Democratic candidate for Governor Yolanda Flowers wants to debate Kay Ivey
Alabama Democratic Party nominee for Governor Yolanda Rochelle Flowers told Alabama Today that she would like to debate incumbent Gov. Kay Ivey (R). “Yes, I would love to debate the Governor,” Flowers said in a phone interview on Tuesday. “I would like to sit down with her for a cup of tea. There are questions I would like to ask.” Ivey did not debate any of her Republican rivals in the primary, and there are currently no announced debates in which the governor is participating. “I am planning on debating Dr. James “Jimmy” Blake, the Libertarian candidate,” Flowers said. Flowers recently made some changes to her staff preparing for the Fall. “The campaign, it is going ok,” Flowers said. “We are moving forward.” Flowers said that the campaign going to be making more announcements and events in the coming days. “On September 17, there is a fundraising meet and greet banquet in Birmingham,” Flowers said. “We have the debate with the libertarians and a tea party event in October.” Flowers said that that event would be at 720 17th Ave. SW, Birmingham starting at 5:00 pm and would include dinner and gospel music. Call 205-903-4145 for more information or to RSVP. Earlier in the summer, there were some Democrats who expressed fears about Flowers’ Christian beliefs, and Flowers was attacked as being not a supporter of the separation between Church and state. “People will attack you because they want to attack you,” Flowers said. “There are many faiths. I understand that, and there are some people who just won’t believe, but I think most of us have a belief in a higher being.” Flowers said that her campaign welcomed people “of all faiths and even those with no faith at all. The important thing is that you have a good heart and will stop to help me when I am bloodied on the side of the road,” referring to Jesus’s parable of the Good Samaritan. “Much of it came after Roe versus Wade was overturned. The important thing is if you have love for your fellow man.” Flowers stressed her support for Medicaid expansion. “All of us need Medicaid expansion, not just for the elderly but for the working class,” Flowers said. “We need to be helping rural counties and bringing back hospitals into counties that have lost them.” Flowers supports the legalization of medical marijuana “I am for marijuana,” Flowers said. “If is an herb, it is a natural plant. I just hope that we keep it as natural and pure as possible without mixing a lot of chemicals into it. God gave the herbs for our use.” “That money is not being allocated properly,” Flowers said of the projected $2 billion surplus that the state is projected to have by the end of this month. Despite having record revenues, Flowers still favors passing a lottery. “People should not be forced to go to the other states to play games like the Mega-millions,” Flowers said. Over 100 people have been slain this year in the city of Birmingham thus far this year, and the city appears to be close to setting a record for murders if this pace continues. “We need to clean up the City of Birmingham,” Flowers said. Alabama Today asked if she supported the state cracking down on the violence and imposing more aggressive policing and more prison sentences with longer sentences. “Aggressive policing could mean more police harassment,” Flowers said. “I think we need gun control. I think we did a better job educating our youth so that they solve problems without violence.” “The Second Amendment was passed so that we would have weapons to defend against other countries. Now we are using the guns to wage war against each other,” Flowers said. “I think we need to repeal it (the Second Amendment) to a time of war. We are not the wild west.” “We need to fund the police,” Flowers continued. “We gave a police shortage in Birmingham. They need more training even if that means bringing in the CIA or FBI to do the training.” Flowers said that she is working on getting an engine to pull down donations from ACT Blue and other national Democratic fundraising organizations. Flowers is a former teacher and rehabilitation services professional who is retired from the State of Tennessee. Flowers is a Birmingham native and holds multiple degrees from the University of Tennessee. Flowers will face Ivey and Blake on the November 8 general election ballot. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Gubernatorial candidate Jimmy Blake wants to phase out the income tax
