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EDITOR OF REDSTATE

Washington Bleeding in Alabama

By: Erick Erickson (Diary)  |  June 1st, 2010 at 11:26 PM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

Tonight in Alabama the Democrats were crushed. Democrats crushed even Democrats. Popular congressman Artur Davis, running for Governor of Alabama, was crushed with an anti-Washington message.

Parker Griffith, the Democrat turned Republican was likewise crushed by challenger Mo Brooks who pounded on Griffith for being a Washington opportunist.

It’s easy for us to say this is a Democrat bloodbath, but the truth of the matter is this is a very volatile anti-Washington mood. Alabama is just the latest state to experience it.

The road to November is going to be paved in the scalps of incumbents.

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COMMENTS

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  • Doc Holliday

    any Alabamians want to comment? I know it was just a commercial, but why did he lose so badly?

  • acat

    Because I don’t see where there were any races in Arizona today…

    Otherwise, agree – there’s a strong anti-Washington vibe outside the D.C. Beltway…

    Mew

  • smitch61

    heard a very lengthy conversation on how voting for anybody of any party who has never served one day in Washington was going to get their vote…..

  • arrowshot

    I am so glad to see that crap-weasel (thanks Michelle) Parker Griffith hung up by his own petard (or whatever body parts you think are approriate). Afraid the Governors race may end up in a run-off though and Tim James is heavily backed by the teacher and other unions. He and Bradley Byrnes are basically tied and Roy Moore took 20% of the vote. Question is will enough people get out to vote to ensure Byrnes survive a run-off. This is where the rubber hits the road and getting the vote out to ensure he wins.

  • redtillimdead

    Also a big win.Robert Bentley may or may not make it into a run-off tonight. He looks like he could. No one expected him to make it even in the top 3. He ran a great campaign and would be very hard to beat in the general. He beat back establishment candidates Bradley Byrne and Tim James. He ran on a message of no pay for the governor until everyone has a job and ran a strong grassroots campaign.

  • http://www.suvstrategery.blogspot.com SoFiMil

    electorate were wrong, but that it was rather an anti-big government electorate (as witnessed by Bob Bennett not even making it to the second round.)

    I’m not yet convinced it’s anti-Washington, but I’m no longer sure it’s anti-big government either (as witnessed by Arthur Davis not winning the Democrat nomination although he voted against health care.) There’s some additional factors at play with Congressman Davis, and it will be interesting to assess the dynamics of these factors compared to his opposition to ObamaCare.

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    Republican incumbents are dropping like flies in the primaries… but Democrat incumbents are going to go down in the general, too.

  • politicschickrtr

    …except maybe he didn’t travel the state as much or that he relied too much on his ad going viral and getting his message out. The race is actually tightening as I type, though. Dorman is a good man too – maybe he can pull it out. I’m also crushed that crooks Shelby and Bachus remain in office. Bachus had a good challenger and the challenger against Shelby got a very late start…still pulling 15% of the vote. It’s going to be a painful to watch them in the coming years.

    The GOP governor’s race is neck and neck….keeping my fingers crossed w/you arrowshot!

  • http://www.erickerickson.org Erick Erickson

    ;)

  • conservativecrusade

    n/t

  • BooBooKitty

    it did not make much of a real stir at home. I mean come on… guns and good ol’boys are just a part of life here. I think the vote had more to do with a relatively small but highly motivated base that considers this office very important and the rest of the electorate that may or may not decide to put a mark through a name that “looks” trustworthy.

  • Adjoran

    I could be missing some, but I count Bennett in the Senate and Griffith, the recent party-switcher, in the House. The state offices below Governor don’t mean much nationally.

    Now, Democrats should be going down – hard – in the midterms, after foisting upon us a socialized health care bill they had to hide half the costs of, a wasted second-half of TARP money, a trillion-$ “stimulus” bill which didn’t, retreat and defeat abroad, disasters at home (hey, if Bush was responsible for hurricanes, Obama gets the blame for floods, mining disasters, and oil spills), and a general lack of basic competence above an eighth-grade level.

    The only Republican incumbents in trouble this year are those who ignored the basic principles of conservatism, or who angered their constituents with particular votes. I don’t even think the public mood is necessarily so much anti-incumbent, although Congress is rated “lower than dirt in a chicken yard” in most polls, as “Oh. My. God. Are you people just crazy?” mad. The last straw has been strewn for a lot of people.

  • usaltc

    hardly ran in the state and when it did it was under 15 seconds. He wasn’t visible enough.

  • usaltc

    Dr. Bentley gets to the run-off.

  • mdd1956

    because they made Pelosi / Reed possible

  • Doc Holliday

    I hope we get the best man for the job.

  • janis

    politicians who’ve never served in Washington a day in their lives are having to actually campaign for their jobs for a change. The anti-incumbency fervor stretches from D.C. all the way back to jobs such as county executive, county trustee and county sheriff.

