Guests today…
- 7:30 AM – I will be announcing my endorsement for State Senate District 9.
- 8:30 AM - Arthur Orr on his endorsement for Governor.
Are there differences in the GOP primary?
AEA:
Byrne, who led the first primary, honed in on what he called a “powerful entrenched special interest group,” obviously referring to AEA, and tried to link Bentley to what he called “union bosses.”Bentley responded that during his two terms as a legislator he had worked with AEA on some issues and opposed the group on others.
Bingo/Gambling:
Both Bentley and Byrne said they opposed gambling, but Bentley said he disagreed with the way Gov. Bob Riley handled the enforcement of the law. Bentley said, for example, he would not have dispatched 200 state troopers to shut down a bingo operation.
“I think you could do it in a way that does not cause an uprising of people,” he said. Though he opposes gambling, Bentley said the issue should be put to voters in a constitutional amendment.
Byrne said the Legislature had wasted too much time on the bingo and needed to move on to more important issues facing Alabama. He said he would oppose a statewide vote on gambling.
Immigration:
On illegal immigration, Bentley said he endorsed the law passed by the Arizona Legislature that’s now being challenged by the Obama administration.
He called for a border fence and an e-verify system for contractors and state workers, adding, “If the federal government refuses to do the job, the state will.”
Byrne suggested deputizing local officials to enforce federal immigration laws and denying state benefits to illegal immigrants. “We need to make sure state government uses e-verify, and prosecute employers who employ those who are here illegally,” he said.
Polling?
Meanwhile, Byrne challenged an independent statewide poll released Thursday that showed Bentley with a 20-point lead.The poll, commissioned by Montgomery-based Public Strategy Associates, was conducted July 5 by Baselice and Associates, an Austin, Texas-based polling firm. It was based on a telephone survey of about 1,000 registered Republican voters.
Byrne said he was not concerned with the poll.
“All I know is people that work for that public relations agency were sitting at a table at a Republican dinner a couple of weeks ago with Bentley stickers on,” he said.
Byrne said his campaign’s internal polling showed him up by 4 points.
Ron Sparks wants Democrats to vote in the Democratic primary and stay out of the GOP race…
The Democratic nominee for governor, Agriculture Commissioner Ron Sparks, is urging Democrats to vote in the Democratic runoff Tuesday and not cross over to the Republican runoff.
Sparks held a news conference Thursday in Montgomery, where he said Democrats should stay with their party and help decide the runoff for attorney general and other races.
(wink wink)
Sparks said he doesn’t care whether Bradley Byrne or Robert Bentley wins the Republican runoff for governor. He said both have disagreed with most of his platform, including creating a state lottery to pay for college scholarships and pre-kindergarten programs.
His handlers and freinds at the AEA do.
City Councilman Richard Showers wants more time to discuss the texting ban.
After some discussion and questions Thursday evening regarding the implications and enforceability of a ban, the council approved a motion by Dr. Richard Showers to delay the vote until the council’s next full meeting.
Showers had objected to holding a vote on the ordinance during Thursday’s meeting, saying more time was needed to study the rule and get more public input.
“Let’s not rush into (a vote) tonight,” Showers said.
Showers also said he was concerned that the law was “unenforceable” as written.
Showers then told Huntsville Police Chief Mark Hudson he did not want to see officers taken away from their current duties to concentrate on people who were using their cellphones.
He also called it “racist”. Just kidding, but kudos to Councilman Showers for not falling back on his crutch.
You have heard all the media noise about “OIL DESTROYING THE COAST!”, I will be on the scene Monday and Tuesday in Orange Beach telling you what is actually going on.
Yes, I will basically be on vacation.
Yes, I will be going to the Jimmy Buffett concert.
Yes, I love my life.
Don’t miss it.
Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: | Dale Jacson, show notes
[...] shows Bentley with a 53-33 lead. Byrne has challenged the objectivity of this poll, and claims his own internal polls show him up by 4 points. Most independent observers expect a close race, with the size and shape of [...]
Let’s just hope whichever one wins, Bentley or Byrne, they wipe the floor with the used car salesman Sparks, sorry I meant McGregor, … wait, which one is actually the nominee, I can’t remember. Does it matter?
On another note, how can outsiders traveling through Huntsville be expected to know that Huntsville has a texting ban, unless the City is going to put up lots of signs? To me it would have to be adequately posted to be enforceable.
“Showers also said he was concerned that the law was “unenforceable” as written.”
Probably about the first thing he ever said that I think I agree with, I doubt that a texting law is enforceable unless you are texting in front of a policeman while you drive. Then you need to be pulled over because you are too stupid to be allowed to drive:)
“Showers then told Huntsville Police Chief Mark Hudson he did not want to see officers taken away from their current duties to concentrate on people who were using their cellphones.”
And follows it up with a remark that shows his stupidity. Was this supposed to be a joke, if so I can buy it, if he was serious (I missed the meeting) just add it to the volumes of stupid things he has said.
Showers will eventually argue this is racist. He will argue cops will use it to pull over and search blacks. He will try to add a “no searches if pulled over for texting” provision, they did this in the AL State House and Mike Ball killed it as an officer safety issue.
As much as I love Alabama football and politics (in that order) it is people in power in Alabama like Mr. Showers and others of his ilk in Montgomery that have me seriously looking in Fayetteville for a new home. Have I ever mentioned that Bob Harrison was run out of Fayetteville in disgrace years ago and the idiots down here elected him to the County Commission? There is something seriously wrong here. Before I am called a racist , what I mean is people who elect candidates and expect them to “sink the ship” as long as they can steal a seat in the lifeboat for themselves. Greed, tunnel vision and plain old everyday stupidity is ruining this great country.
Of course Dale….everyone already knows this! Posting common knowledge again…this makes you the Kingmaker??
Bob,
Still upset about the Clay Scofield endorsement huh? If I am such a joke why are you worried about me. Kepp representing Don Spurlin in a good way sorta like Stinson did.
Please act like you don’t know what I am talking about so I have a reason to post that letter.