Libertarian Party of Alabama nominee for Governor, Dr. James “Jimmy” Blake, says that the state should be phasing away from the 5 percent state income tax. Blake spoke with Alabama Today about his campaign on Tuesday. “Long term, we need to start phasing out the income tax so that we are competitive with our neighboring states like Florida, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Georgia,” Blake said. The State of Alabama is projected to have a $2.5 billion budget surplus roll into fiscal year 2023 on October 1. Some advocacy groups are calling for the state to abolish its 4% sales tax on groceries. “I think that is fine if you want to do that, but is that money going to actually get to the people, or is it just going to be pocketed by the grocers’ association?” Blake commented. “I am more interested in getting rid of direct taxes like the income tax. I am for stopping taxing food. We should never have started doing that.” The Alabama Department of Commerce recently asked the legislature to renew the state’s economic incentives. Some critics of the paying of incentives for companies to locate or remain in Alabama have denounced economic incentives as corporate welfare. “It is clearly corporate welfare,” Blake said. “We need to compete by having a favorable tax structure and creating the business environment where people want to locate their companies here. That includes having desirable schools.” One issue that has been very discussed in southwest Alabama is a proposal to build a toll bridge over Mobile Bay on I-10. “I don’t really oppose the concept of making people pay to use infrastructure,” Blake said. “My big problem with things like that is that they tend to go to special people. If it were openly bid, I would not be fundamentally opposed to doing that. One issue that I do have is that you just raised gas taxes, and then you turn around and ask people to pay to use infrastructure.” The state legislature passed an $8.262 billion education trust fund (ETF) budget for fiscal year 2023, the largest education budget in state history; however educational performance for the state remains near the bottom of the country in recent test scores. “I think we need to increase school choice in Alabama,” Blake said. “I am in favor of school choice whether that is vouchers or some other form. Charter schools can be a part of that if it is done right. I am for bringing market forces to improve education.” Blake served on the Birmingham City Council from 1993 to 2001. Blake is a medical doctor. He has held leadership positions in both the Alabama Republican and Alabama Libertarian Parties. He is also a U.S. Air Force veteran who flew nuclear weapons-equipped F4 Phantom II fighter bombers during the Cold War while stationed in Great Britain. He has an undergraduate degree from Auburn University and a medical degree from UAB. Blake will participate in a gubernatorial debate in Huntsville on September 25 with Alabama Democratic Party gubernatorial nominee Yolanda Rochelle Flowers. Incumbent Gov. Kay Ivey, the Republican Party nominee, is not expected to participate in debates. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Kay Ivey: Tourism is a major contributor to Alabama’s economic success
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey spoke Tuesday to members of Alabama’s tourism and hospitality industry at the Alabama Governor’s Conference on Tourism in Auburn. During her speech, Ivey reflected on the remarkable year Alabama’s tourism industry experienced and shared her expectations for even more success in the near future and beyond. “Just a few short months ago in May, Director (Lee) Sentell and I visited Conecuh Sausage,” Ivey said. “Now, while I did purchase some sausage to load up in my cooler, I was really there to announce Alabama’s record-breaking tourism numbers. I talked a bit about the momentum we were – and still are – experiencing as a state, despite the curveballs of the current economic climate and the last couple of years. Our economic development numbers for last year made 2021 the second-best year in our state’s history. Without a doubt, our tourism industry has been and continues to be a major contributor to that fact.” Unlike many states, Alabama was open for business throughout most of the 2021 tourist season. The state also benefitted from COVID-19 restrictions on international travel that led many American tourists to search for domestic travel destinations. “While the national industry lost 42 percent of its revenue, Alabama ranked in the top five states for the least amount of revenue lost,” Ivey continued. “To recap some of those numbers I shared back in May…Our tourists spent a record almost $20 billion dollars. Alabama was the fourth most searched state, according to the U.S. Travel Association. As I said in May: We’re just getting started! Folks, today, while I am among some of the best in the tourism industry, I want to share something I think all of you will be excited about, but you certainly won’t be surprised. Barring any unexpected downturns, Director Sentell informs me that Alabama is on a trajectory to EXCEED expectations. Based on the adjusted numbers, it looks like your industry is going to exceed 24 billion dollars this calendar year. Twenty FOUR!” Ivey said that the tourism industry in the state has grown by $10 billion since she was elevated to Governor in 2017. “I am proud to say that in the past ten years, our industry