re: Alabama Gov Race Update

quote:

---

There is no way that a Democrat will win. It will absolutely not happen in today's political environment in this state, especially if he's running against a competent Republican like Battle. Hell, Roy Moore would beat him in a head to head race in this state, and Roy Moore is a caricature at this point in his political career.

---

I think Battle would win but Roy would not make it of the GOP Gov. primary again. Walt would stomp Roy. Plus, the state GOP has a the horrible stain of corruption on them.

quote:

---

Walt ain't a liberal Dem.

---

Do you think most voters will care? I'm not anti-Walt. I'm just a realist.

quote:

---

Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh

---

IWHI

quote:

---

It's gonna come down to Tommy Battle and Walt Maddox. Those are the only real choices.

---

Walt should give his concession speech now and save his contributors their money.

quote:

---

Which one has a plan to fix I65 South from Birmingham to Montgomery?

---

I think that might be a Federal issue. Plus how are they going to stop stupid drivers.

quote:

---

Walt ain't a liberal Dem.

---

I have no idea of Walt's true beliefs but I will just say this really doesn't mean much.

For example, the current Governor of Louisiana, John Bel Edwards, made this case to republicans that wanted to get away from David Vitter to make them feel more comfortable about pulling the lever against him. In fact, he shouted what a moderate to conservative blue dog democrat he was and went all in on how he loves guns and hated abortion.

As soon as he was sworn in, he stabbed those republicans in the back and has only governed as a classic tax and spend liberal democrat that has raised taxes a shite ton, scared economic capital away from this state, killed a lot of jobs with his taxes and lawsuits against oil and gas, put a shite ton of people on the dole with growing the state government and putting us on the hook for a medicaid expansion that will crush the state budget.

This would've been completely obvious to those republicans if they just looked at his voting record in the statehouse and it was one of the most full blown progressive liberal to ever exist in BR. But they all lost their minds over Vitter and the rest is history.

If a democrat is talking about how moderate and conservative he is, odds are pretty damn good that he's lying.

Stupid drivers aren't causing the traffic. Birmingham has grown and the outer southern suburbs have increased in population over the past five years. Add in the summertime flow of out of state traffic heading to the beach.

Now consider that from exit 242 to Prattville is a two lane interstate.

Really if BHam wants to encourage more growth, it has to have better infrastructure. Even the three lanes from downtown to Pelham aren't really enough. Needs a carpool lane or a four lane section between downtown and 459.

Ideal world would provide better public transit in the form of a rail, bus, or subway but that obviously isn't going to happen.

But it's becoming a serious issue. There's absolutely nothing in fricking Alabaster worth sitting an hour in traffic for. Especially during non rush hour times.

quote:

---

Really if BHam wants to encourage more growth, it has to have better infrastructure. Even the three lanes from downtown to Pelham aren't really enough. Needs a carpool lane or a four lane section between downtown and 459.

---

That'd be 5-7 years and 50 billion dollars. Not counting the 3 - 5 road rage murders per year during construction of this.

quote:

---

If he's a type of democrat like the same Kip Holden who ran Baton Rouge for 12 years as a 60s JFK type with very few problems whatsoever and didn't have many and if any allegiances or interactions and associations with the national dem party, then that's a strong candidate right there. But if he's a type like tax and spend liberal JBE who's only lying about being a moderate blue dog democrat to get enough republicans to get elected, then by all means he should be defeated and soundly so. Liars like him have been popping up all over the south and they need to be gone.

---

Good post. Solid. I don't know much about JBE so I can not speak on him.

But, Mayor Maddox strikes me as being much more the Kip Holden/JFK type you mentioned. He has been a strong leader who has served the people of the city & not a party or a special interest group. I've known Walt a few years and he is a good man who puts the city first. I've been on the Democratic Executive Committee here for several years and I do not recall him coming to any meetings, to any events, or speaking solely to Democrats. The only time I remember him coming to a function we did was a few years back where we had a community picnic and invited the candidates running for office that year to come speak. He gave his campaign speech then left shortly after. I've seen him speak to school kids & civic groups. Heck, just last year he had the heads of various city depts. go with him to a local chick-fil-a to meet with citizens who had problems or issues and were able to meet directly with the various dept. heads about those issues. I mean, he is a Democrat that hosted an event at Chick-fil-a. Many Dems eschew Chick-fil-a with a passion. Walt supports them. In fact, a few of the more liberal Dems in the city are mad at him because he has not "ratified" the Paris Climate accord on the city level as a lot of other Democratic mayors around the country have done, including freaking Birmingham (and he is right in not doing so.)

He is a good guy & I think would make a good governor. He is without a doubt the best choice my party can run for governor if they want to try and be relevant in this state. Walt is not a controversial guy & he really does not have any baggage. He will connect with a lot of people who might not otherwise vote for a Democrat.

quote:

---

Anyone who believes an Alabama electorate won't elect a Democrat to Montgomery is fooling themselves. Alabama Democrats are among the most conservative in the country. Walt Maddox has an incredible track record and has done well for the city of Tuscaloosa. Tommy Battle has done as equally as good, if not more so, for the city of Huntsville. If Maddox runs he will get the nomination. Battle is going to be the Republican nominee. With those two running against each other it will be a close race. I could see it being a 51-49 type finish.

---

Very true. Walt has an excellent shot of winning it all. So does Battle. Like you, I believe it will be Maddox vs Battle and it will be a close race. Maddox could very well end up winning and it really wouldn't be a shock to me at all.

But, with this state who the heck knows. I mean, the GOP nominated Bentley (an obscure legislator with no real record) in 2010 and the people elected him as governor twice! The GOP could end up nominating Twinkle! Don't laugh...nobody thought Bentley had a chance in hell during the start of the 2010 primaries!