January 2, 2019 - A New Quadrennium: Alabama Potpourri and Trivia
As we begin this New Year of 2019, Alabama begins a new quadrennium in state government.
All of our Constitutional state officeholders begin their new four-year terms this month. Governor Kay Ivey will be sworn in for a four-year term on January 14. Also, being sworn in on Inauguration Day will be Will Ainsworth as Lt. Governor, John Merrill as Secretary of State, John McMillan as State Treasurer, Rick Pate as Agriculture Commissioner, Steve Marshall asAttorney General and Jim Ziegler will be sworn in for a second term as State Auditor. By the way, all of the above and indeed all statewide officeholders in Alabama are Republicans.
All 140 State Senators and State Representatives have already been sworn in for their four-year terms. Most of our legislators are also Republicans. There are 35 State Senators, 27 are Republican and only eight Democrats. The House is made up of 105 members. The partisan divide is 77 Republicans and 28 Democrats. Mac McCutcheon of Huntsville will be elected Speaker of the House in the organizational session next weekand Del Marsh will be reelected President Pro Tem of the Senate. My belief is that we will have a successful and prosperous next four years in the Heart of Dixie.
Alabama is a magnificent state. We possess abundant natural resources such as waterways, rivers, flora and fauna, and mineral deposits. Water is one of Alabama’s most precious natural resources, and almost 10 percent of the freshwater resources of the continental U.S. flows through or originates in Alabama during its journey to the sea. A sixth of the state’s surface is covered by lakes, ponds, rivers, and creeks. We have plentiful rainfall, much higher than the nation’s average. The average annual rainfall in North Alabama is 50 inches. The average is 65 in South Alabama and along the coast.
Some of you may wonder why Alabama is called the “Heart of Dixie.” We are the Heart of Dixie because of banknotes issued by the Citizens Bank of Louisiana before the Civil War. They bore the French word “dix” meaning ten, and thus the South became known as Dixieland. With Alabama serving as the first Capital of the Confederacy, it was thus the Heart of Dixieland.
The early French influence in Alabama is still felt in Mobile,which is much older than the rest of the state. Mobile was the first permanent European settlement in the state, founded by the French even earlier than New Orleans, and more than 100 years before Alabama became a state in 1819.
Mobile was settled by the French, but the rest of our European ancestors came primarily from five states: Virginia, North and South Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee. Ninety percent of the pre-Civil War white population of the state originated in one of these five states. Of the first 16 governors, 15 were born in one of those five states and of the 100 delegates at the Secession Convention in 1861, only 17 were native-born Alabamians, while 72 were born in one of the above five states.
When Alabama became a state in 1819, it accounted for 1.3 percent of the nation’s population. There was rapid growth during the next few decades as cotton and slavery dominated the antebellum economy and culture. By 1840, Alabama’s proportion of U.S. population was 3.5 percent.
However, Alabama’s proportion of the U.S. population has been in steady decline since the end of the Civil War. Today we account for only about 1.6 percent of the country’s people. My belief is that the trend will reverse in the next few years as we continue to grow with automobile and high-tech industries, especially in the Huntsville area.
Alabama has been castigated as a backwards state and less opportune for women leaders. However, I would suggest that with the beginning of this new quadrennium we may be leading the nation and more so-called progressive states with women leadership. We have just elected a female governor, Kay Ivey, and Katie Britt has been chosen to lead the Business Council of Alabama.
Legendary Legislator Pete Turnham of Auburn turned 99 on New Year’s Day. Mr. Pete represented Lee County in the Alabama House of Representatives for 40 years from 1958-1998. He brought a lot of bacon home to Auburn University. Happy Birthday Pete, and Happy New Year to you.
See you next week.
December 26, 2018 - We Lost Some Great Leaders in 2018
As is my custom at the close of the year, I like to memorialize great Alabamians who have appeared and lived legendary lives upon the stage of political history in the Heart of Dixie.
This year we have had some real legends. I have expanded the geographical limits to outside of Alabama to include two of the greatest men in American history. America’s greatest preacher and one of the nation’s great presidents passed away. Most of these fellows lived a long time.
One of my favorite men I ever had the privilege to know, Mr. John “Bubba” Trotman, died in February at age 93 in Montgomery. Mr. Bubba was born and raised in Troy, but he spent his entire life in Montgomery. He was the best known cattle farmer in Alabama. He served a stint as President of the National Cattleman’s Association. Bubba played football at Auburn and loved the Loveliest Village on the Plains. Bubba Trotman epitomized the term, a true southern gentleman. My mama grew up with Bubba in Troy. They graduated high school together. One day I told mama that Bubba was one of the finest gentlemen I had ever met. She said he was just that way growing up in Troy. A lot of people in Montgomery loved Bubba, but a lot of people in Troy did too.
Billy Graham died in February at the age of 99 at his beloved mountain home in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. He was probably the greatest preacher in American history. He was America’s preacher.
Speaking of great preachers, Dr. John Ed Mathison, the legendary Methodist minister in Montgomery did not pass away this year, however, he has made his mark as one of the greatest preachers in Alabama history. John Ed Mathison gave a masterful Eulogy for his friend, Milton McGregor, who passed away in March at age 79. Milton McGregor had a lot of friends throughout the state. He was born and raised in Hartford, and spent his early adult life in the Wiregrass.
Alabama lost one of its greatest entrepreneurs and charitable benefactors when Milton passed away. He created thousands of jobs and generated hundreds of millions of dollars in taxes for Macon County and the State of Alabama. There are untold stories of people who he personally helped who were down on their luck. He used his personal jet to transport people he did not even know to hospitals all over the country for medical care, more than he used it for himself. He and his wife, Pat, donated millions to charitable organizations as well as their church, Frazer United Methodist in Montgomery.
Milton McGregor was the ultimate family man. He was devoted to his wife, Pat. They were married 50 years. He loved his wife Pat and their two daughters, Cindy and Kim, better than life itself. He was an intensely loyal friend to those he called his friends.
Birmingham Congressman, John Buchanan, Jr. passed away in March at age 89. He was one of Alabama’s and Jefferson County’s first Republican Congressman, having been elected in the 1964 Goldwater Republican landslide in the state. His father was the longtime pastor of the legendary, prominent, Southside Baptist Church. His congregation included most of the City’s wealthiest and most powerful businessmen. It was where Liberty National Life founder, Frank Samford, went to church along with his friends and associates. Samford University was built with Liberty National money.
C.C. “Bo” Torbert passed away in June at age 88 in his beloved Lee County. He served eight years in the Alabama House and served two four-year terms in the Alabama Senate. He was elected Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court in 1976 and was Chief Justice for 12 years. He was a great Alabama leader and a gentleman.
Our 41st President, George H. W. Bush passed away at the age of 94 in Houston, Texas on December 1, 2018. Bush served as President from 1989 to 1993.
Bush was a true statesman and gentleman. He served his country in the U.S. Navy during World War II and later as a Congressman, U.S. Ambassador, our CIA Director, and Vice President prior to being elected President of the United States.
Even though the above resume of distinguished service puts him in a league very few Americans in U.S. history can lay claim to, he personally was probably prouder of having been a star first baseman on his Yale Baseball team.
We lost some icons in 2018.
Happy New Year.
December 19, 2018 – Very Few White Democrats Left in Legislature. Several Legends Retire
The Republican tidal wave that swept Alabama’s statewide office holders to landslide victories filtered down to legislative races.
Even though our legislature really didn’t need to become any more conservative or Republican, it did anyway. We had a super majority Republican State House and Senate. We now have a super, super GOP majority. Republicans picked up five more Alabama House seats and added another state Senate seat. That gives the GOP a 27 to 8 advantage in the Senate and a 77 to 28 edge in the House.
If you make a trip to the Capitol and view the circus-like atmosphere of the January organizational session, you will be as likely to see a dinosaur on display as to spot a white Democratic legislator. There are two in the 140 membership. The two relics are Billy Beasley in the Senate and Neil Rafferty in the House.
Three Democratic House Icons did not run for reelection this year. Retiring House members, James Buskey of Mobile, Marcel Black of Tuscumbia and Richard Lindsey of Centre, were legends and they will be missed. They epitomized the class and quality of individuals who have rendered outstanding leadership and statesmanship to public service for not only their constituents but also to the State of Alabama.
James Buskey is retiring at 81. Mr. Buskey has served 42 years in the Alabama House of Representatives. He first won election to his House Seat in a Special Election in 1976. He subsequently was reelected overwhelmingly to 10 four-year terms. His leadership has made an impact for all of Mobile County. Over his legislative career he served on Ways and Means and Rules Committees. Over the past decade he has been the leader and wise shepherd of the Democrats in the House even though he let young members hold the Title.
His professional career was as an educator. He served as a Vice Principal and Principal of several Mobile High Schools. I watched him be pushed to the limit numerous times in his efforts to represent his constituents. I never saw him lose his temper or his dignified yet humorous demeanor.