has more than doubled. We have grown from $11 billion dollars in 2013 to more than $24 billion dollars this year,” Ivey said. “And since I have been governor, I am extremely proud that our tourism industry has grown by $10 billion dollars. These are the kind of results that are taking Alabama flying at full speed ahead. I’ll leave you with this: As we head into the next four years, I assure you that you have a governor who is committed a thousand percent to supporting the tourism industry and to the work that each and every one of you do.” This conference provided tourism professionals a chance to gather and learn about the economic impact of the industry on the Alabama economy, as well as learning new strategies for marketing local Alabama attractions and amenities to visitors. The group also raised money for scholarships through silent auctions and celebrated their achievements. In 2021 the state collected $72,602,073 in revenue for the state general fund (SGF) from the 4% state lodging tax. Travelers spent an estimated $19.6 billion in Alabama in 2021. Alabama attracted 28.2 million visitors that year. The travel and tourism industries produced $1.1 billion in revenue for state and local coffers while providing 227,334 jobs for Alabamians. The beaches of Baldwin County remain the state’s most popular tourist destination. Baldwin County had 8,037,049 visitors in 2021, up from 5,956,566 in 2020. Ivey is seeking a second term as Governor. She faces Libertarian Dr. James “Jimmy” Blake and Democrat Yolanda Rochelle Flowers in the Nov. 8 general election. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Wes Allen wins GOP nomination for Secretary of State, Dem gubernatorial nominations set
Voters selected the Republican nominee for Alabama’s top election official in the runoff Tuesday, and the general election race for governor was set as Democratic voters picked their gubernatorial nominee. Three other statewide races plus a U.S. House nomination also were on the ballot. Here is a look at the races: SECRETARY OF STATE State Rep. Wes Allen won the Republican nomination for secretary of state on Tuesday in contest that featured both candidates promoting the need to tighten election security in harmony with former President Donald Trump’s false claims that he lost the 2020 presidential race because of fraud. Allen defeated outgoing State Auditor Jim Zeigler and will face Democrat Pamela J. Laffitte, an Air Force veteran and corrections supervisor in Mobile County, in the general election to become Alabama’s top election official. Zeigler received the most votes among four candidates in the primary election in May, but Allen overcame the deficit. Allen, from Troy, previously served as probate judge in Pike County. Citing the potential for fraud, he opposed early voting and no-excuse absentee balloting and sponsored a law that barred “curbside” voting meant in part to make it easier for people with disabilities to cast a ballot. During the campaign, Zeigler dubbed himself a “watchman” against ballot fraud, so-called “ballot harvesting” and voting by mail. Trump has blamed all those and more for his loss to Democratic President Joe Biden, and many GOP voters believe him despite a lack of evidence. The current secretary of state, Republican John Merrill, couldn’t run again because of term limits, and the GOP nominee will be a heavy favorite to win in November. GOVERNOR Yolanda Rochelle Flowers defeated state Sen. Malika Sanders Fortier in the Democratic race for governor to become the first Black person to win a major party’s gubernatorial nomination in Alabama. Flowers, a career educator from Birmingham, narrowly led a six-person field in the May primary. In what will be the state’s first all-female gubernatorial race, she will be a decided underdog against Gov. Kay Ivey, who vanquished eight challengers to win the GOP primary without a runoff. Almost four times as many people voted in the Republican primary as the Democratic primary in May, and Republicans hold every statewide office. Flowers ran on a platform of “reconstructing” Alabama by rebuilding its economy and systems for education, health care, and criminal justice. Among other things, she advocated for a state lottery and a state minimum wage of $15. Fortier, a state lawmaker from Selma, campaigned on the theme of building the biblical “beloved community” promoted by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. by improving the state’s economy, schools, and health care. She is the daughter of former state Sen. Hank Sanders and attorney Faya Rose Toure. STATE AUDITOR Andrew Sorrell claimed the GOP nomination for state auditor by defeating Stan Cooke, a win that was tantamount to election since there’s no Democratic contender for the office. Sorrell, a state representative from Colbert County who led balloting in the May primary, tried to make election security a prime issue, saying a strong auditor is needed to appoint county registrars