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Steve Flowers

Steve Flowers

Steve Flowers served 16 years in the state legislature. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. Steve may be reached at [email protected].

GOP Senate runoff in less than two weeks

Folks, we are less than two weeks away from our election contest for our U.S. Senate seat.  The runoff between former Senator Jeff Sessions and former Auburn football coach, Tommy Tuberville may be close and will be interesting. The two conservatives were in a virtual dead heat in the March 3rd GOP primary.  Congressman Bradley … Continued
July 1, 2020

How has coronavirus affected Alabama politics?

As we end the first half of 2020, there is no doubt that the coronavirus is the story of the year.  The coronavirus saga of 2020 and its devastation of the nation’s and state’s economic well-being may be the story of the decade. How has the coronavirus affected Alabama politics?  The answer is negligibly, if … Continued
June 24, 2020

Why George Wallace said “no” to the U.S. Senate

My next book on Alabama politics will expound on who I believe have been the top 60 political leaders in Alabama over the past 60 years. More than likely in any political historian’s book George Wallace and Senator Richard Shelby would rank as the top two.  The question is, “Who gets the number one spot?” … Continued
June 17, 2020

Senate runoff resumes with Trump, Sessions in a Twitter battle

The U.S. Senate runoff between former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville and former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions was put on hold by the coronavirus.  The original primary on March 3 had Tuberville and Sessions in a dead heat.  The runoff was scheduled for March 31.  However, the pandemic shutdown placed a freeze on everything … Continued
June 11, 2020

Stellar group studying gambling in the state

Another legislation session has passed, and Alabama still has no lottery. Actually, the Legislature does not in itself have the authority to pass a state lottery, they can only authorize a ballot initiative to let you vote on a lottery.  It takes a constitutional amendment. The lottery would pass in a vote in Alabama simply … Continued
June 3, 2020

Mike Hubbard conviction finally upheld

Over the past four years during my travels and speaking events over the state, the most asked question posed to me has been, “Why in the world is Mike Hubbard not in jail?” It was four years ago in June 2016 that the Speaker of the Alabama House of Representatives, Mike Hubbard, was convicted by … Continued
May 27, 2020

Speaker Sam Rayburn and Congressman Bob Jones

The legendary Speaker of the U.S. House, Sam Rayburn, coined a famous phrase he used often and imparted to young congressmen when they would arrive on Capitol Hill full of vim and vigor.  He would sit down with them and invite them to have a bourbon and branch water with him.  The old gentleman, who … Continued
May 20, 2020

The 1965 special succession session

The legislature meets in regular session every year for three-and-a-half months. However, an extraordinary special session can be called by the governor if he/she deems there is a dire emergency in the state government that needs addressing. This provision in the Constitution gives the governor inherent advantage in a special session. The official proclamation calling … Continued
May 13, 2020

Budget is priority number one for Legislative Session

The 2020 Regular Legislative Session has resumed after a six-week hiatus due to the coronavirus shutdown of the state and nation. The session must end by May 18, 2020. The only thing they will do is pass barebones budgets. The most important and actually the only constitutionally mandated act that must be accomplished is the … Continued
May 6, 2020

Alabama leaders under 45 who affect the political arena

Last week I discussed Alabama’s outstanding leaders in the political arena.  This week allow me to share with you some of the state’s leaders under 45 who are shaping and molding our state from outside the actual pit of the political arena. The most prominent political power in the under 45 category, who is not … Continued
April 29, 2020