Many Alabama lawmakers left without major party opposition

[Judi Lynn]

Many Alabama lawmakers left without major party opposition

By BOB JOHNSON
Associated Press Writer

Despite frequent complaints, Alabama residents must be pretty happy with their state legislators.

A total of 36 members of the 105-member Alabama House and seven of 35 state senators are running for re-election without major party opposition, including 21 Democrats in the House and four in the Senate. There are also some races where Democrats have opposition in their June 6 party primary, but where there is not a Republican for the winner to face.

Republicans had promised a major effort to wrest control of the Legislature from Democrats, but left Democrats unchallenged in a number of races across the state, which could derail the GOP goal. Republicans have candidates in 69 of the 105 races in the Alabama House and would have to win all but 16 to take control of the House. Democrats currently hold a 62-43 majority in the House.

But Republican leaders say they have quality candidates in a number of key races where they feel Democrats are vulnerable.

"We looked at races where the demographics are favorable to us and where we could recruit a good candidate. There were some races where the incumbent is unbeatable and it would be useless to waste resources on it," said Rep. Mike Hubbard, R-Auburn, the Republican Caucus leader in the House. "We feel we have an excellent slate of candidates in the districts that are winnable."
(snip/...)

http://www.timesdaily.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060429/APN/604290699&cachetime=5

[cyclezealot]

1. elections are not longer about talking before the Rotary club

It is raising tons of money to hire pr agents to bamboozle the public with your good looks and smear tactics for anyone bold enough to follow the same path to power. in far too many elections candidates do not even meet or debate their opponents.

[struggle4progress]

2. Diebold selected to help with voter registration system (May 27, 2005)

http://www.sos.state.al.us/press/releases.cfm?trgtitem=5

I'm beginnin to think winnin ain't about nothin but ripoff fraud, pure an simple ...

[Porcupine]

3. It's a House of Lords. Elections don't matter to most seats

due to gerrymandering. So what we have is a system of frozen politics and legislatures who have to do very little in the way of serving the public.

We're screwed.

[cyclezealot]

4. when will be demand democracy

a majority of states have initiative, i think.. The whole system needs gutting. Do something totally different. SOmething like proportional vote. Can you imagine, the will of the people be reflected by their votes? Revolutionary, I know. We have a republic not a democracy. That's life on the plantation.
we have the power to take our democracy back, should we have the will.