    Anyone who’s been in office for a number of years is going to have a fight on their hands to get re-elected in lots of places this year. The electorate is in full-on “Throw the bums out” at this point.

  • http://theminorityreportblog.com Repair_Man_Jack

    He carried a piece of paper in his pocket w/ a biolerplate description of his job. Anytime anyone asked him about what he’d do in office, he just read the boilerplate. Great ad. Joke of a candidate.

  • SIConservative

    Pelosi laughed a couple of months ago when Boehner suggested that over 100 Democrat seats were in play. He may have been right. What he might not realize, though, is that more Republican seats than we care to think about could also be in play. The same is true in the Senate. A recent poll even showed Sen. DeMint under 50%, albeit with a 19 point lead. Before November, but even then, those of us who pay close attention could be in for some real shockers.

  • Warrior

    I’m from AL too and I will analyze briefly, if I may.

    Parker Griffith was not a Republican. He was a turncoat opportunist a la Arlen Specter. We have known about him for many years and it is with relish that we flush him away. Thank God and Greyhound he’s gone, as the song says…

    Bradley Byrne, former director of the state’s two year college system. Not my first choice, but he does have a huge recommendation: he scares the He** out of the local NEA mini-me, i.e. the AEA (Alabama Ed Assoc.) They oppose him 100% because he has declared war on them. Frankly, I would vote for Buggs Bunny if he opposed the teachers’ unions. They will have to be busted if we are ever to get our country back from the socialists.

    Tim James: Good Ole Boy. His dad was former AL gov Fob James. Great Ad (even spoofed on You Tube), but not much else. Maybe in a couple of election cycles.

    Roy Moore: He’s the one we really needed, although he wouldn’t have won in the general, obviously. He has stood up to unconstitutional DC diktats before. (He placed a five ton marble stone on which were carved the Ten Commandments in the Statehouse and refused a federal court order to remove it.) That kind of backbone is what we will need to wrench our country back from the morally challenged, brie and chablis, Blame America First crowd. His CV is impeccable, West Point, Vietnam, DA, Judge – even a one-time kick boxing champion. He’s the whole package, but, alas, too conservative even for AL. (Read his book.)

    Mo Brooks: a faithful conservative who has been in there swinging for years. He deserves a chance. My only fear is that he will not take risks and become just another RNC cypher and RINO placeholder.

    Shelby has his faults, but he has been in the forefront publicly and effectively opposing Obammy. I’m willing to keep him.

    I can’t really fathom why Luther Strange edged out Troy King for AG. I know King had made himself a pariah of sorts with the local Repub leadership, but he had a strong record on crime. I’m not sure Strabge has ever prosecuted a real criminal.

    George Wallace Jr. may be the last of a long line of Wallaces seen in AL since he went down in defeat to Young Boozer (his real name) for state Treasurer, I believe. (Boozer’s parents must have a great sense of humor.) Anyway, Wallace was the incumbent, a staunch conservative and had name recognition in AL beyond par – and lost.

    So, by and large, the times, they are a’changin’.

  • gunslingr45

    Will you be commenting on Eric Holder’s ( I think) advocating for a Mosque in Virgina? I heard something about it on Christian radio last night.
    They were a little upset that the government thinks separation of Church and state only applies to Christians.

  • zollistar

    I suspect it’s a fight in every district, in every state.

    It’s important — no, crucial — not to become complacent.

  • The_Gadfly

    is because they respect the law and the law says you aren’t allowed to just shoot them.

  • janis

    And it occurs to me that the reason that many incumbents are in trouble is because of the financial situation across the country. When we were all livin’ large and money was plentiful, it was hard to get people outraged due to malfeasance in office. But now, when so many are out of work or just struggling to make ends meet every month, seeing so much of our money wasted or just “disappeared” is an outrage.

    When we are told that there isn’t enough money to get a raise this year, or even to keep a job this year, then watching those in office so casually throw away thousands or millions is more than a person can bear. Those who don’t realize this fact are doomed to get thrown on the pile of “used to be a public official”. They shouldn’t be surprised when that happens, but they will be.

  • redtillimdead

    He had some problems with gambling, don’t know much about that. The real issue though were allegations that his wife caught him having sex with a man.

  • supernaturalwitness

    I voted for cowboy guy not because of the hat or horse but because he had a 3030 winchester rifle I am soooo disappointed that he lost.

    In the governor’s race you had “i swear I dont believe in evolution” guy with 27 percent,
    “english only driver’s test” guy with 25 percent,
    “i wont take a salary until employment is 100 percent” guy with 25 percent,
    and “the ten commandments supreme court judge gets sued by the fed” guy with 20 percent. I voted for the judge. oh well, I guess I will go with “I swear I dont believe in evolution” guy in the run off.

