The Montgomery Advertiser newspaper's blog on all things related to Alabama politics and state government, featuring the writings of Sebastian Kitchen and Markeshia Ricks
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Party Switching Continues
The Great Party Switch of 2010 is continuing as more local Democrats across the state leave the party to pick up the standard of the Alabama Republican Party. This time it's in Calhoun County.
Apparently four former Calhoun County Democratic officials are switching parties much to the disappointment and anger of the Alabama Democratic Party. Those officials are: Calhoun County Probate Judge Alice Martin, License Commissioner Barry Robertson, Circuit Court Judge Brian Howell and County Registrar Carolyn Henderson.
The Democrats sent out a statement blasting the new Republicans for being what the party sees as "disingenuous and unfair to voters" because they were elected as Democrats and with the help of campaign contributions from Democrats.
Read the rest of the statement below:
"Judge Martin and License Commissioner Barry Robertson have long had the staunch support of Calhoun County voters and ran as Democrats in their previous elections.
"Circuit Court Judge Brian Howell won election in 2006 against a Republican opponent, and County Registrar Carolyn Henderson was appointed to the Calhoun County Board of Registrars by Democrat Agriculture Commissioner Ron Sparks. Her position will require her to be reappointed by his Republican successor John McMillan or another Republican official, such as the state auditor or the governor.
“It’s incredibly unfortunate that these officials, with the possible exception of one, could not be bothered to call and discuss their decisions to switch parties with me before announcing it to the press," said Calhoun County Democratic Party Chairwoman Sheila Gilbert. “I had to wonder if they were afraid I would try to talk them out of giving up their years of service as Democratic officeholders and the trust and support Calhoun County Democrats had placed in them."
The Alabama Democratic Party and the Calhoun County Democratic Party reaffirmed their commitment to finding strong candidates to run in each of these elected offices in the upcoming elections.
“We have a number of great Democrats in Calhoun County who would be well-qualified for each of these offices,” Gilbert said. “We look forward to taking on these new Republicans at the ballot box next year.”
Alabama Democrats are criticizing a Limestone County official who announced Monday he was switching parties.
Limestone County Circuit Court Judge Robert Baker announced Monday, less than four months after being elected as a Democrat without opposition, that he was switching parties to become a Republican.
"Judge Baker ran unopposed in last year's election and more than 14,000 Limestone County residents still turned out to cast a ballot in his favor on the Democratic party line," said Alabama Democratic Party Chairman Mark Kennedy. "Changing parties four months after your re-election reeks of political opportunism, especially when there are many qualified Democratic candidates who may have deferred to the incumbent when he qualified to run for another term in office last year."
Democrats in Limestone County "have strongly backed Judge Baker at the ballot box, and it is unfortunate that he would choose to throw away years of support from these dedicated Democratic voters just to seek short-term political gain," according to the Alabama Democratic Party.
Democrats are undeterred by Baker's "misguided" switch and vowed "full backing" of a future Democratic opponent for the judge. On Saturday, according to the Alabama Democratic Party, there was a standing room only meeting of Limestone County Democrats in Tanner.
Baker is the latest in a series of county officials who have left the Alabama Democratic Party.
Another county official said Monday that he is leaving the Democratic Party to become a Republican. Limestone County Circuit Judge Robert Baker declared he was switching parties.
He becomes the 11th elected official in recent weeks to leave the Democratic Party and cross the aisle.
Alabama House Speaker Mike Hubbard, who is in his last week as chairman of the Alabama Republican Party, said he was excited to welcome the judge into the party.
"Judge Baker is an honorable leader in his county, and I know his decision was made with great thought and consideration," said Hubbard, R-Auburn.
Hubbard also thanked Limestone County Chairman Jim Burden "and the entire county executive committee for their assistance in organizing this change. They continue to show unwavering support for the party and we could not be more grateful for the tremendous strides they are making in that part of the state."
Local Delegation Selects Holmes, Wren for Leadership
Montgomery County’s legislative delegation in the House of Representatives elected its leadership for the next four years Wednesday.
State Rep. Alvin Holmes, a Democrat, will serve as the delegation’s chairman and state Rep. Greg Wren, a Republican, will serve as vice chairman. In the last quadrennium, Holmes served as chairman for the first two years and Wren served as chairman for the last two.
The Montgomery County committee is one of the few standing House Committees headed by a Democrat. The House has seven other standing House committees that mainly handle local legislation for counties in the major metropolitan areas of the state.
Republicans took majorities in both the House and the Senate for the first time in 136 years during the 2010-election cycle. Republican leadership decided to keep the same rules as their predecessors by making a Republican the head of most of the major committees. Democrats hold no major chairmanships.
Holmes, who also is the current longest serving member of the House of Representative and the Dean of the House, said that the delegation’s selection of leadership was by design a bipartisan structure. He said he also believes that the structure would best serve the needs of residents of the city and the county.
Montgomery’s House delegation is made up of four Democrats and two Republicans. In addition to Holmes and Wren, state Reps. Jay Love (R), Thad McClammy (D), Joe Hubbard (D) and John Knight (D) all represent Montgomery County. State Sens. Quinton Ross, a Democrat, and Dick Brewbaker, a Republican, also represent Montgomery County.
