Posted on 10/03/2005 1:03:30 AM PDT by Crackingham
The Republican race for Alabama governor will take shape in the coming week, with ousted state Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore and incumbent Gov. Bob Riley expected to announce their candidacies and set up a classic battle between the GOP's two cornerstones: religious conservatives and business groups.
Moore has scheduled an announcement about his gubernatorial plans today in his hometown of Gadsden. Riley is having a 61st birthday party Saturday in Birmingham, where many of his supporters expect him to kick off a re-election campaign.
For months, Moore has been saying that he was praying about whether to run for governor, and that if he ran, he expected it to be as a Republican. Some of his supporters have urged him to run for chief justice — the job he lost in November 2003 for refusing to follow a federal judge's order to remove his large Ten Commandments monument from the state judicial building — but Moore has made no mention of that.
Howard Phillips, a friend of Moore's who ran for president three times and started the Constitution Party, said he believes the former chief justice has gotten the answer to his prayers.
"I believe he feels led to run for governor," Phillips said.
Former state Sen. Roy Smith, a Republican, is co-chairman of the We Need Moore 2006 Committee, and he's optimistic Moore will launch a campaign for governor on Monday.
"I expect him to announce to run, but I'm not certain," Smith said.
Smith also expects Riley to announce at the end of the week. So does one of Riley's strongest supporters. Alabama House Republican Leader Mike Rogers said he's "excited and hopeful" that Riley will seek a second term.
Once Riley and Moore have their events in the coming week, that doesn't mean the Republican slate will be final. Another Republican, state Sen. Harri Anne Smith, is considering entering the race and said she will decide in December.
"Things are looking real good. I'm raising money — more than I expected," she said.
SNIP
William Stewart, a political scientist at the University of Alabama, and Smith, the former senator, expect the Republican primary for governor to line up like those races.
"It's definitely the religion-oriented Republicans versus those motivated by money," Stewart said. "Riley will raise more money, but I don't think money will be the answer because people will vote with their hearts."
SNIP
In Alabama, polls done when Moore was in the media spotlight promoting his book "So Help Me God" earlier this year gave him the edge. But recent polls, done after Riley's response to damage in Alabama from hurricanes Dennis and Katrina, show him in the lead.
Stewart cautions against putting too much stock in polls this early. "Moore hasn't started his campaign yet. He is a charismatic speaker, and that can change those polls numbers," he said.
Be careful though. Before I registered as a Republican, I went and voted in a Democratic presidential primary (choosing the least likely to win) just for fun. Now I have kept getting Demo stuff for years despite repeated requests for them to stop sending it. Be careful what you wish for:).
sued the government to get rid of pork in the education bill.
BUT what will the Muslim students do then?
IMO he seems driven by a self serving agenda more than a conservative one.
Hanging a copy of the ten commandments alongside other important documents is one issue. FIVE TONS of cement is another issue entirely. It did get HIS (Roy's that is) name recognized though so who's to blame him?
No disrespect intended, but your post has me chuckling a bit.
The election of one governor in the state of Alabama is going to "undo the radical liberal revisionism disaster".
Hey Roy!! No pressure, man.
And this infers that one cannot be pro-business and a conservative at the same time. I reject that premise, too.
So why is he running against an encumbant Republican?
I'm from Alabama. I have absolutely no idea what You're talking about. The sky is not falling in Alabama. Riley has done a pretty credible job managing the post-Katrina ordeal Mobile has gone through.
Try decaf...
Wonderful... civil wars in the GOP all over the place. Maybe that rat krugman is right that there is a great unraveling going on.
>>Hasn't this guy done enough damage already?<<<
What damage are you referring to?
How do you know she has $6 million? Anyplace I can look that up?
How do you know she has $6 million? Anyplace I can look that up?
Like i'm gonna give my *real* name and address! LOL!
I'll just do what all the other Dems do, and go to local graveyards for names, and look for house addresses with
Republican candidate signs on the lawns...And vote
*their* concience..... >B-)
No Dim polster will say a word if they notice, and
ACLU plague rats will rush to defend me if a GOP
poll monitors tumbles to me "actin like a Democrat".
How *dare* they try to stop me--"us"--me from voting?
Democrats are such cheating pigs.
There were quite a few here at this forum that mentioned it at the time.
Democrats are such cheating pigs
Yep--just look at Washington State.
Your underlying message was that I was a dimwit.
Guilty as charged!:)
Are you sure about that? I was told she has recently realized that she could raise no more than 1 million dollars--not nearly enough to win the primary.
Which version?
Moore was just on Hannity and Colmes, and came across as the clown he is.
Me, too. I'm new to the state, but well aware of Moore's self-aggrandizing "epiphanies." I like Riley, and hope he beats Moore.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.