  • rightwingmom52

    My take on the elections:

    Governor: Bentley was the surprise dark horse and I hope he wins the run-off and then the general. He doesn’t spin or dodge questions. People were turned off by the attacks between Byrne & James. Although Byrne has some baggage, like a previous poster said, I love that he stood up to the NEA, AEA & our local crook, Paul Hubbert.

    Lt Gov.: Voted for Ponder because Erwin is a career politician and Ivey ignored warnings about the PACT program.

    Ag Commissioner: Peterson lost because he was all hat and no substance with a quick temper. Gave a good speech but no details.

    6th Dist Congress: I’m sick that Stan Cooke didn’t beat Spencer Bachus in the 6th district race, but he got 24% so his name is out there now. Hope he runs again.

    Senate: Moser was too little too late against Shelby who should take notice that 15% of us voted against him.

    Atty Gen: King supported McCain, so I voted for Luther Strange.

    Treasurer: Wallace started the PACT program (pre-paid college tuition plan), so I voted for him. Despite mismanagement, PACT is a good thing and has paved the way for many kids go to college. Boozier said he was against it (although he did agree the state should honor its contractual obligations to those of us who bought into it).

  • Ireland

    I too was puzzled by the defeat of Troy King, I had hoped that he would run for Governor. He has done an excellent job as our Attorney General. He filed a lawsuit against the federal government when the deal was made between this Obama Administration and Ben Nelson’s little deal. Governor Riley has disappointed so many. High sales tax (9%) was and is being misused, it would have to be to have the deficit that we have. People may have included him in the the Riley package.

    Luther Strange is a registered Washington lobbyist, and I am so sick of these people working their way into our federal and state governments.

    I think along with Wallace it had to come down to them being incumbents, but they were doing their jobs and well too, so I don’t understand Alabamians.

    I figured that Shelby would retain his seat, but personally. I don’t like him. He’s a hypocrite and I don’t like hypocrites.

    Jo Bonner won over his challenger even though he voted for the stimulus bill.

    Judge Moore would never win a Governor’s election or in the federal government. A neighbor said his nickname for “the hanging judge” and told us that he wanted to return hanging as a legal punishment. Since we are fairly new to Alabama, I’ll have to go by what they said.

    Parker, had to know it was a risky move to switch parties. What the outcome say is both Democrats and Republican’s don’t trust you. They do it to salvage their political careers and honesty I think the American taxpayers are sick of the endless lying, half truths and misinformation.

    ——————————————————————————-

    “Are we at last brought to such humiliating and debasing degradation, that we cannot be trusted with arms for our defense? Where is the difference between having our arms in possession and under our direction, and having them under the management of Congress? If our defense be the real object of having those arms, in whose hands can they be trusted with more propriety, or equal safety to us, as in our own hands?” ? Patrick Henry

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    Yeah. It really doesn’t matter if you’re under 50 if you have a 19 point lead in a two way race.

  • SIConservative

    It’s hardly panic time, but he should be polling over 50. Under normal circumstances I’d agree with you, and like I said it’s certainly not panic time. Even so, expect undecideds to break even more heavily than usual to challengers this year. There could well be a number of seats like this one that actually end up flipping. I’m not predicting a DeMint loss, but plenty of seats that normally wouldn’t be the least bit competitive will be.

  • Warrior

    Regardless of your politics, that’s enough to kill your career in ALabama…

    I had heard some of the “tied to gambling interests” charges, but just thought they were more baseless negative attack ads…

  • Warrior

    in Alabama, so maybe I can clear some things up for you.

    Troy King has done a good job. However, even I had not heard the homosexual rumors. Alabama ain’t California, so any taint like that is almost impossible to walk away from.

    As to Gov. Riley, he’s done a better job than most. Our sales tax is 8% and has been for quite a while. Most of our deficit comes from spending on education, the largest item in our budget.

    I agree about Wallace Jr. Regardless of what you thought of his daddy, he was doing a good job.

    I also agree that Shelby sometimes plays both sides of the fence, sort of speak. Still, he is a staunch conservative and vociferous opponent of Obama – a tough combination to beat…

    Roy Moore was Chief Justice of the AL Supreme Court. I imagine “The Hanging Judge” could possibly win the governorship. However, things will have to deteriorate a lot before that happens.

    And ’nuff said about Parker. I hope I never, ever hear his name mentioned again.

  • Warrior

    Bentley is a wealthy doctor and doesn’t need Alabama’s meager governor’s salary. Besides, that will not help any one get a job.

    What I want to hear from politicians is how they will get gubmint out of the way of the private sector. Any politician who talks of “creating jobs” in any other context is just blowing smoke, or worse yet, does not yet understand that ANY gubmint spending on ANYTHING comes out of the private sector.

    ALL gubmint activity beyond the narrow scope of governing is just a drag on the private sector.