As long as I live I will never forget a speech he made on the floor of the House in 1983. George Wallace was in his last term as governor and he was trying to tax everything that wasn’t nailed down. Even though Mobile had always been good to Wallace, he was aiming a good many of his tax initiatives at the Port City. Buskey took to the microphone and an impassioned yet hilarious portrayal of Wallace’s tax men in a flotilla of vessels sailing into Mobile Bay to rob the Mobilians. I will fondly call him Admiral in memory of that speech for the rest of my life.
Representative Marcel Black is retiring at age 67after 28 years in the Alabama Legislature. Marcel is one of the finest gentlemen I’ve ever known. He was born and raised in Tuscumbia and represented his hometown of Tuscumbia and County of Colbert for seven four-year terms. He is a proud graduate of the University of Alabama and Alabama Law School. Besides being an outstanding legislator, he is one of the most prominent lawyers in his part of the state. He was a great friend and admirer of Tuscumbia’s most prominent lawyer and judge and Senator Howell Heflin. Heflin, who served as Alabama’s Chief Justice and our United States Senator for 18 years, however, was not Tuscumbia’s most prominent citizen. That title belongs to one Helen Keller.
Marcel served in a host of legislative posts. He was Chairman of the Judiciary Committee and would have probably been elected Speaker of the House had the Democrats retained the majority in 2010.
Representative Richard Lindsey is retiring at the ripe old age of 62. He has served 36 years in the Alabama House of Representatives. If you assume that you are an adult at 21, then that means that Richard has served almost his entire adult life representing his home folks in the Legislature, 36 of his 41 years as an adult has been as a legislator. He was elected in 1982 at age 26.
Even though he has been a State Representative for most of his life, he is first and foremost a farmer. He was born and raised in Centre in Cherokee County and runs the family farm business. He has been a leader in the Alabama Farmers Federation and his Methodist church. Like Marcel Black, Richard Lindsey is one of the finest gentlemen you will ever meet.
James Buskey, Marcel Black and Richard Lindsey exude integrity. Legislators on both sides of the aisle should strive to emulate these three gentlemen.
See you next week.
December 12, 2018 – Last of Famous Probate Judges: Hardy McCollum
In Alabama political history, the office of Probate Judge was the most powerful and prestigious position. In the old days, in every county in Alabama, the probate judge was not only judge, he also appointed all county positions, hired all county employees and was Chairman of the County Commission. He was essentially the “King of the County.”
In bygone days, gubernatorial candidates ran grassroots campaigns. There were no televisions, therefore, the first and maybe the only stop they would make in their quest for the Governor’s mansion, was to kiss the ring of and get the endorsement of the probate judge. The omnipotent probate judge would endorse them and that endorsement usually meant that that they would carry that county. The local folks would follow the lead of their judge. They and their county would be on the right side of the governor’s race.
The last vestige of the era of vintage Probate Judges will end this year with the retirement of Tuscaloosa Probate Judge, Hardy McCollum.
Judge McCollum is only 71. However, Alabama law disallows judges from running for reelection after age 70. He has been the longest serving probate judge in the state, and at the time of his first election in 1976, he was the youngest probate judge in Alabama. Hardy was elected at age 28, and took the coveted office of Probate Judge at the ripe old age of 29. Hardy McCollum has served his home county as Probate Judge for 42 years.
During that time, he has consistently been considered the most popular political figure in his county. He has always run as a Democrat. When the tide turned and the state went Republican in the 1980’s and 90’s and most of the state’s prominent politicians switched to the Republican Party, Hardy refused to change. He withstood the tidal wave and remained the most revered public official in Tuscaloosa County.
The anomaly of his popularity is that he continues to hold the title of Chairman of the County Commission, a rarity in this day and time, especially for a large county like Tuscaloosa. There are only 15 counties in the state left where the Probate Judge still serves as Chairman of the County Commission and, only two populous counties, Lee and Tuscaloosa.
Hardy McCollum was born and raised in Tuscaloosa. He learned at an early age how much the Goodrich and Gulf States paper plants meant to Tuscaloosa. Druid City was also dependent upon public employees. Tuscaloosa was home to the state mental health institutions, Bryce and Partlow. The University of Alabama has always been Tuscaloosa’s mainstay. Hardy grew up selling peanuts, popcorn and programs at Denny Stadium.
Hardy married his high school sweetheart, Juanita. They both graduated from Tuscaloosa High School and they both continued on and graduated from the University of Alabama.
They have three children, Jay, Jason, and Joy. Hardy and Juanita are fortunate that all three live in Tuscaloosa. They are able to enjoy their five grandchildren. Their second son, Jason, and Tuscaloosa mayor, Walt Maddox, grew up together as neighbors and best friends.
