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].

As legislative session begins, priority will be resolving prison problems

The 2020 Legislative Session, which began last week, will be the second session of Governor Kay Ivey’s administration. For the second straight year, she and the legislature will be facing a major obstacle. The prison problem is the paramount issue for the year. The state must address and resolve this dilemma or the federal authorities … Continued

February 12, 2020

Legislative Session begins this week. Legislator abolishes his own county.

The 2020 Legislative Session begins this week. It will be an interesting three and a-half months. There are a myriad of important issues that legislators have to address this year, as always. However, standing in the way of substantive state issues each year is the necessity to address local bills. Our 1901 Constitution is archaic … Continued

February 5, 2020

1st District seat open Great Three-Man Race to replace Byrne Senate Race in full gear

The first district Congressional race is probably the best race in the state in this year’s March 3rd Primary. The winner of the March 31st GOP Primary runoff will go to Congress. The famous first district is a Republican congressional seat and has been since Jack Edwards won the seat in the Southern Goldwater landslide … Continued

January 29, 2020

First District has had outstanding congressmen

Current First District Congressman Bradley Byrne is leaving his safe congressional seat to take a shot at the U.S. Senate this year. The Mobile First Congressional District has had quite a legacy over the last century. Alabama’s First District has always been primarily made up of Mobile County. Historically, the rural southwest Alabama counties north … Continued

January 22, 2020

Methodists have dominated high offices in Alabama history

Even though there are more Baptists than Methodists in Alabama, historically Methodists have held more of the prominent political posts in the Heart of Dixie. If you look closely at these leaders’ lives, a good many of our leaders have been sons of Methodist ministers. The most famous Methodist minister in the state over … Continued

January 15, 2020

What does the presidential race look like nationally?

Our presidential primary in the Heart of Dixie is less than two months away. We vote on March 3, 2020. President Donald Trump will be the GOP nominee. It is a foregone conclusion that Trump will carry Alabama in the November General Election. One of the most intriguing revelations will be which Democratic presidential candidate … Continued

January 8, 2020

New year begins, it’s a presidential year

As the new year begins, so does a Presidential election year. For several decades, in fact for most of the twentieth century, Alabamians were more interested in state and local politics than presidential politics. In fact, from 1901 through the 1950’s there were more people voting in a Democratic Primary for Governor than in a … Continued

January 1, 2020

Legendary Alabama leaders who have passed away

As is my tradition, as the old year comes to a close, I like to pay homage to legendary Alabama leaders who have passed away. We lost some legends in 2019. Although he was a nonpolitical leader, Bart Starr passed away this year at 85. Starr was best known for being the quarterback of the … Continued

December 25, 2019

Some Henry County stories

One of the really good guys in Alabama government took over the reigns as President of the Alabama Association of County Commissioners this summer. Henry County Probate Judge and County Commission Chairman, David Money, is an extremely outstanding and quality leader for his beloved Henry County. He is revered by his folks in Abbeville, Headland … Continued

December 11, 2019

The race is on for the U.S Senate

We are less than three months away from the election for our number two U.S. Senate Seat. The winner of the Republican Primary on March 3, 2020 will be our next U.S. Senator. Winning the GOP Primary for any statewide office in a presidential year is tantamount to election in the Heart of Dixie. Jeff … Continued

December 4, 2019