Articles written by steve flowers
Sorted by date Results 26 - 50 of 134
Are you ready to vote in the primaries?
Folks, our primaries are next week! On the Democratic side, the Presidential Preference Primary will be the big show and will be interesting to watch. On the right, the Republican Primary for the U.S. Senate Seat will be the marquee event. In...
Open Congressional seat decided in March
Over the course of history, the second congressional district has been referred to and considered a Montgomery congressional district because the Capital City has comprised the bulk of the population. In recent years a good many Montgomerians have...
Prisons a top priority for this session
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...
Legislative Session begins this week
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...
Great three-man race to replace Bryne
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...
First district has had great 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...
Methodists have dominated high offices
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...
A look at the Presidential race 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...
Gearing up for the presidential election
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...
Alabama lost great people in 2019
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...
Turnham part of 'Greatest Generation'
Famous former television news anchor, Tom Brokaw, wrote an iconic book entitled The Greatest Generation. The 1998 book chronicles the unique character of a generation of Americans. Brokaw attempted to capture the unselfish contribution of our World...
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...
Prayers are in place for elections
Qualifying has ended and the players are in place for next year’s elections. It is a Presidential year. It is up in the air as to who will be the Democratic presidential standard bearer. President Donald Trump will be the Republican nominee. It is...
McMillan, a good man for State Treasurer
Alabama is in good hands with John McMillan. A good man is in the job of State Treasurer of Alabama for the third straight quadrennium. Young Boozer served two successive four-year terms from 2010-2018. Mr. Boozer did an excellent job as Treasurer....
State Legislature not good stepping stone
Early speculation on the 2020 U.S. Senate race had state senator, Del Marsh, listed as a potential GOP aspirant. He had considered making a plunge into the Special Election contest for Jeff Sessions’ seat in 2017 but opted out. Most astute...
The story & legacy of Dr. Bronner
Dr. David Bronner has marked his place in Alabama political and governmental history. He has headed the revered Retirement Systems of Alabama Pension Funds for 45 years. When Bronner took his present job with RSA, the Retirement Systems had...
Light shown on Poarch gambling monopoly
Recently an organization was formed with the name, “Poarch Creek Accountability Now.” This nonprofit group is headed by former 40-year veteran State Senator Gerald Dial, who retired from the Alabama Senate in 2018. The stated goal of this...
Pate, Ainsworth & Hawkins under the scope
We have two men who were elected to statewide constitutional offices last year, who seem to be doing a good job. They are both working quietly and diligently in their new posts. Rick Pate was sworn in as the state’s Agriculture Commissioner in...
Edwards, Alabama legend passes away
One of the most outstanding congressmen and leaders in Alabama history is Congressman Jack Edwards. He passed away three weeks ago at age 91. He was born with the full name of William Jackson Edwards, III. However, he was always known as Jack....
Prison issue pushed to later date
The second year of the reign of Governor Kay Ivey may give her a second major accomplishment in the first two years of her term as governor. In her first year, she spearheaded the measure to increase the state’s gasoline tax in order to allow...
GOP field set for Alabama Senate race
Even though qualifying does not begin until October 8, 2019, the field is probably set for the GOP Primary in March to unseat the anomaly Democrat, Doug Jones, who is sitting in Alabama’s Republican U.S. Senate Seat. First District Congressman...
Political graveyard full of Congressmen that ran for Senate
The field is probably formulated for our 2020 Senate race. A Republican will be heavily favored to capture the seat currently held by our Democratic Senator, Doug Jones. Alabama is one of if not the most Republican states in the nation. It is quite...
Alabama unemployment at record low
During the late summer, it was revealed that Alabama’s economy set records for the number of people employed along with the lowest unemployment rate in decades. Figures released in August had the state with a record-breaking 3.3% unemployment...
The governor is getting it right
Governor Kay Ivey has had a very successful first year as governor. One of the coups she pulled off was getting the legislature to pass legislation granting the governor the power to appoint the Board of Pardons and Paroles. The new law will give...
The happens in the summer of 1969
As we say goodbye to the summer of 2019, allow me to reminisce with you and indeed commemorate more than likely a summer exactly 50 years ago that was undoubtedly the most momentous summer in American history – The Summer of 1969. It is amazing...