who will keep voter rolls clean. Cooke, a pastor from the Jefferson County town of Kimberly, claimed Alabama is at a crossroads where it could remain a conservative state or come under the control of liberal Democrats. Echoing Trump’s false claims of election theft, he highlighted the auditor’s role in appointing county election officials who can prevent Democrats from stealing elections. The current auditor, Republican Jim Zeigler, was barred from seeking another term. U.S. HOUSE Madison County Commission chair Dale Strong won the only runoff among the state’s seven U.S. House seats, claiming the Republican nomination for an open position in north Alabama’s 5th District. Strong defeated Casey Wardynski, a former Huntsville school superintendent. Strong handily led a six-candidate field with about 45% of the primary vote in May but couldn’t avoid a runoff. Strong will face Democrat Kathy Warner-Stanton of Decatur in the mostly Republican Tennessee Valley district in November. The seat was given up by U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks, who lost a runoff race with former business lobby leader Katie Britt for the seat being vacated by U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby. ALABAMA PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION Two Republican incumbents on the Alabama Public Service Commission faced challenges to keep their jobs on the utility-regulating board, and at least one won. Chip Beeker, a former Greene County commissioner first elected to the PSC in 2014, defeated Robert L. McCollum to win the GOP nomination for Place 2. Beeker portrayed himself as an opponent of Democratic environmental policies, while McCollum, a small business owner from Tallapoosa County, argued the commission is too close to Alabama Power Co. Jeremy Oden, a former state legislator from Cullman seeking his third term on the three-member commission, cast himself as a conservative bulwark against liberal environmental policies. He received the most votes in May in a four-way race for the Place 1 seat that saw attorney Brent Woodall, a PSC staffer, and Republican activist, come in second. No Democrat qualified for either position, making a victory in the Republican runoff tantamount to election. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
A look at nominations for five statewide offices
The party nominations for five statewide offices, including secretary of state on the Republican side and governor on the Democratic ticket are on the ballot in Tuesday’s primary runoff election in Alabama. The GOP nomination for a lone congressional seat also will be decided. Here is a look at the races: SECRETARY OF STATE With many Republican voters embracing former President Donald Trump’s false claims that fraud cost him the 2020 presidential election, the two remaining GOP candidates to become Alabama’s top elections official, secretary of state, campaigned on themes of tightening election security. Jim Zeigler, who was barred from seeking another four years as state auditor because of term limits, dubbed himself a “watchman” against ballot fraud, so-called “ballot harvesting,” and voting by mail. Trump has blamed all those and more for his loss to Democratic President Joe Biden, and many GOP voters believe him despite a lack of evidence. Rep. Wes Allen is a state representative from Troy who previously served as probate judge in Pike County. Citing the potential for fraud, he opposes early voting and no-excuse absentee balloting and sponsored a law that barred “curbside” voting meant in part to make it easier for people with disabilities to cast a ballot. The Republican nominee will face Democrat Pamela J. Laffitte, an Air Force veteran and corrections supervisor in Mobile County, in November. The current secretary of state, Republican John Merrill, couldn’t run again because of term limits. GOVERNOR Either Yolanda Rochelle Flowers or state Sen. Malika Sanders Fortier will become the first Black person to win a major party’s gubernatorial nomination in Alabama in the Democratic runoff for governor. Flowers, a career educator from Birmingham, narrowly led a six-person field in the May primary. She ran on a platform of “reconstructing” Alabama by rebuilding its economy and systems for education, health care, and criminal justice. Among other things, she has advocated for a state lottery and a state minimum wage of $15. Fortier, a state lawmaker from Selma, campaigned on the theme of building the biblical “beloved community” promoted by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. by improving the state’s economy, schools, and health care. She is the daughter of former state Sen. Hank Sanders and attorney Faya Rose Toure. The eventual winner face Gov. Kay Ivey, who vanquished eight challengers to win the GOP primary without a runoff. Nearly four times as many people voted in the Republican primary as the Democratic primary in May, and Republicans hold every statewide office. STATE