COLORFUL CONTENDERS IN GOVERNORS RACE

Colorful contenders in governor's race In years of yore in past
governor's races we would have colorful run for the fun of it
candidates, the most notably being the legendary Shorty Price.
Price's antics could fill a book of its own. We have been short of
these fun candidates in the past few decades. However, this year we
will have on the ballot one Loretta Nall who will be the pro
marijuana candidate. She will be the Libertarian Party candidate for
governor on the November ballot. Nall is president of the U.S. Marijuana Party.

We have developing a true Price prototype in one Harry Lyons. Lyons
is making his ninth statewide run for the fun of it race rivaling
Price. His demeanor and candor are similar to Price.

He appeared recently before the Alabama Press Association at their
gubernatorial candidates' forum and stole the show. He runs every
time there is an election, usually for different offices under a
different party almost every time. He will be fun to watch.

The Republicans would like to take control of the House but as stated
earlier it is difficult because there are popular veteran incumbent
conservative Democrats sitting in Republican leaning seats. Therefore
they may have to wait until they retire or pass on to take these seats.

They will get a shot at three of these seats this year. Tommy Carter
of Limestone will retire after 32 years. In addition, Nelson Starkey
of Florence and Jack Venable of Tallassee both 30-year House veterans
passed away late last year.

Venable's Elmore County seat will likely fall to the Republicans in
this heavily Republican county. A Republican won the recent special
election, but it will be interesting to see how the two Tennessee
Valley seats of Carter's and Starkey's go.

Starkey's should remain Democratic. Carter's district will be worth watching.

A topic of conversation on Goat Hill is whether an endorsement from
the Christian Coalition will be an albatross to candidates.

Rumor is that candidates will use this endorsement against their opponent.

The Coalition headed by John Giles was discredited last year when it
was revealed that the group was supported financially by Indian
gambling interests. It is expected that candidates will run last
minute ads against their opponents who are endorsed by the Christian
Coalition saying the candidate is supported by out-of-state gambling
interests by virtue of the fact that the Coalition has been financed
by gambling.

There was talk of starting a New Christian Coalition and labeling the
group headed by Giles, the Old Christian Coalition with the Old
Christian Coalition, being the group cloaking their real agenda as
being pro-gambling.

They would also expose the group's mean spirited approach as being
more like Old Testament philosophy of “an eye for an eye”
and ignoring and ridiculing the poor. Whereas the new group would be
for loving your neighbors and helping the poor, more like what Christ
taught. It doesn't help the old group's image either that their
primary advocate in the Legislature is one nutty, irrelevant, back
bench, freshman Senator named Hank Erwin who made national news with
his beliefs that God directed Hurricane Katrina to attack the Gulf
Coast to destroy the people of New Orleans and Mississippi because
they were sinful. You can expect lots of negative advertisements and
plenty of dirty tricks this year because sadly they work. We have a
history of bitter campaigns in Alabama. A newly released book by
author Kerwin Swint, titled “Mudslinger. The Top 25 Negative
Political Campaigns of All Time,” lists the George Wallace vs.
Albert Brewer 1970 governor's race as the number one nastiest
campaign of all times. It will be an interesting campaign year in
Alabama. See you next week.

Steve Flowers' column appears weekly in 60 Alabama newspapers.
Flowers served 16 years in the state Legislature. He may be reached
at www.steveflowers.us.