After college, Hardy began work in Tuscaloosa and became active in the Jaycees, which was a normal training ground for aspiring politicos in those days. His first political experience was campaigning for Richard Shelby for the State Senate in 1970.
In his first race for office, he was elected as Probate Judge. After that initial election in 1976, he was subsequently reelected to six more six-year terms, serving from 1976 through 2018. He had opposition every time but dispensed of his opponents easily each time.
Hardy’s last reelection in 2012 was the one that caught the eye of most political observers throughout the state. President Barack Obama was heading the Democratic ticket. It was a tsunami wipeout of almost every white Democrat in the Heart of Dixie. This red tidal wave also swept through Tuscaloosa. Hardy McCollum stood out like a sore thumb. Hardy McCollum, who had refused to change parties, withstood the tidal wave and won reelection as a Democratic Probate Judge with 67 percent of the vote against a Republican Sheriff.
There is an old saying in Alabama politics that home folks know you best. Hardy attributed his longevity and success to always doing the right thing regardless of whether it is politically popular. People will respect you if you are doing the right thing.
Hardy McCollum has done the right thing for his home county for 42-years. It’s time for him to go to the house and, hopefully, he will enjoy his retirement years. You can rest assured they will be spent in his beloved Tuscaloosa County. He will be replaced as Probate Judge by a Republican. It marks the passing of an era in Alabama politics.
See you next week.
December 5, 2018 - Further Analysis of General Election – Winners and Losers
Now that the dust has settled on this year’s elections, let’s look back at who are the big winners and losers of the year.
The obvious winner in the Heart of Dixie is the Republican Party. The GOP retained the reins of the state’s highest office and every other statewide Constitutional position. Kay Ivey was elected governor, overwhelmingly, as was Will Ainsworth as Lt. Governor, John Merrill as Secretary of State, John McMillan as State Treasurer, Rick Pate as Agriculture Commissioner, Jim Ziegler as State Auditor, Jeremy Oden and Chip Beeker as PSC members. Our entire judiciary is Republican, all members of the Supreme Court, and Courts of Criminal and Civil Appeals.
There are 29 statewide office holders and all 29 are Republican. However, more importantly the Legislature is overwhelmingly Republican. More than two-thirds of both the House and the Senate are Republicans. That’s what you call a super majority. Our Republican legislature can pass anything they want without a Democratic vote or letting Democrats speak.
Our Congressional delegation is made up of six Republicans and one lone Democrat. Folks, that makes us a pretty red state.
Several years ago, I had the honor of being a keynote speaker at the Boys State 75th Anniversary. I had attended Boys State 45 years earlier as a high school leader and aspiring young politico. I shared with these future political leaders this advice, “If you plan to run for statewide office in Alabama even if you believe you are a Democrat, you will need to run as a Republican.” This year’s election reaffirmed and confirmed that truth. Winning the GOP Primary in Alabama is tantamount to election.
Therefore, to pick the biggest individual winner of the year, you have to look back to the GOP Primary. Young Will Ainsworth, a 37-year old Sand Mountain Legislator/businessman emerges as the Gold Star award winner of the year in Alabama politics. His victory as Lt. Governor has propelled him onto the state political scene as the most prominent rising star. He was the top vote getter in the state on November 6th. He is a clean-cut, successful, family man who has been vetted by a high profile, statewide race.
The second biggest winner of the year was the loser of the GOP Primary for Lt. Governor, Twinkle Cavanaugh. In all my years of following Alabama politics, I have never seen a more graceful and gracious second place finisher. She only lost by an eyelash. She genuinely smiled on election night and said she had not gotten the most votes, even though she could have contested such a closely defined outcome. She had entered the race as the favorite having been elected three times statewide. During October, she held a fundraiser for Will Ainsworth in her Montgomery home. She will never be seriously challenged in her post as President of the PSC.
Speaking of rising stars, the third runner up is a young 18-year old fellow from Geneva County. Weston Spivey became the youngest elected official in the state by winning a County Commission seat in his home county. He won the GOP Primary before he was graduated from high school at Ridgecrest Christian School in Dothan. Young Spivey is also a volunteer firefighter with the Slocomb Fire Department. You should keep your eye on young Weston Spivey. He may become Governor of Alabama before he is 30.
Besides Will Ainsworth, there were two other Republicans who were top vote getters. Governor Kay Ivey and Secretary of State, John Merrill.
The biggest loser has to be the Democratic Party and our current anomaly, junior Democratic U.S. Senator Doug Jones. Mr. Jones won this seat until 2020. Because he was on the other side of the ballot than Roy Moore in the 2017 special election. Every left wing, ultra-liberal group and individual in the country gave to Jones to beat Moore.