AUDITOR Stan Cooke and Andrew Sorrell are vying for the Republican nomination to succeed Zeigler as state auditor. Cooke, a pastor from the Jefferson County town of Kimberly, claims Alabama is at a crossroads where it could remain a conservative state or come under the control of liberal Democrats. Echoing former President Donald Trump’s false claims of election theft, he is highlighting the auditor’s role in appointing county election officials who can prevent Democrats from stealing elections. Sorrell, a state representative from Colbert County who led balloting in the May primary, also tried to make election security a prime issue, saying a strong auditor is needed to appoint county registrars who will keep voter rolls clean. The eventual nominee will not have a Democratic opponent in the fall. U.S. HOUSE North Alabama’s 5th District features the only runoff for one of the state’s seven U.S. House seats. In the Tennessee Valley region, Madison County Commission chair Dale Strong and Casey Wardynski, a former Huntsville school superintendent, advanced to a runoff from a field of six candidates in May. Strong led easily with about 45% of the vote but couldn’t avoid a runoff. The winner will face Democrat Kathy Warner-Stanton of Decatur. The 5th District seat is being given up by U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks, who is in a runoff with former business lobby leader Katie Britt for the seat being vacated by U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby. ALABAMA PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION Two Republican incumbents on the Alabama Public Service Commission face runoff challenges to keep their jobs on the utility-regulating board. Jeremy Oden, a former state legislator from Cullman seeking his third term on the three-member commission, cast himself as a conservative bulwark against liberal environmental policies. He received the most votes in May in a four-way race for the Place 1 seat that saw attorney Brent Woodall, a PSC staffer, and Republican activist, come in second. First elected to the PSC in 2014, former Greene County Commissioner Chip Beeker also portrayed himself as an opponent of Democratic environmental policies in his campaign to retain the Place 2 seat. Beeker, who led the primary vote, is opposed by Robert L. McCollum, a small business owner from Tallapoosa County who contends the commission is too close to Alabama Power Co. No Democrat qualified for either position, making a victory in the Republican runoff tantamount to election.
Gov. Kay Ivey avoids runoff in Republican primary
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has turned back eight primary challengers to win the GOP gubernatorial nomination without a runoff in a race that pushed her far to the right. Over the course of the campaign, Ivey repeated former President Donald Trump’s false claims about election theft. Then, the white-haired, 77-year-old Ivey sat at her office desk and pulled three things out of her purse for a campaign commercial: a lipstick, a cellphone, and a revolver. One challenger, former Trump ambassador Lindy Blanchard, slammed Ivey for doing too much to control COVID-19 in a state with one of the nation’s worst pandemic death rates. Another, toll bridge developer Tim James, the son of former Gov. Fob James, did the same and attacked a charter school that opened under Ivey’s watch to cater to LGBTQ youth. Other challengers include Lew Burdette, a former business executive who runs Christian-based group homes; Stacy George, a prison officer and former county commissioner; pastor Dean Odle; GOP activist and businessman Dean Young; Springville Mayor Dave Thomas; and a yoga advocate, Donald Trent Jones. The eventual GOP nominee will face whoever emerges from a Democratic primary runoff between state Sen. Malika Sanders-Fortier of Selma and Yolanda Rochelle Flowers, a career educator from Birmingham. Lieutenant governor at the time, Ivey was catapulted to the state’s top office when Robert Bentley resigned amid scandal in 2017. She easily dispatched four Republican primary challengers and won a full term against a well-financed Democrat, Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox, in 2018. Ivey has pushed a plan to construct new lockups to upgrade Alabama’s crowded, dilapidated prisons, which are the subject of a Justice Department lawsuit, and she passed a gasoline tax hike with automatic increases to fund road work. Challengers have criticized all that as too much big government and also zeroed in on her handling of the pandemic. While some bash Ivey over a COVID-19 response that left the state with nearly 20,000 dead and the nation’s fourth-highest death rate, Republican opponents have hammered her for shutting down businesses and churches to prevent the spread of disease. In a state where roughly 51% are fully vaccinated, Ivey’s claim that it was “time to start blaming the unvaccinated folks” for illness could come back to haunt her. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
