Alabama

[Lunar]

And how do you know he will win the GOP primary?

You spoke authoritatively that you can call this entire race for Byrne, I don't see how you're breaking down the primary for me at all here...

[Tender Branson]

And how do you know he will win the GOP primary?

You spoke authoritatively that you can call this entire race for Byrne, I don't see how you're breaking down the primary for me at all here...

Because he gets the best share among Republicans and Independents ? But that could be name recognition. Ask me again in 1 year. But I wasn't talking about calling the primary for Byrne, but the General Election. Even if another Republican wins the Primary, the numbers of Davis among Whites will likely decrease due to rising name recognition of this Republican.

[Lunar]

Ok.

I just wonder if Roy Moore couldn't manage to win in this five-way primary with <35-40% of the vote.  It's hard to find a clean path for Davis to win that doesn't run through Moore, and even then, it's a tososup.

[Dan the Roman]

This race was over when Folsom decided not to run. And he decided not to run because even for him it would be dicey. Remember, he was one of the Democrats who lost in an upset in 1994 despite being popular.

[pogo stick]

I may want Bradley Byrne to win. At least he isn't a crazy Guy like Roy Moore.

[Badger]

This race was over when Folsom decided not to run. And he decided not to run because even for him it would be dicey. Remember, he was one of the Democrats who lost in an upset in 1994 despite being popular.

Well, it was 1994. I don't think anybody in their wildest dreams/nightmares expects a repeat of that in 2012.

[Tender Branson]

Jesse Jackson rips Artur Davis on no vote

Friday, November 20, 2009
By GEORGE TALBOT
Political Editor

The Rev. Jesse Jackson ripped U.S. Rep. Artur Davis, D-Birmingham, for voting against the House health care bill, saying, "You can't vote against health care and call yourself a black man."

Jackson, speaking in Washington, D.C., at a reception for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, did not mention Davis by name, according to a report in The Hill newspaper.

But Davis was the sole member of the caucus to vote against the Democrats' health care bill this month in the House.

Jackson, who was being honored by the caucus on the 25th anniversary of his first presidential campaign, used the occasion to blast opponents of heath care reform.

"We even have blacks voting against the health care bill," he said, according to The Hill. "You can't vote against health care and call yourself a black man."

Davis, who is running for governor in 2010, downplayed Jackson's criticism.

"One of the reasons that I like and admire Rev. Jesse Jackson is that 21 years ago, he inspired the idea that a black politician would not be judged simply as a black leader," Davis said. "The best way to honor Rev. Jackson's legacy is to decline to engage in an argument with him that begins and ends with race."

Jackson said in a statement late Thursday that he called Davis to discuss his remarks.

"I talked to (Davis) today to assure him of my abiding admiration of him as a leader who is engaged in a huge challenge," Jackson said. "I offer no challenge to his integrity as a leader. Representatives should all vote their conscience in the interest of their constituency."

Davis has said he supports efforts to reform the nation's health care system but that the bill put forward by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi "is not the best we can do." He said he favors a bill proposed by the Senate Finance Committee, saying the legislation needs work but "comes closer to achieving the real reform we need."

Political observers said the rift with Jackson, a Baptist minister and civil rights activist who made unsuccessful runs as a Democratic candidate for president in 1984 and 1988, could actually help Davis in conservative Alabama.

Jackson criticized President Barack Obama on several issues during last year's presidential campaign, at one point accusing the African-American candidate of "acting like he's white."

"Obama was perfectly happy to have Jesse Jackson saying things about him — and it could be that Artur Davis feels the same way," national political commentator Gwen Ifill said by phone Thursday from Birmingham, prior to an appearance at Birmingham-Southern College.

No members of the caucus spoke up to defend Davis against Jackson's attack, but at least one — U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif. — said she understood Davis' opposition to the House health care bill.

"Artur Davis has a more conservative constituency" than other caucus members, Waters told The Hill. "Since he's running for governor of Alabama, he reflects an even more conservative constituency."

http://www.al.com/news/press-register/metro.ssf?/base/news/1258712138267540.xml&coll=3

[Sam Spade]

The race hustlers are always so entertaining.

[pogo stick]

I'm support Judge Roy Moore (R) for Governor, he has the right views, values and beliefs.

