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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].

Inside the Statehouse: Judicial races highlighted – June 5 primary

This is not just a gubernatorial year in the Heart of Dixie. We have every constitutional office up for election which includes Lt. Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, State Treasurer, State Auditor and Agriculture Commissioner. We also have a good many of the State Judicial races on the ballot. We have nine seats on our … Continued
June 19, 2018

Inside the Statehouse: Analysis of gubernatorial primaries

Now that the dust has settled from last week’s gubernatorial primaries, let’s analyze the outcome. Governor Kay Ivey and Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox won very impressive victories. Ms. Ivey beat three well-financed opponents without a runoff. She trounced them. She garnered 56 percent of the vote to 25 percent for Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle. Evangelist Scott Dawson and Mobile … Continued
June 13, 2018

Inside the Statehouse: Buck’s pocket

You voted Tuesday on a crowded ballot. Historically, in Alabama we have voted more heavily in our Governor’s race year than in a presidential year. That is probably because we were more interested in the local sheriff and probate judge’s races, which run in a gubernatorial year, than who is president. The old adage, “all politics is … Continued
June 6, 2018

Inside the Statehouse: Senator Shelby appropriations

In my book, “Of Goats and Governors: Six Decades of Alabama Political Stories,” I suggest that based on seniority, tenure, power and prestige that Alabama’s greatest senators have been Lister Hill, John Sparkman, and Richard Shelby. Folks, Richard Shelby has probably forged to the front of that triumvirate with his elevation to the chairmanship of … Continued
May 30, 2018

Inside the Statehouse: Entering the home stretch

Folks, we are less than three weeks away from our June 5th primary. Besides the governor’s race, all of our secondary constitutional races are on the ballot. As we head into the home stretch, there appears to be very little interest in the primary elections. People seem disinterested and disillusioned. There have been a good … Continued
May 16, 2018

Inside the Statehouse: Low voter turnout expected for primary

We are less than four weeks away from our June 5th primary. Those of us who follow Alabama politics have pointed to this year as being a very entertaining and interesting gubernatorial year. However, last year’s resignation by former Governor, Robert Bentley and the ascension of Kay Ivey from Lt. Governor to the Governor’s office … Continued
May 9, 2018

Inside the Statehouse: Supreme Court races on ballot this year

Among the plethora of races on the ballot this year are the important seats on the Alabama Supreme Court. We have an unprecedented five out of nine seats up for election. Our Alabama Supreme Court as well as our Courts of Criminal Appeals are extremely conservative, pro-business and all Republican. This conservatism dates back to … Continued
April 25, 2018

Inside the Statehouse: Races to watch

Our antiquated 1901 Constitution was designed to give inordinate power to the Legislature. During the Wallace years, the King of Alabama politics, George Wallace, usurped this power and controlled the Legislature from the Executive Branch of Government. Over the last couple of decades the Legislature has wrestled this power back and pretty much excluded the Governor from … Continued
April 18, 2018