This is a big election year in Alabama politics. All our constitutional state offices are up for election. However, more importantly, all of our legislative seats are up for election. All 35 State Senate seats and all 105 House seats are on the ballot.

With Alabama being one of the most Republican states in America, the partisanship is reflected in the makeup of our State Senate and State House. We have a supermajority Republican makeup in both bodies. In the Senate, there are 27 Republicans and only 8 Democrats. That makeup will change very little, if any, in this year’s four-year term election cycle.

In fact, the faces will not change much either. Over 80% of the legislature is unopposed. Our state legislative seats are becoming analogous to congressional seats when it comes to incumbency. Very few incumbents are ever defeated or even challenged. There are only two State Senate Seats open because of retirement.

Veteran state Senator Tom Butler is retiring from his Madison/Limestone seat. His seat will be taken by Republican John Roberts. Roberts got in the race early and cleared the field. Early on, he received the support of every major special interest group. John Roberts will amazingly be elected without opposition to an open state senate seat.

The best state senate race will be for the open Senate District 34 in northern Mobile County. Senator Jack Williams of rural Mobile County is giving up this seat to run for State Agriculture Commissioner. It is a two-man race to replace Williams in thisRepublican seat.

Former lawmaker, Rusty Glover, a Republican stalwart from Semmes, previously served three terms in the State Senate and one in the Alabama House. He is a former teacher. He is being backed by both ALFA and AEA and may be a slight favorite in this race.

Doug Harwell, a businessman, will be a formidable candidate in this race. He owns a concrete and asphalt contracting company and is a former Mobile County Board of Education member.This race will be a donnybrook.

Several incumbents will face opposition. First on the list, isSenator Andrew Jones (R-Cherokee). He has done a good job and is popular in his district but has garnered the wrath of the political giant Alabama Farmer’s Federation (ALFA). Most of the other special interest groups are sticking with him and he will probably prevail. He has $500,000 in campaign money and has worked his district diligently during the quadrennium. Jones has a viable opponent. His challenger Amy Minton is the ALFA backed candidate. She is currently on the Alabama Public Library Service Board.

There are other contests where incumbents are having challenges, but they are token opposition and these popular incumbents should be safe.

Senate President Pro Tem Garlan Gudger (R-Cullman) has atoken opponent.

Senator Donnie Chesteen (R-Geneva) has an unknown opponent.

Senator Chris Elliott (R-Baldwin) represents the fastest growing district in the state. With growing pains comes embroilment in local issues. He has a local issue challenger.

Senator Jay Hovey (R-Auburn) won the closest election in state history four years ago. He defeated incumbent Tom Whatley by a single vote. That would portend for him to be challenged. Indeed, Hovey has a serious challenge from popular and well-funded Lee County Commission Chairman Doug Cannon.Cannon is very strong in his home county bailiwick. Lee County comprises the bulk of this senate district. This race may well be decided in Tallapoosa County.

Also in east Alabama, incumbent State Senator Randy Price is being challenged by Veteran former State Senator Gerald Dial. This will be an interesting race.

Incumbent State Senator Dan Roberts will face opposition from Republican businessman Scott Ortis. This District 15 seat is very Republican and includes the upscale areas of Mountain Brook and Vestavia, along with portions of Jefferson and Shelby counties. Senator Dan Roberts and his challenger, Scott Ortis, are both successful businessmen and both reside in Mountain Brook. Roberts is running for his third four-year term. He has been a very pro-business and effective member of the upper body and is emerging as a leader in the Republican Senate Caucus.

It is obvious that the State Senate races attract most of the Special Interest money. The average incumbent senator has over $400,000 in their campaign accounts. That is why it has become like the U.S. Congress when it comes to electability of incumbents.

We will highlight the few open House seats next week.

See you next week.