Posts

Archives

Remember the 1986 Governor’s race

Alabama’s leading Political Columnist Steve Flowers

Since this is a gubernatorial election year, allow me to share an epic Governor’s Race with you.

The 1986 Governor’s race will be remembered as one of Alabama’s most amazing political stories. In 1978 Fob James sent the Three B’s, Brewer, Beasley and Baxley packing. Brewer and […]

Richard Shelby one of the greatest Senators

Alabama’s leading Political Columnist Steve Flowers

A few months back the Jefferson County Republican Party honored our Senior U.S. Senator, Richard Shelby. It was held at The Club in Birmingham. The view from atop Red Mountain from this elegant club is spectacular, especially at night from the ballroom. The glass enclosure allows you […]

Steve Flowers: Senate race is Clash of the Titans

Alabama’s leading Political Columnist Steve Flowers

The very interesting and entertaining Republican Primary for our open U.S. Senate seat culminates this Tuesday with the clash between two Titans. Judge Roy Moore and Big Luther Strange will be in a Titanic battle to fill the seat left vacant when Jeff Sessions became U.S. Attorney […]

This Week in Alabama Politics

Alabama’s leading Political Columnist Steve Flowers

Well, folks, the field is set for the sprint to fill the open U.S. Senate seat of Jeff Sessions. The primary is less than three months away on August 15. There will probably be a run-off on September 26 and the winner of that GOP run-off […]

This Week In Alabama Politics: Bentley will be known as the “Luv Guv”

Alabama’s leading Political Columnist Steve Flowers

Well, folks, let’s put the final coup de grace to the Robert Bentley six year Governor’s reign and move on. Ole Bentley was quite a story his last two years. He had become the ringleader of a circus and an infamous national cartoon character. The salacious and […]

Steve Flowers: This Week in Alabama Politics

Alabama’s leading Political Columnist Steve Flowers

This past year in Alabama politics was surprisingly more interesting than was expected. The judicial inquiry commission removed Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore from the bench for telling the probate judges in the state to not perform marriage ceremonies for gay people. He said marriage should […]

Steve Flowers: Times have changed in Alabama politics

Alabama’s leading Political Columnist Steve Flowers

Historically speaking, Alabamians have been more interested in the governor’s race than presidential politics.

For years, from 1876 to 1964, we were a totally Democratic state, more so out of tradition than philosophically. The hatred for the radical Republican Reconstruction shackles invoked on the South made an […]

Shelby won an uphill battle to unseat Jeremiah Denton

Alabama’s leading Political Columnist Steve Flowers

Our Senior U.S. Senator Richard Shelby will begin his sixth six-year term in January. He is an Alabama treasure. Over the past 30 years as our Senator he has brought millions of federal dollars home to Alabama.

[…]

Steve Flowers: Baxley tells a real knee slapper

Alabama’s leading Political Columnist Steve Flowers

Ole Bill Baxley has been in the news a lot this year. He was the lead defense counsel for former Speaker Mike Hubbard’s ethics conviction trial over in Opelika. Baxley practices law in Birmingham and is one of the state’s premier and most expensive criminal defense lawyers. […]

FLOWERS: Alabama hasn’t gone Democrat since Jimmy Carter in 1976

Alabama’s leading Political Columnist Steve Flowers

As if we have not been inundated enough with politics this year, hold on to your seats. Over the next few weeks that is all you will hear, read or see. The Republican Convention is set for today, the 18-22nd, in Cleveland and the Democratic Convention will […]

Impeachment unlikely with few days left in session

Alabama’s leading Political Columnist Steve Flowers

There appears to be very little interest in promoting an effort to impeach Governor Robert Bentley. With very few legislative days left in the session, legislators have a myriad of problems to deal with, not the least of which are the budgets, especially the General Fund. The […]

Trump has been story of the year

Alabama’s leading Political Columnist Steve Flowers

This has been an exciting election year when it comes to presidential politics. It has been an extraordinarily unusual and unpredictable presidential contest to say the least, especially on the Republican side.

[…]

This Week in Alabama Politics: Where are they now?

Alabama’s leading Political Columnist Steve Flowers

A good friend and loyal reader suggested to me that he would like to see a column entitled, “Where Are They Now?” Then I ran into former Gov. Albert Brewer at a Birmingham restaurant and it prompted me to do that column. Gov. Brewer has always been […]

Donald Trump is “George Wallace and Big Jim Folsom rolled into one”

Alabama’s leading Political Columnist Steve Flowers

The presidential primary parade has been colorful and fun to watch this year. It has been even more amusing because of the pervasive presence of one Donald Trump and the fact that those of us in the Heart of Dixie have a front row seat to the […]

This Week in Alabama Politics: “Shelby has been stalwart appropriator for Alabama”

Alabama’s leading Political Columnist Steve Flowers

We are only a few weeks away from our March 1st primary. We have an early primary date this year due to the fact that we are in the SEC Presidential Primary. Therefore, we will have some say in who will be the GOP and Democratic nominees.

[…]

LBJ stories: “Dead people have a right to vote too”

Alabama’s leading Political Columnist Steve Flowers

There are a good many stories about elections of the 1940’s and 50’s where votes were bought and elections stolen. The most brazen and blatant stealing of an election occurred in the 1948 race for the U.S. Senate in Texas. The players were Coke Stevenson versus Lyndon […]

This Week in Alabama Politics: AEA died with Hubbert

Alabama Political Columnist Steve Flowers

As discussed last week, several of the headline Alabama news stories of 2015 may also be the blockbusters of 2016. The Mike Hubbard trial and the decision of the federal courts on Alabama’s legislative district lines will be determined in the first half of this […]

This week in Alabama Politics: Hubbard architect of Republican takeover

Alabama Political Columnist Steve Flowers

A good many of the news stories that were the most noteworthy events of 2015 will continue into this new year of 2016 and may repeat as the major headlines of this year. Speaker of the House Mike Hubbard will go on trial in his home of Lee […]

Steve Flowers: This Week in Alabama Politics

Alabama Political Columnist Steve Flowers

Last week we discussed the presidential race. The GOP race for the nomination has been one of the most illuminating in history. Never before have political novices been the frontrunners. It is obvious that voters prefer an outsider with no governmental experience. Donald Trump and Ben Carson would […]

Steve Flowers: This Week in Alabama Politics

As we close the final page on the 2015 book, my year-end tradition is to reminisce about the passing away of significant players on the Alabama political stage. The first obituary is not a person but an entity. The Alabama Education Association is essentially dead as a political organization. The king is […]