Jones has never hidden the fact that he is a liberal, national Democrat. He showed his true colors when he voted against President Trump’s Supreme Court appointee, Brett Kavanaugh. Jones voted against this highly qualified jurist to appease his contributors in San Francisco and his like-minded Democratic buddies, Chuck Schumer, Elizabeth Warren, and Diane Feinstein. We essentially have only one U.S. Senator. We have ceded our second seat to California. Jones believes in the old adage, “You dance with the one who brung ya.” Hope he is renting in Washington because Alabamians are the ones that vote in 2020.
By the way, if you have Richard Shelby as your Senior Senator, you really don’t need a second senator.
See you next week.
November 28, 2018 - Analysis of General Election
A few last thoughts and observations on our November 6 General Election in Alabama.
Our new 55th Governor looked and sounded more like the old Kay Ivey, than the one we have seen the past few years and during the campaign. She was vibrant, succinct to the point, had a perfectly timed and unscripted victory speech. Her green jacket was becoming. She will be a good governor. She will tackle the tough issues the state must face in the next four years, especially our infrastructure needs.
She is extremely qualified and ready to be governor. She is a real Republican with a real Republican super majority State Legislature. There are 27 Republicans and eight Democrats in the Senate. The numbers are 77 Republicans and 28 Democrats in the House.
Kay also has a unique and advantageous relationship with all of the Alabama Senate. She was the presiding officer of the Senate the last six years and was considered fair and impartial. She worked with and developed a very good working relationship with the GOP leadership. The three primary leaders of the Senate, Del Marsh, Jabo Waggoner and Greg Reed, have a close knit, trusting bond with Kay.
Kay not only becomes the 55th Governor, she is the first Republican female elected as governor and the second female governor in our state history. Ironically, Kay cut her teeth in politics working in our first female governor, Lurleen Wallace’s campaign for governor. Kay was a student at Auburn University. Little did she know that 52-years later she would be the second female governor of our State.
The more things change, the more they stay the same in Alabama politics. The Alabama that Kay Ivey and I grew up in and knew 50 years ago was totally Democratic. In fact, the word tantamount was used continually to describe the dominance of the Democratic Party. It was an accurate statement. The dictionary describes tantamount as “the same as.” Today I use the word tantamount when explaining winning the Republican Primary in Alabama. We were a one-party state 50 years ago and we are a one-party state in statewide politics, today. The difference is we changed parties. We are now a Republican state, yesteryear we were a Democratic state.
Winning the Republican nomination for statewide office in Alabama is tantamount to election. The proof is in the pudding. We have 29 elected statewide offices in Alabama, all 29 are held by Republicans. I’m not prophetic, but allow me to share a short passage with you from my column the week before the election. “In bygone days the Democratic Primary nomination was tantamount to election. Today, it is just the other way around. Nowadays, winning the Republican Primary is tantamount to election in the good ol’ Heart of Dixie. The more things change the more they stay the same in Alabama politics. Boy, when we change, we really change. We were a one-party state then and we are a one-party state now. When Kay Ivey won the GOP mantle back in June, she essentially won the Governor’s race.” That was my statement Wednesday before the election. My belief was overwhelmingly confirmed on Tuesday, November 6th. We are a Republican state and I don’t see it changing anytime soon. That was my foremost takeaway from the election.
My second observation is akin to my first, we are so Republican that folks are just voting a straight ticket. We have joined the rest of the Nation in that we simply vote straight Republican or straight Democratic. Our voting has become nationalized. Over 65 percent of Alabamians voted a straight lever ticket. It is primarily along racial lines. Alabamians are essentially African American Democrats or Caucasian Republicans. Therefore, Alabama is a red Republican state for statewide politics. However, just the opposite is true for the metropolitan counties of Jefferson and Montgomery. If you are going to win a countywide office in these locales, you must run as a Democrat.
The third takeaway was the tremendous turnout at the polls. A record-breaking 50 percent of Alabamians voted on November 6th. Again, this was driven by national politics. Folks are either hardcore, conservative Republicans or hardcore liberal Democrats. There are few in between. Alabamians voted the national party brand. It is apparent that more Alabamians like and agree with Donald Trump than they do with Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton, or Barack Obama.
See you next week.
