Steve Flowers: Inside the Statehouse: Counting down to November

  This week will determine who the Republican nominee for governor will be as well as for two other secondary statewide offices. However, a good many of this fall’s contenders were selected without runoffs on June 1st.

  Our senior U.S. Senator, Richard Shelby, was nominated over nominal opposition. He received 84 percent of the primary vote and will face similar token opposition in November. He is coasting to a fifth six-year term. He is generally conceded to be Alabama’s most prominent political figure. He is also one of the most powerful senators in Washington.

  Shelby’s good friend Luther Strange won a resounding victory for attorney general. He trounced incumbent Troy King 60 percent to 40 percent in the GOP primary. This was expected to be a close race at one time. However, Strange was able to amass a large campaign war chest that allowed him to expose and exploit King’s myriad of ethical and political blunders accumulated over four years. King became an easy mark in an anti-incumbent year. Strange was endorsed by Senators Shelby and Sessions as well as by Gov. Bob Riley.

  Kay Ivey made a wise and smooth move from the governor’s race to the lieutenant governor’s race in midstream of the campaign. The lieutenant governor’s race is basically a name identification contest. She parlayed her strong name identification acquired through eight years as state treasurer to bury her two unknown opponents in the GOP primary. However, she will have her hands full trying to beat incumbent Democrat Jim Folsom Jr. in the fall election.

  Folsom escaped opposition in the Democratic primary. He will be favored to win reelection. He may very well be the only Democratic constitutional officer left standing when the dust settles in November.

  Young Boozer Jr. probably wrote the final epitaph on George Wallace Jr.’s political career in the state treasurer’s race. It was thought that George’s obituary was written and he was politically dead after Luther Strange beat him for the GOP nod for lieutenant governor in 2006. However, Wallace appeared to be on a Lazarus resurrection tour to grab his old treasurer’s post. Wallace’s Achilles heel has always been that he could not raise money. Boozer wrote a big check and took Wallace out. He not only beat him, he pulverized him 65 percent to 35 percent.

  Young Boozer’s name attracted a lot of attention nationwide, especially from the Jay Leno show. However, for those of us who have been around for awhile, that is a well known and very respected name. His father, Young Boozer, was a well connected and prominent businessman in the state and was one of Bear Bryant’s best friends. This Young Boozer is 61 years old, a prominent banker and financier with a degree from Stanford. He is eminently qualified to be treasurer, as is his Democratic opponent Charley Grimsley who is also a former banker. Grimsley easily defeated his Democratic opponent 60 percent to 40 percent on June 1st. This should be a good race in the fall.

  Secretary of State Beth Chapman and State Auditor Samantha Shaw, both Republicans running for their second four-year terms, had no party opposition. They both will be favored to win reelection in November.

  The agriculture commissioner post vacated by Ron Sparks is wide open. Two very well qualified candidates are vying for the GOP nomination this week. They will face a well qualified Democrat in Glen Zorn who was unopposed in the Democratic primary.

  Democratic incumbent Public Service Commissioner Susan Parker was unopposed in her primary. She will be favored over Republican challenger Terry Dunn who was nominated on June 1st.

  Two incumbent Supreme Court justices were challenged in their party primary but prevailed decisively. Republican Justice Mike Bolin turned in an impressive performance. He received a last minute surprise ambush from trial lawyer Tracy Carey. A lot of money was pumped into Carey’s campaign. This television blitz did not faze voters. Bolin trounced Carey 70 percent to 30 percent.

  Republican Justice Tom Parker garnered 60 percent of the GOP primary vote against two opponents to gain re-nomination. He will be facing Jefferson County Democratic Circuit Judge Mac Parsons in November.

  Congressmen Jo Bonner and Spencer Bachus were easy victors in the first primary. We will have some interesting and exciting congressional races in the fall. We will conclude our preview of this fall’s lineup in next week’s column.

  See you next week.

  About the author: Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His column appears weekly in 72 Alabama newspapers. Steve served 16 years in the state legislature. He may be reached at http://www.steveflowers.us.