of a new junior U.S. Senator. There is an assumption that only a Republican can win statewide office in Alabama and winning the GOP primary is tantamount to election. The decision by Governor Ivey was the right decision. Most folks would assume that “forthwith” means this year rather than next year. It was also a wise political move by Ms. Ivey if she wants to run for a full term. Ivey’s calling for the Special Election for Sessions’ seat immediately, could be the death knell for Luther Strange. By December, he may go from being the newest and tallest member of the U.S. Senate to the shortest serving senator in Alabama history. His defeat could be very inglorious and humiliating. With the election being this year, it will be the only show in town. It will be a spectacle. Every politician who is in any office can run without risking his or her current posts. In other words, everyone has a free shot. Therefore, it will be a free-for-all. Everyone will run against poor Big Luther and the Bentley taint. They will use their campaign resources to give you the unmitigated details of how Luther got put in that seat by ole Bentley. You will be told so many times that Bentley and Luther got together in a backroom with Rebekah and brokered a deal to sell Luther the Senate seat in return for Luther not prosecuting Bentley and Rebekah that you will know the story by heart. Luther will be as tarnished and feathered as ole Bentley. In about two weeks, when the Washington PAC’s see the polling that reveals Luther is in trouble, his campaign resources will be less than he expected and he may not be able to defend against the onslaught of negative ads. The question becomes, who will be the early frontrunners? Roy Moore enters as the favorite. His evangelical base becomes crystallized in a large field. It will probably reserve him a place in the Sept. 26 run-off. Who will be the other candidate in the runoff? It may very well not be Luther Strange. The U.S. Senate is a select club. A cursory look around the chamber reveals very wealthy people or celebrities. Senate seats are bought by wealthy individuals in a good many cases. We have some people in Alabama who could very easily buy the Senate seat. The short period of time that exists to raise money for an Aug. 15 election even further enhances the advantage for someone who can self-finance and write a big check. The name on most lists is the “Yella Fella,” Jimmy Rane. He would sell. He is a natural salesman. Folks close to Yella Fella get the feeling that he does not want to go to Washington at this time in his life. However, he is adamant and determined that Luther Strange will not remain in the seat. Therefore, he may bankroll another candidate through a super PAC. Rumor has it that he will get behind Del Marsh. Marsh has his own money also. However, he needs more money because he is totally unknown to Alabama voters. I will keep you posted on the developments. I do not know how many of these folks will join the fray but this is how I will handicap the horses at this time. Jimmy Rane and Roy Moore are one and two. Other possibilities are Congressman Robert Aderholt, Congressman Bradley Byrne, Luther Strange, Secretary of State John Merrill, Congressman Mo Brooks, State Auditor Jim Ziegler, State Sen. Del Marsh, Trump Trumpeter Perry Hooper Jr., State Sen. Slade Blackwell, State Sen. Trip Pittman, ADECA Director Jim Byard, State Senator Arthur Orr, and State Rep. Ed Henry. It will be a great show. See you next week. ••• Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the state Legislature. Steve may be reached at www.steveflowers.us.
Alabama Supreme Court upholds suspension of Roy Moore, will decide on Senate run next week
The Alabama Supreme Court this week reaffirmed the removal of Roy Moore as chief justice. Moore has hinted he may run for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by now U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions in February and currently held by former Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange. Moore said he would make a decision on a Senate run sometime next week. In a news conference, Moore blasted the prosecution as “politically” motivated, arguing that he remains Chief Justice even with the suspension over his administrative order against the issuance of marriage licenses to same-sex couples. “I have done my duty under the laws of this state to stand for the undeniable truth that God ordained marriage as the union of one man and one woman,” Moore told reporters assembled at the Alabama State Capitol’s Old Supreme Court Chambers. As there are no federal issues in the case, Moore is unable to appeal the ruling. “This is it,” he said. Southern Poverty Law Center president Richard Cohen had filed an ethics complaint against Moore, and issued a statement after the ruling: “Roy Moore’s violation of the Canons of Judicial Ethics was egregious. He got what he deserved. We’ll all be better off without the Ayatollah of Alabama as our chief justice.”
Gov. Kay Ivey schedules Senate special election in line with state law
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed a proclamation Tuesday morning to reschedule the special election date for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by now-Attorney General Jeff Sessions. The new primary date is Aug. 15, with a runoff set for Sept. 26; the general election is Dec. 12, a year ahead of the previously scheduled election date. In February, Gov. Robert Bentley temporarily appointed then-Attorney General Luther Strange to the Senate seat until Alabama could hold a special election. Bentley originally scheduled the special election to coincide with the 2018 regular election cycle, a primary in June and general election in November. “I promised to steady our ship of state. This means following the law, which clearly states the people should vote for a replacement U.S. Senator as soon as possible,” Ivey said in a statement. “The new US Senate special election dates this year are a victory for the rule of law.” Ivey signed the proclamation at 9:21 a.m. “This is not a hastily-made decision,” Ivey added. “I consulted legal counsel, the finance director, Speaker [Mac] McCutcheon, Senate President Del Marsh, and both budget chairmen since the cost to the General Fund could be great. However, following the law trumps the expense of a special election.” Alabama statute says that if a Senate seat vacancy occurs more than four months before a general election, the governor is required to call a special election “forthwith.” Bentley interpreted “forthwith” to mean an announcement, not the actual election. Senator Strange is taking the change of date in stride. “As I’ve said for months, I’m a candidate and I’m ready to run whether the election is next month or next year,” said Strange. “As the only announced candidate for this office, I will spend the next several months being the best Senator I can be, upholding Alabama values and working with President Donald Trump to drain the swamp and help make America great again. The people of Alabama deserve nothing less and ultimately it will be up to them to decide who will represent them in Washington.”
