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Bill Hightower

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

Tommy Battle campaigns in Dekalb County

Gubernatorial candidate Tommy Battle was among a number of Republican statewide candidates that were in Dekalb County on Friday at a candidate’s forum hosted by State Representative Nathaniel Ledbetter, R-Rainsville, and State Senator Steve Livingston, R-Scottsboro. Battle touted his experience as mayor of Huntsville and the rising economic tide in North Alabama. “All of us … Continued
June 4, 2018

Message from Alabama’s election system: Don’t vote

The two gubernatorial debates this week before the American Legion’s Alabama Boys State at the University of Alabama were important. There couldn’t be a better contrast between the Republican and Democratic parties based on these debates. On Tuesday night, only two of the four Republicans showed up to speak before the 600-plus Boys State delegates. … Continued
June 1, 2018

Alabama Citizens for Life makes endorsements

Alabama Citizens for Life have made their endorsements ahead of the party primaries on June 5. The group said in a statement, “Alabama Citizens for Life is urging all pro-life voters to vote for The Pro-Life Leaders endorsed candidates.” For Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, Justice Tom Parker (R). For Governor, Gov. Kay … Continued
May 22, 2018

APR’s League of Influentials offer predictions in the upcoming Republican primary

During the first two weeks of May, the Alabama Political Reporter asked its League of Influentials to weigh in on upcoming Republican statewide elections. The Influentials are a roster of lawmakers from both parties, political analysts, members of the media, lobbyists and consultants that span the political spectrum. The survey finds Gov. Ivey with a … Continued
May 21, 2018

GOP candidates speak to Huntsville Tea Party

Three of the four Republican candidates for governor were in Huntsville at the Huntsville Tea Party gubernatorial forum. Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle said that as Mayor he has brought 24,000 jobs to the City of Huntsville and that he wants to do the same thing, just bigger for the whole state. Battle said that he … Continued
May 21, 2018

Patricia Todd, state’s first openly gay lawmaker, insinuates Gov. Ivey may be gay

Alabama’s first openly gay lawmaker — Rep. Patricia Todd, a Democrat — suggested that Republican Gov. Kay Ivey is gay in a tweet posted to her account Tuesday evening. Ivey’s campaign responded immediately, calling Todd’s comments a “disgusting lie.” In the tweet, Todd wrote, “Will someone out her for God’s sake….I have heard for years … Continued
May 16, 2018

Hightower campaigns for Young Republican votes

Sen. Bill Hightower was at Birmingham’s Southside on Thursday campaigning for governor among the Birmingham Young Republicans. “It is tough to know who you are going to vote for,” Hightower said, but the candidate urged the audience to consider carefully. Hightower grew up in Birmingham and then moved to Mobile in his youth. He went … Continued
May 11, 2018

After Scott Dawson’s release of medical information, Gov. Ivey is the only GOP holdout

Birmingham evangelist Scott Dawson, one of four GOP gubernatorial primary candidates, became the third candidate to release medical information from his doctor on Tuesday. After Dawson’s release of his medical information, that leaves Gov. Kay Ivey, who is seeking her first full term as governor, as the only GOP candidate who has yet to release … Continued
May 9, 2018