November 21, 2018 - Alabama vs. Auburn Game
The only sport that Alabamians enjoy more than Alabama politics is college football. We especially love the Alabama vs. Auburn football game. Folks, this is Alabama/Auburn week in Alabama. The Alabama vs. Auburn annual event is one of the fiercest of college football rivalries. It is the game of the year. It is a state civil war that divides friends and even families. It is bragging rights for the entire year. The loser has to live with his boasting next door neighbor for 364 days. It seems that one must choose a side no matter if you despise college football and could care less who wins. Newcomers to our state are bewildered on this fall day each year. They cannot comprehend the madness that surrounds this epic war. It is truly that, a war. It is the game of the year.
Young boys all over Alabama grow up playing football in their front yards and dream of playing in this big game. It is said that when these two rivals meet one can throw out the record books. However, that is not necessarily true. In fact, in 90 percent of the games the favorite has won. A lot of SEC championships and bowl games have been decided in the game. It has made many Alabamians’ Thanksgiving holiday either joyous or sad. I liked the rivalry better when it was played at Legion Field, but I am an old-timer in heart and age.
The game was not played for 40-years between 1908 and 1948. Myth has it that the game was halted because of the intense rivalry. That is not the case. The true history of the ceasing and renewal is that after the 1907 games, the schools could not agree on the terms of the contract. The dispute involved meal money, lodging, officials and how many players each side could bring. Football was not the passion it is today so the two schools let the matter rest and the fans did not seem to care.
That began to change as college football grew to a major sport in the 1940s. When the series resumed, a popular myth was that the Alabama Legislature called a special meeting and forced the teams to play. This never happened, but the Alabama House of Representatives did pass a resolution in 1947 to encourage, not force, the schools to meet in football, and the officials at Alabama and Auburn agreed. The Presidents of Auburn and Alabama simply talked with each other and decided it would be in the best interest of the schools to start playing again on an annual basis.
The contract was drawn up, the papers signed and the rivals literally buried the hatchet. On the morning of December 4, 1948, the president of each school’s student bodies dug a hole at Birmingham’s Woodrow Wilson Park, tossed a hatchet in and buried it. The series began again in 1948 with a 55-0 Alabama victory and the teams have squared off every season since.
Alabama leads the series 45-36-1. This record reveals that Alabama has not dominated the series, like it has against other SEC rivals and other national powerhouse programs.
In the political arena, the University of Alabama alumni have dominated the Alabama political scene. During the 60-year period from 1910 through the 1970s, almost every Alabama Governor, U. S. Senator, and Congressman was a graduate of the University of Alabama, either undergraduate, Law school, or both.
Currently, our state’s most prominent and powerful political figure, Richard Shelby, is a graduate as an undergraduate and the Law School at the University.
A couple of Auburn men broke through the ice to grab the brass ring of Alabama politics, the Governor’s office, Gordon Persons won in 1950 and Fob James, a former Auburn halfback won in 1978 as a Democrat and came back and won a second term as a Republican in 1994. In recent years, since 1982, Governors George Wallace, Don Siegelman, Bob Riley and Robert Bentley have all been Alabama Alumni.
However, our current Governor, Kay Ivey, is an Auburn girl through and through. She and her best friend, Jimmy Rane, became political allies at Auburn. They both have turned out fairly well.
Newly elected State Representative, Wes Allen of Pike County, was a walk-on wideout on one of Alabama’s National Championship teams. He was coached by Gene Stallings and Dabo Swinney. Wes’s father is State Senator Gearld West of Tuscaloosa. This is a first in Alabama political history, a father and a son tandem serving in the Alabama Legislature together.
See you next week.
November 14, 2018 - Kay Ivey, Our 55th Governor
The legendary Alabama storyteller, Kathryn Tucker Windham, used to say, “Alabama is like a big front porch.” She was right, I have found that to be the case my entire life. Even recently, as I’ve traversed the state, I am always amazed at how you can visit with someone in one part of the state who is kin to or were college roommates with someone in another corner of Alabama.
The Alabama that Kay Ivey and I grew up in was even more like a front porch. Kay grew up in Wilcox County where her family had been for generations. Therefore, she knew most everybody in the county and Camden. There were and still are less than 12,000 people in Wilcox County. There have always been more pine trees than people in the county.
She grew up with and has always been best friends with a trio of very accomplished people. As I sometimes say when I see someone who I’ve known all my life, I’ve never not known them. Kay has never not known Jeff Sessions, Jo Bonner, and Judy Bonner. She was like a big sister to them growing up in Camden.
It’s truly amazing that a small South Alabama County just north of Mobile would spawn our U.S. Senator for 20 years, Jeff Sessions, Mobile Congressman, Jo Bonner who served Mobile, Baldwin and southwest Alabama for more than a decade, and former University of Alabama President, Judy Bonner, and now a Governor of Alabama, Kay Ivey. Even more amazing is that they grew up together and are contemporaries.