Despite lingering questions, Luther Strange gets warm greeting in Senate
Republican U.S. Sen. Luther Strange is getting a warm reception in Washington despite lingering questions about his appointment in his home state of Alabama, according to a profile by USA Today. The national paper got the obvious out of the former Alabama Attorney General: he is supporting the Republican effort to repeal and replace Obamacare and he’s an advocate for Neil Gorsuch’s confirmation to the Supreme Court. Strange said his former duties as AG made him particularly passionate about Gorsuch. “I’ve got that hands-on experience with federal judges and how important it is to have judges like Neil Gorsuch, who will take a rule of law approach to the decision-making process,” he said. “I think he’s eminently qualified. My hope is that I’ll be able to vote to confirm him on the Supreme Court before we get to the Easter recess.” The junior senator also seems to be fitting in with his colleagues on both sides of the aisle. “They’ve made it very easy for me to fit in,” he said. “The welcome has been bipartisan across the board. I really appreciate that.” But he chuckled, “Give it some time.” Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker, a Republican leader, joked that the 6-foot-9-inch lawmaker was “head and shoulders above the rest of us,” and Virginia Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine said he was “pleasantly impressed so far” adding that “any guy who is a former tenant of Mark Warner’s deserves great sympathy and affection.” But beyond the new-guy pleasantries, Strange has been able to lean on fellow Alabama U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby during his transition. “He’s been tremendous in sort of taking me under his wing and showing me the ropes,” Strange said. “I seek his advice at every turn. You’ll probably see me with him a lot. Whenever I can spend time with him I always learn something.” Strange said Shelby and his staff have also been gracious in putting up with the dust while Strange got situated. “We’re going to buy pizza for his office to thank them for putting up with all the mess they had out there in the hallways,’’ Strange said. “He’s been great. He’s really nice.’’
Steve Flowers: For 2018 governor’s derby, a cavalcade of characters
We are on the cusp of one of the best political years in modern political history in the Heart of Dixie. Prior to the 1970s, our constitution disallowed succession of office for our state constitutional offices. In other words, you could not run for two consecutive four-year terms. That is why George Wallace ran his wife in his place in 1966. George and Lurleen campaigned side-by-side. George would wink at the crowds still drawn to courthouse squares by a country band and say, “I’m going to be her No. 1 adviser.” By the way, she won in a landslide. She beat eight male opponents without a runoff, including two former governors, an agriculture commissioner, the sitting state attorney general and two powerful state senators. However, you could serve a four-year term and wait out four years and run for a second term. Only two men had done that in Alabama history. Prior to the constitutional change in the 1970s, Bibb Graves of Montgomery had done it early in the century and Big Jim Folsom did it in 1946 and again in 1954. Now that governors can succeed themselves, it has become common practice for governors to serve eight years rather than four. Thus, the 2018 governor’s race will be a once in an eight-year opportunity. Folks, we are in for one heck of a year and the bell rings June 6. Therefore, the horses will begin lining up over the next few months. It will be a great cavalcade of characters. The early favorite horse in the 2018 Derby is Roy Moore. The Chief Justice’s expulsion from the bench by the Judicial Inquiry Commission has propelled him to stratospheric levels in polling. Leading a horserace is a good analogy for Moore since he traditionally rides his horse to vote at his polling place in Gallant in rural Etowah County. Some of you may question Moore’s popularity, but the numbers are there in every poll. The JIC has made him a martyr. Alabama is a very religious state and being thrown out of office by an unaccountable commission for being against homosexual marriages is a pretty good issue to run on in the Bible Belt. Roy Moore is the wild card in the early 2018 jockeying. Most folks have him in the governor’s race. However, he has two other options. Attorney general or the U.S. Senate seat. He would probably win either of these posts. The governor’s office is another question. Historically, people do not think of him as governor. He lost miserably both times he ran, whereas he wins handily for a state judgeship. His best race is for attorney general or U.S. Senate. Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh has a free shot in 2018. She was just re-elected to a four-year term as Public Service Commission President. She is already out running for governor and sometimes the early bird gets the worm. State Agriculture Commissioner John McMillan is term-limited in that job that he has done well for eight years. He is well liked by everyone who knows him and is planning to run for governor. Young Boozer has also served his two-term eight-year limit as State Treasurer. He is a wild card and gives no hints as to what his future political plans are for 2018. Young is not a natural politician. He is an erudite Stanford-educated successful banker who was perfectly suited for the State Treasurer’s post and he has done an excellent job. Secretary of State John Merrill is probably the best retail politician in the state at this time. Lots of people have encouraged him to run. However, he is one of the few constitutional officeholders who can run for re-election in 2018. He will probably bide his time and run for re-election. State Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh of Anniston is itching to pull the trigger on the governor’s race, but being a powerful state senator does not translate into statewide name identification. However, Marsh is said to be wealthy. If he were to spend $3 to $5 million of his own money, he could be a player. The very popular mayor of Huntsville, Tommy Battle, is seriously considering the race. If he joins the fray he could be a player. He would come out of the Tennessee Valley with a strong start. There are a lot of votes in North Alabama. We are in for a heck of a campaign year. I will keep you posted. 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.
