Friday the 13th did not turn out to be bad luck for us! Friday, Jan. 13, was the final day for qualifying to run for public office this year, and we closed out by making history as we qualified significantly more candidates to run for public office this year than ever before.
Get ready for this! We qualified 212 candidates for the offices of U.S. House of Representatives, Public Service Commission President, Supreme Court Justices including Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Court of Criminal and Civil Appeals, State Board of Education, Circuit Judges, District Judges and Circuit Clerks. And, Republicans currently hold all of the statewide positions except one – President of the Public Service Commission (PSC).
The Alabama Democrat Party qualified 165 people for these same positions. For some historical reference, the last time these same offices were on the ballot was in 2000 when Democrats qualified 258 candidates for the above offices, and Republicans only qualified 133.
Other than President Barack Obama, there will only be two Democrats running for statewide office this year. They are Lucy Baxley, running for re-election as PSC President and perennial candidate Harry Lyon, running for Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
29 local candidates qualify for GOP races
When the deadline for qualifying had passed on Friday, Jan. 13, at 5 p.m., a total of 29 Republican candidates had thrown their names in the hat for the various national, state and local races that will be decided this year. They included:
Mike Rogers, United States Senate, Third Congress District.
Alice Martin, Calhoun County Probate Judge
Laura Phillips, District Judge (Place No. 1)
Mannon Bankson, District Judge (Place No. 2)
Chris McIntyre, District Judge (Place No. 2)
Ray Bryan, Circuit Judge
Brian Howell, Circuit Judge
L.H. “Bud” Turner, Circuit Judge
Eli Henderson, Circuit Clerk
Tina Walker, Circuit Clerk
19 qualify for County Board of Education races
If qualifying is any indication, the Calhoun County BOE will again be compromised predominantly of Republicans as 19 of 22 candidates seeking the positions stand under the GOP banner. They include:
Mike Almaroad (incumbent)
Tobi Burt
Ronald D. Chambless
June Evans (incumbent)
David Gilmore (incumbent)
Jason Granholm
Dale Harbin (incumbent)
Trudy Hardegree
Debbie Hess
Doug Mooneyham
Dara Murphy
Phil Murphy (incumbent)
Joseph K. Robertson
Robert Smith
Larry Stewart (incumbent)
Gene Taylor
Jeff Winn
Jerry Yarbrough
Tom Young (incumbent)
Vote in the state party’s January Presidential poll
The Alabama Republican Party asks you to let them know which Presidential candidate you were planning on voting for in our upcoming March 13th primary.
They conducted the same type poll last month and the results showed that Newt Gingrich currently had the highest amount of support, with Ron Paul coming in a close second and Rick Perry and Mitt Romney were close on their heels.
But a lot has happened since then, specifically the Iowa caucus, the New Hampshire primary and one of the candidates dropping out.
In light of that they want to know if your mind has been changed or are you still solidly supporting your original choice?
To participate in the January poll, click here and be sure to answer an additional question included this time concerning your choice for the Vice Presidential nomination.
