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Favorites Love and Parker win Alabama runoffs
By Hastings Wyman
Southern Political Report
July 15, 2008 — State Rep. John Love and Wayne Parker, both favored in yesterday’s Republican congressional runoffs in Alabama, easily won their party’s nominations. Love and Parker had two things going for them. First, both had significant leads in the first primary on June 3. And second, the national GOP leadership in Washington supported both of them. Details: 2nd District (Dothan, etc.) State Rep. Love defeated state Sen. Harri Anne Smith with little difficulty. With 91% of the precincts reporting, Love had 23,515 votes (56%) to 18,775 (44%) for Smith. In the first primary on June 3, Love came in first in a six-candidate race with 35% to Smith’s 22%. Despite Love’s financial contributions from GOP congressional leaders in Washington, Smith actually outraised Love, $170,000 to $150,000 during the period from May 15 to June 25. However, Love had more cash on hand, $160,000 to $100,000. In addition, Love has personal resources. House Minority Leader John Boehner (OH) and US Rep. Tom Cole (OK), chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), intervened financially in the runoff on Love’s behalf. Smith, in turn, campaigned as the outsider and not part of the Washington establishment. The runoff campaign got heated, leading retiring 16-year veteran US Rep. Terry Everett (R) to call on the two candidates to cool it; both of them then pulled their negative ads. Love will face Montgomery Mayor Bobby Bright (D) in November in what is likely to be a hotly contested race that might lean Republican, but could go either way. 5th District (Huntsville, etc.). Businessman (insurance) Wayne Parker, who came within a whisker of election to Congress in 1994, handily defeated attorney Cheryl Baswell Guthrie for the GOP nomination to replace retiring nine-term US Rep. Bud Cramer (D). With 95% of precincts reporting, Parker garnered 15,426 votes (78%) to Guthrie’s 4.247 (22%). Parker had been heavily favored. In addition to national support, as noted, he almost won in the June 3 primary, coming in first in a six-way race with 49% of the vote, to Guthrie’s 18%. In the money chase, Guthrie did a good job, raising $150,000 to Parker’s $120,000, although Parker had $50,000 on hand as of June 25. As in the 2nd District, Boehner and Cole got involved in the runoff, helping Parker. In addition, Parker received a contribution from Chief Deputy Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA). In November, Parker will face state Sen. Parker Griffith (D) in another highly contested race. While this is one of the GOP’s few opportunities -- in the South or in the nation -- to pick up a seat currently held by the Democrats, recent trends in neighboring Mississippi and in Louisiana suggest a Democratic victory is more likely. In a statewide Republican runoff for the nomination for president of the Public Service Commission, former state GOP chairman Twinkle Cavanaugh easily bested Matt Chancey. With 88% of precincts reporting, Cavanaugh had 56,586 votes (60%) to Chancey’s 37,004 (40%). |
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