They all have impeccable southern manners, and are all quick to say yes m’am, no m’am and thank you religiously. Some of you might think that Kay’s Black Belt accent is accentuated. It is real and unique and indicative of someone who has roots in that area of the state. You might notice that Jeff Sessions diction and accent is similar.
The most important thing that can be said about Governor Kay Ivey, Senator Jeff Sessions, Congressman Jo Bonner and President Judy Bonner is that you have never ever heard one comment or even one inkling of anything unethical or improper or taint of scandal about their public or personal lives. Folks, they were brought up right in Wilcox County.
Kay Ivey was born to be a leader. She was president of everything in her high school. She went to Girl’s State and was a leader there. By the way, she continues to go back to Girl’s State every year to counsel and help lead the organization. She spent a short stint as a teacher, then banker in Mobile. Then politics beckoned and another Black Belt, Speaker of the House, Joe McCorquodale, made Kay the Reading Clerk in the House of Representatives. She parlayed that job into a job as Legislative Liaison for the Alabama Commission on Higher Education. I really got to know Kay at this point. I was a legislator with a major university in my district. She was plain spoken, straight forward, and very honest. Kay has always been known for her integrity and upfront frankness and honesty. To use an old saying, her word is her bond. She will not lie and she will not cheat or steal. She was raised right.
Kay then got into the arena. She was elected State Treasurer twice where she served for eight years. Then she was elected Lt. Governor twice. She ascended to Governor 20 months ago and has done an excellent job of steadying the Ship of State. She seems keenly interested and driven by economic and industrial development. That will be her hallmark legacy. The state is poised to grow economically and industrially over the next four years.
In the closing days of her very successful race to be Alabama’s 55th Governor, she revealed in an ad a letter from her days as a young girl visiting Governor Lurleen Wallace in the Governor’s Office, a letter she had written about the Governor’s desk. “This is the closest I’ll get.” However, deep down, I believe she dreamed that one day she would sit in that chair and now she does.
Kay Ivey is the second female elected Governor of Alabama. However, she is the first elected Republican female and the only female elected in her own right.
She will be a good Governor. Probably the best we have had in a while.
See you next week.
November 7, 2018 - “More Than Election Going on In Alabama Politics”
Our gubernatorial election year politics ended yesterday. However, there have been other political maneuverings and developments going on behind the scenes, which may ultimately have more long-term ramifications in the Heart of Dixie’s political future.
The selection of a new Business Council of Alabama leader is imminent and will probably occur in the next few days. In addition, the jockeying and wrangling for the U.S. Senate Seat in 2020 has begun.
Alabama Power President, Mark Crosswhite, prudently cleaned house at the BCA earlier this year. He organized a team of Cardinals to interview and select a new leader. Much like the vetting process for a new Pope, the Cardinals meet in total secrecy and send out smoke signals from the Vatican that they have not yet reached a decision. However, there are smoke signals that a new leader of the BCA is about to be named. The process has been very private with no leaks.
This entire year long process of removing Billy Canary, who had reigned for 12 years, and selecting a new CEO has been a battle of business titans in the state. It has been a battle waged behind an iron curtain.
The role of Mark Crosswhite in this change has been clear. Mr. Crosswhite has emerged as the clear leader of the Alabama Business Community.
The original BCA was forged under the leadership of former Alabama Power President, Elmer Harris, several decades ago. It had become a toothless tiger in recent years through poor leadership.
Mr. Crosswhite has picked the organization out of the junk pile and given it new life. Chances for a new beginning happen very few times. Like in politics, after the election, you must govern. My belief is that with a new leader and a fresh start the Business Council of Alabama will emerge bigger and better than ever.
You can rest assured that the business community of Alabama, and indeed the nation, will be looking forward to defeating Doug Jones in 2020. It is a glaring anomaly that one of the most conservative Republican states in America would have an ultra-liberal, leftwinger in one of our senate seats. In last year’s Special Election against Roy Moore, Jones received $22 million from the most liberal zip codes and enclaves in America, especially from the left coast of California and San Francisco. It was the only show bill in town, and Roy Moore energized liberal money from throughout the country. Thus, the two truisms, “more people vote against someone than for someone,” and “money is the mother’s milk of politics,” combined to create Alabama’s accidental anomaly, Senator Doug Jones.
Our anomaly senator has done nothing to remedy the uncertainty about who he is since taking office. He has done no campaigning or visiting around the state. He has shown a disregard and disinterest in basic political practices, like getting out among the rank and file Alabamians. Jones seems to just go to Washington to vote, then back to Mountain Brook. The book on Jones is that he will not be elected to a full term in 2020. It is a presidential election year and Alabama will vote for the Republican nominee, probably Donald Trump, overwhelmingly. This is a Republican senate seat and it will be won by a Republican. Jones seems to know this, therefore, he appears content to represent California during his tenure.