Election 2022: Nine Republicans, six Democrats in Alabama gubernatorial primary
A crowded field of Alabama gubernatorial candidates are on the ballot next week as voters head to the polls for the state’s partisan primary election. Nine Republicans and six Democrats are vying for the top-level post in the May 24 primary. The ultimate victor will be decided in the November 8 general election. Republicans Incumbent Gov. Kay Ivey is seeking reelection as her first term comes to a close. Two other Republican candidates have past or present political experience, meaning many of this year’s hopefuls are new to the political arena. Ivey has held other state-level positions in the past two decades. Prior to winning the governor’s race in 2018, she ran for two consecutive terms as lieutenant governor – 2010 and 2014 – and also had a stint as a state treasurer for two terms, beginning in 2002. “I believe in standing up for the little guy, and fighting for the forgotten,” Ivey wrote on her campaign website. “It’s what I’ve done all my life, and that’s not changing now.” Several other candidates on the Republican ticket have prior political experience at various levels of government. Stacy George, for example, served two terms as Morgan County commissioner, from 2000 to 2008. “For as long as I can remember, following in my father’s footsteps, I knew I wanted to dedicate myself to public service,” George wrote on his campaign website. “I want to work for the people of Alabama as governor and give the people a government that works for them.” Dave Thomas is another Republican challenger with past political experience. He served as a state legislator from 1994 to 2002. “You need a representative that will support your ideas, fight for the needs of your community and earn your respect,” Thomas wrote on his campaign page. A number of other Republican candidates have garnered the spotlight this campaign season, in terms of donations and political messaging, as the primary has drawn closer. Lindy Blanchard has touted her family’s deep Alabama roots, and Lew Burdette has noted his business acumen. Tim James has pointed to his namesake company – which specializes in infrastructure projects – as an asset. Rounding out the list of candidates on the Republican ticket are yoga instructor Donald Trent Jones, who has run on the platform of “Make Alabama Grateful Again”; Dean Odle, who is taking aim at so-called “fake Republicans”; and Dean Young, who aspires to bring faith back into government. Democrats One of the six Democratic gubernatorial candidates, Malika Sanders-Fortier, has a background in politics. Sanders-Fortier has represented District 23 in the Alabama State Senate since 2018. “It’s harvest time in Alabama,” Sanders-Fortier wrote in a campaign statement. “Let us encourage everyone to invest their time, talent and treasure in our state, so Alabama prospers, and the dream of the community comes true.” Other Democratic gubernatorial candidates on the ticket include Yolanda Rochelle Flowers, whose background includes speech pathology; Patricia Salter Jamieson, who has worked in clinical health and ministry; and Arthur Kennedy, an educator. Rounding out the list of Democratic candidates are Chad “Chig” Martin, who has worked in such disparate industries as hemp and mobile homes; and Doug “New Blue” Smith, a businessman and former political staffer. Issues This campaign season, a number of hot-button issues – many reflecting challenges seen across the country – have been bubbling to the surface as the candidates face off and vie for the top-level post in Montgomery. The list includes Alabama’s 10-cent gas tax, job growth, prison reform and education. Against the backdrop of skyrocketing gas prices, candidates have given different takes on the state’s fuel tax, which was implemented in 2019 and includes provisions of future 1-cent incremental increases. Ivey in recent statements on the topic has pointed the finger at the federal government and widespread inflationary pressures as reasons Alabama’s tax is a talking point this year. But other candidates have taken a more hard-lined stance on the issue. “I will repeal the gas tax of 2019 immediately,” George wrote on his campaign site. On her site, Blanchard wrote, “I will never participate in the kind of backroom deals that were the precursor to the gas tax increase that has been devastating to Alabama families.” The support of marijuana legalization also been raised this campaign season in Alabama. Supporters include Salter Jamieson, who indicated on her campaign page she favored it, along with ending the sentences of anyone found guilty in past nonviolent convictions. A candidate on either party ticket must receive more than 50% of the vote total on May 24 to advance to the fall general election November 8. If no candidate wins the majority, a runoff election will be held June 21 between the top two vote-getters.