Alabama Democrats are among those criticizing a powerful state senator for referencing firearms when talking about taking care of illegal immigration. In a speech to the Cullman County Republican Party, Sen. Scott Beason finished remarks about finding solutions to illegal immigration by saying "empty the clip, and do what has to be done." Beason, a Gardendale Republican who is the chairman of the committee that determines which bills come before the Senate for debate, has come under fire from some for comments that some consider inflammatory, especially for using that phrase following the tragic shooting in Tucson, Ariz. Beason has since told the Associated Press he did not suggest any violence toward illegal immigrants or Hispanics. He told the Birmingham News he was using an analogy. "Senator Beason's remarks in Cullman were unnecessary and dangerous, particularly in light of the recent tragic shootings in Tuscon," said Mark Kennedy, chairman of the Alabama Democratic Party. "If Republicans are truly interested in pursuing sensible immigration reform, they should put a stop to this reckless rhetoric about emptying gun clips and build on the strong ties our Democratic Legislature made with the business community to hold corporations accountable for their part in enabling illegal workers." Beason has been an outspoken advocate for immigration reform and said he would like to see Alabama pass some of the reforms passed in other states like Arizona.
Democrats blast Republicans for restricting access to legislators
The Alabama Democratic Party is taking the new Republican legislative leadership to task for its proposal to restrict public access to legislative hallways and offices in the upcoming regular session.
Speaker of the House Mike Hubbard and Senate President Pro-Tem Del Marsh announced plans Monday to restrict access in the wake of the shootings in Tuscon, Ariz. The plan calls for stopping the public and lobbyists from being able to wander in and out of legislative offices on days when the Legislature is in session.
New Alabama Democratic Party Chairman Mark Kennedy said in a press release Wednesday that the new rules would only allow legislators the opportunity to duck questions and concerns from voters.
“After 136 years of open door policies under Democratic leadership, a new day of Republican control has dawned in the Alabama Legislature, but the sun isn't shining," he said.
Kennedy went on to say in the press release that Hubbard’s use of the Tuscon shooting to draw a parallel to security at the Alabama State House was a stretch, because that incident took place outside the walls of the U.S. Capitol and Congressional office buildings. He said both the capitol and office buildings were the public has free access.
Kennedy also said that there is a police presence at the State House and visitors are required to pass through metal detectors and security checkpoints at the door.
Kennedy said the changes would do nothing more than facilitate questionable closed door meetings and possibly skirt the new ethics law recently passed in the special session.
State Rep. Joe Hubbard: Young Face of the Demcoratic Party
Watch a video of out-going Alabama Democratic Party Chairman Joe Turnham and newly elected state Rep. Joe Hubbard of Montgomery talking about the future of the party.
Hubbard was one the few Democrats in the country to unseat an incumbent Republican during the 2010 election cycle.
Turnham steps down, state Dems to elect new chairman
Alabama Democrats will elect a new chairman later this month after Joe Turnham informed executive committee members he will resign effective Jan. 29. Turnham said he sent his letter resigning as chairman of the Alabama Democratic Party to state committee members on Wednesday. He said they would meet on Jan. 29 in downtown Montgomery to elect his successor. He said the only candidate who has publicly expressed interest in running is former Alabama Supreme Court Justice Mark Kennedy. While the committee members will ultimately vote on his successor, Turnham said "I have a high level of comfort with Mark Kennedy." He said he has talked to Kennedy several times and that he has the maturity, wisdom, drive and intellect "to really build the party at this tough fork in the road." Kennedy is the son-in-law of former Govs. George and Lurleen Wallace. Turnham, who has served as chairman for three nonconsecutive terms, was elected to another term last year, but said he never intended to serve very long after the 2010 election. He was first elected in 1995. "I nearly left after the '08 election," he said. "A lot of folks knew it was going to be a very challenging cycle. They asked me to stay on and I did." Turnham said he is ready to move on with his personal and professional life, and to turn the party over to someone else. He has been active in Democratic Party politics for decades, running four of his father's campaigns for the Legislature, twice being the Democratic nominee for U.S. Congress, serving as a county chairman, and as state chairman. He also started the state's conservation lobby. Turnham, 51, said he did all of that in the last 25 years. "I am just physically and mentally and politically exhausted," he said. "It was probably the toughest cycle in two generations. ... I just know it is time for other people to step up in this environment and build." Turnham said that last week he appointed attorney Ed Gentle, an Auburn and University of Alabama law school graduate and Rhodes scholar, to serve as party treasurer. He said that since the Legislature voted to overhaul campaign finance laws in the state that they have been assembling a "strong financial plan" for the party. Turnham said he has been working on the transition to a new chairman for about two months. Turnham said he was at the helm when the state elected the first Democratic governor since Wallace in 1998, elected the first female chief justice in 2006, won several other races statewide, and held the Legislature for two of those three terms. "We've had some good times and some tough times," he said. Turnham said the party has also helped to elect Democrats, including judges, county commissioners and superintendents, at the local level and has improved technology and outreach with its voter files. Moving forward, Turnham said he hopes to help in several economic development ventures. He acknowledged his time at the party has prepared him to work for a non-profit or a corporation. Turnham said he has developed some skills and "some pretty thick skin." "The Democratic Party is a tough place to govern internally," he said, adding there are a "lot of competing factions and personalities."
Alabama Democratic Party Chairman Joe Turnham said he has not resigned from his position, but is "tired and very ready to move on." "I told a lot of Democrats privately that I do not plan to serve much longer," Turnham said. He said he did not plan to stay too long after the election regardless of whether Democrats won or lost. Some rumors circulated in the blogosphere that Turnham stepped down after the drubbing that Democrats received on Nov. 2, but he said that was false. "I would never just resign and walk out the door," he said. He attributed the sweeping Democratic losses to the national climate. "It was a rough day," Turnham said. Read more of the Montgomery Advertiser's interview with Turnham in the newspaper and online on Sunday. He talks about the upcoming stable of Democratic candidates, about getting new blood into the party, and about successes during his tenure.
South Union Street is the blog of Montgomery Advertiser political reporters Markeshia Ricks and Sebastian Kitchen. Always check here for the latest on the Legislature, elections and other activities and players in Alabama.