[Holmes]

Speaking of Roy Moore, I went to his wiki page and his child Caleb Moore has hearts around his name. Cute.

[JohnnyLongtorso]

The race hustlers are always so entertaining.

Oh, so this is what happened to J.C. Watts.

[Sam Spade]

The race hustlers are always so entertaining.

Oh, so this is what happened to J.C. Watts.

I thought it was because he's an idiot.

[Tender Branson]

And how do you know he will win the GOP primary?

You spoke authoritatively that you can call this entire race for Byrne, I don't see how you're breaking down the primary for me at all here...

Because he gets the best share among Republicans and Independents ? But that could be name recognition. Ask me again in 1 year. But I wasn't talking about calling the primary for Byrne, but the General Election. Even if another Republican wins the Primary, the numbers of Davis among Whites will likely decrease due to rising name recognition of this Republican.

OK, 1 year has passed, Byrne won round 1.

Even though the health-care debate started only then in June 2009 I was more or less sure that Davis would at least win the DEM primary and would vote for health care.

Let`s see how Sparks does against Byrne or the other Republican. I still see the Republican winning the GE with about 55%.

[Meeker]

County-level GOP officials will count the provisional primary ballots tomorrow and then the state party will announce the official winner for the second spot in the runoff that evening. Whoever ends up in third (probably James) has forty-eight hours to request recounts in individual counties.

Each day this drags on for is another good day for Byrne.

[cpeeks]

I am from Alabama and voted in the GOP primary, Sparks has the GOP here scared. Do not count him out, Artur already made that mistake and got hammered. Sparks is the odds on favorite right now. Byrne is seen as a joke here.

[cpeeks]

And btw Folsom would have won going away!!!!

[Meeker]

The margin narrowed from 208 to 167 after provisionals were counted. James is requesting a recount which he'll have to pay for (he's pledged to spend $200,000). Recounts have to be requested on an individual county basis and James has indicated he'll request the most populous 25 counties at least.

[cpeeks]

No hes now going to do it in all 67 counties.

[Bacon King]

Recounts have to be requested on an individual county basis

Didn't Bush v. Gore I make that sort of thing unconstitutional?

[Meeker]

Recounts have to be requested on an individual county basis

Didn't Bush v. Gore I make that sort of thing unconstitutional?

In some states (such as Alabama) the primaries are still officially run by the parties or in some sort of legally nebulous partnership between the parties and the state. I'm not sure of the legal details but I think in states like that the party has far more control over the method of conducting the primary then one normally would have. But I'm just sort of talking out of my ass here.

[cpeeks]

Recounts have to be requested on an individual county basis

Didn't Bush v. Gore I make that sort of thing unconstitutional?

In some states (such as Alabama) the primaries are still officially run by the parties or in some sort of legally nebulous partnership between the parties and the state. I'm not sure of the legal details but I think in states like that the party has far more control over the method of conducting the primary then one normally would have. But I'm just sort of talking out of my ass here.

Yes and no the party does have alot of control over the primary, but its still run by the SOS'S office. And Alabama law says you have to petition the individual counties, though its still murky. Our attorney general just gave an idiot opinion of the law that Byrne and Bentley would have to have the run-off and then James could have a recount, and if he won we would have to have a second run off.

[Meeker]

James has lost 10 votes with 94% recounted. The runoff will be Byrne vs. Bentley.

[Tender Branson]

Run-off results (100% of precincts reporting):

Robert Bentley: 260.843 votes (56.07%)
Bradley Byrne: 204.388 votes (43.93%)

Turnout was relatively high for a run-off, almost as high as in round 1.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/files/elections/2010/by_state/AL_Governor_0713.html

[Lunar]

Anyone think Sparks is gonna win this one?

[Bacon King]

Anyone think Sparks is gonna win this one?

Sparks is in a pretty good situation, money-wise, at least as far as I can tell.

Bentley loaned his own campaign $750,000 to win the runoff and right now only has $200,000 cash on hand. Sparks, in contrast, ended his primary on June 1st with $110,000 in the bank. I don't know how much money he's been raising since then, but in the last month of the primary he was raising around $10,000 a day on average and that's as an underdog. He's presumably kept that rate up at least (not that he's saving all of the money he raises, of course, but what he does spend is going directly to the general election. An advantage to Sparks there).