Brewbaker enters Senate race

State Sen. Larry Dixon is not certain whether he will run for reelection in 2010, but he will have competition if he does.
Montgomery businessman and former state Rep. Dick Brewbaker, a Republican, announced Thursday he is running for the District 25 seat in the Alabama Senate. District 25 includes portions of Montgomery and Elmore counties.
Brewbaker, a member of the town council in Pike Road, served in the Alabama House of Representatives from 2002 to 2006.
He said Dixon, R-Montgomery, has done well representing the district.
"Modestly speaking, I think I can do a good job, too," Brewbaker said after applauding Dixon.
He said he decided to enter now because of the timing. Brewbaker said other people are discussing the race and he wants to have enough support and funding to run a quality campaign.
"This is the time of year a campaign has to be organized," he said.
Dixon said he thought Brewbaker's entrance was premature and that he was trying to pressure him into making a decision. The senator said he plans to decide by early next year, but still has 15 months left in his term and one regular session.
Dixon said any potential candidates would have had time to organize a campaign after he announced whether he was retiring or seeking an eighth term.
"As of today, I am running," he said. "There is 15 months left in this term. I just can't tell you what I'm going to do 15 months from now. I am not going to be backed into a corner."
Dixon said he is a friend and supporter of Brewbaker.
"I thought he did a good job when he was in the House of Representatives," he said. "I just wish he would have kept his powder dry a little longer."
Brewbaker, who people might recognize from the commercials for his auto dealerships, made his announcement on the steps of the Elmore County Courthouse. He said he decided to make his announcement in Wetumpka instead of on the State House steps because there are plenty of insiders in Montgomery and because Elmore County is one of the more conservative counties in Alabama.
If he is elected, he said he would "not use inside the State House thinking to govern the decisions I make."
Brewbaker said he opposes any new taxes, supports an amendment guarding property owners against eminent domain, wants ethics and campaign finance reform, and would not serve more than two terms.
The former lawmaker said he wants to limit the contributions coming into campaigns, "especially from those who cannot vote for the candidate."
While some states have passed constitutional amendments, he said Alabama has "never dealt effectively with eminent domain."
Brewbaker expects Republicans to take control of either the Alabama House or Senate in 2010. He said there is a better chance of the Republicans taking control of the House outright.
"I would like to be part of the Republican revolution that is about to happen in this state," Brewbaker said.
He was joined by about three dozen supporters at the courthouse.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen