Our forefathers must have been clairvoyant to see that
we in the Heart of Dixie would be more interested in state and local politics
than presidential contests. Unlike many states, who elect most of their
officials in presidential years, we in Alabama are just the opposite. There
were very few state races on the ballot in 2012. Only five seats on the Alabama
Supreme Court were up for election and only one of those was contested.
The next big year for Alabamians is next year. It is
our gubernatorial year. In addition to electing our governor, all of our
constitutional executive offices are on the ballot, including lieutenant
governor, attorney general, state treasurer, state auditor, secretary of state
and agriculture commissioner. In addition, our entire legislative branch of
government will be up for election. All 140 House and Senate seats will be on
the menu. We will also have a few of our judges on the ballot. Finally, all 67
sheriffs in Alabama will be up for election. Indeed, 2014 will be a big year in
Alabama politics.
2012 saw the end of the Democratic Party in statewide
politics. There are no Democratic statewide officeholders in Alabama. All of
our seven constitutional executive branch offices are filled with Republicans.
Both of our U.S. Senators are Republican and the GOP holds six of our seven
U.S. House seats. The GOP also owns all 19 seats on our Supreme and Appellate
Courts, as well as all three seats on the Public Service Commission. In the
legislature, the Republicans hold more than three-fifths of the seats.
Alabama Democrats can console themselves with one advantage.
They still hold a majority of the elected officials in county courthouses
statewide. However, the Republicans made inroads at the local level in 2012.
The number of Republican probate judges increased from 20 to 32 and the number
of Republican circuit clerks rose from 17 to 29.
Democrats remained successful in urban counties with
significant African American populations. In Montgomery County, Steven Reed,
the son of legendary civil rights and Democratic chieftain Joe Reed, defeated
longtime Republican Probate Judge Reese McKinney. This more than likely
indicates that to be elected to a county office or judgeship in Montgomery
County in the future one would need to run as a Democrat.
This same truth would be evident in Jefferson
County. Democrats swept all Republican judges out of office in imperial
Jefferson. Almost eight out of ten registered voters showed up to vote in
Jefferson County. Of the approximately 175,0000 who turned out to vote, six out
of ten of the votes cast in our most urban county were straight ticket. They
simply pulled either the Democratic or Republican lever. Qualifications of
judges did not matter. No amount of advertising or campaigning mattered. All
that mattered was the Democratic or Republican label by each candidate’s name.
Obviously there are more Democrats than Republicans in Jefferson County. The
bottom line in 2012 in Jefferson County is that all 11 judgeships up for
election went to Democrats.
One of the most interesting races occurred in
Tuscaloosa County. It may be an anomaly but voters in Tuscaloosa actually split
their ticket and reelected long-serving and popular Probate Judge Hardy
McCollum. Even with a well-known Republican sheriff as his opponent and the
albatross of Barack Obama tied around his neck, McCollum won reelection
handily.
The GOP is king and in dominant control of state
politics in Alabama. However, this is obviously not the case nationwide. We in
Alabama are much more conservative than the rest of the folks around the
country. Nationwide, Barack Obama won a clear victory whereas in Alabama he
drove the final nail in the coffin of the Democratic Party.
Republicans face a quandary in national politics. It
looks as though they will need to expand their base to include Hispanic voters.
The most significant and heart wrenching disappointment among Alabama’s
conservative and Christian majority will be in the power of President Barack
Obama to appoint any openings on the U.S. Supreme Court. Obama will have free
rein to appoint extreme liberals to the Supreme Court. The U.S. Senate confirms
these appointments and that tribunal remains in Democratic control.
In the meantime, 2014 is just around the corner in
Alabama politics.
See you next week.
About the author: Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading
political columnist. His column appears weekly in more than 70 Alabama
newspapers. Steve served 16 years in the state legislature. He may be reached
at http://www.steveflowers.us.
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