As soon as Jones was sworn in, the race to be the Republican nominee began. The obvious candidates are one, if not all, of our six Republican members of Congress. Speculation abounded that the three best potential congressional horses would be Robert Aderholt, Bradley Byrne and Mo Brooks.
The horse that has emerged as the favorite is Bradley Byrne. He has started early and has staked out the inside track. He has crisscrossed the state building an organization and is collecting and tying up the Washington establishment money.
Aderholt will probably defer to staying in the House. He has over 20 years of seniority and is in line to chair the Appropriations Committee. Congressman Mike Rogers is moving up in seniority and is on Armed Services. Mo Brooks is expected to defer to Byrne in 2020 and look to run for Senator Shelby’s seat in 2022 if he retires.
This stealth campaign for the 2020 Senate race has been going on this entire gubernatorial year. Byrne is indeed laying his stakes. There is a maxim in life and politics, “the early bird gets the worm.”
See you next week.
October 31, 2018 - “General Election Next Week”
This time two years ago, I was bubbling over with anticipation with expectations that I would have two years of fun following an exciting governor’s race. Well, Ole Robert Bentley spoiled my parade.
Back in the old days, governors could not succeed themselves. They were governor for one four-year term and then you were out. That means we had a governor’s race every four years and man would they be doozies. We would have 10 candidates, about half of them would be “run for the fun of it” candidates. The most colorful would be Shorty Price.
However, there would be 3 to 4 viable candidates. These handful of bigtime candidates would fight it out for a place in the runoff. It would be for a place in the Democratic runoff. In bygone days the Democratic Primary nomination was tantamount to election.
Today, it is just the other way around. Nowadays winning the Republican Primary is tantamount to election in the good ole Heart of Dixie. The more things change the more they stay the same in Alabama politics. Boy, when we change, we really change. We were a one-party state then and we are a one-party state now.
When Kay Ivey won the GOP mantle back in June, she essentially won the governor’s race. By the way, she won her Republican Primary impressively, 56 to 44. Ironically, she is poised to win the General Election by about the same margin. She will win next Tuesday because she is the Republican nominee.
When Bentley left office early in disgrace that allowed Kay to ascend from Lt. Governor to Governor. She was wise and politically savvy enough to not rock the boat. She has surrounded herself with good people and has run an excellent campaign. As the quasi incumbent she has been able to look very gubernatorial. Her mature, grandmotherly appearance and demeanor have actually been an asset rather than a deterrent. Most folks who vote are older and look a lot like Kay.
She has done an exemplary job of not saying anything about pertinent issues or debating. Her handlers knew how to take advantage of incumbency and show her cutting ribbons and kissing babies. Kay has been around awhile. She cut her political teeth campaigning for the Wallace’s, George and Lurleen. Her subtle message was, I’m the conservative female Republican candidate. In the primary, she ran on a platform of saving the Confederate monuments. In the fall, she ran an ad with school children and of course, contrary to the demographics of today’s Alabama classroom, all the school children were little white girls. The Wallace’s would have been proud of Kay.
Walt Maddox, the dynamic Democratic nominee for governor, is the best candidate that the Democrats have fielded in more than two decades. He is bright, articulate, energetic, and well qualified having served as Mayor of Tuscaloosa for more than 10 years. He has run an excellent campaign. He has raised good money, primarily from grassroot Alabamians. However, he is a real card-carrying Democrat. If the polls had shown he was closing in, Kay’s folks would have played the ace of all race cards. Walt supported and voted for Barack Obama. Kay will beat Walt because she is the Republican nominee and he is the Democratic nominee.
The two rising political stars in the state, John Merrill and Will Ainsworth will win their races for Secretary of State and Lt. Governor, overwhelmingly. They will be vying to see which one is the top vote getter on the ballot.
These two may also be vying to be the Republican to take out Doug Jones in 2020. Whoever is the Republican nominee will beat our anomaly Democratic Senator. Mr. Jones sealed his fate by gleefully voting against Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation. We have essentially ceded our second seat in the Senate to California. Doug Jones and Dianne Feinstein are in the same boat philosophically and with their voting.
There may be one Democratic surprise next week. Longtime conservative Democratic lawmaker, Johnny Mack Morrow, may pull off an upset victory over a Republican incumbent in a Northwest Alabama State Senate race.
Y’all vote Tuesday.
See you next week.