Thankfully, television remotes have a mute option. In addition to being inundated with the ads from lawyers, mattress companies and car dealers, we have had to endure the repetitive, inane and insulting ads by politicians seeking offices from governor to a county probate judge candidate and every office in between. Mercifully, the field of those individuals proclaiming to change the direction of the state will be winnowed down after next Tuesday, June 5th. Unmercifully, we will still have 5 more months to wear out the mute button on the remote. Most of my adult life I have lived in Alabama, and it is my observation and belief that the level of trashy ads this season has reached an all-time low. It seems as if the candidates are convinced the electorate throughout the state are not bright enough or savvy enough to demand more substance and less in the way of accusations and innuendos.
The office of Lieutenant Governor is the one race that leaves any thoughtful person shaking their head in disbelief that one of these individuals is but a heartbeat or a scandal away from being governor. Whether one laced their tennis shoes to go door-to-door in support of Trump in the last presidential election provides no insight about her readiness to possibly be the governor. Being a conservative Christian is not a prerequisite for holding the highest office in the state as is touted by another candidate. We see the significance of this office of Lieutenant Governor with the current governor. Her inability to be an effective leader for the state is evident in the decisions that she has made since ascending to that position. Recall that she stated that she had no reason not to believe the women who accused then candidate Roy Moore of sexual improprieties, but would vote for him because there was a need to have a Republican in the vacated senatorial seat. How can this be viewed as effective leadership? She takes credit for decisions that were made long before she became governor, such as the Toyota-Mazda decision to build a plant in north Alabama. Her decision to sign the order to have sentries in schools is an ill-conceived idea. Storing weapons in the school is nothing more than an invitation to disaster. It is conceivable that the current governor is being supported to the extent she is because she is viewed as someone who can be easily manipulated and controlled by special interest groups. The legislation to remove “economic developers” from the oversight of the ethics commission provides some potential insight to how she is controlled and manipulated.
It is unfortunate that the current governor is enjoying the fruits of incumbency. She has what appears to be a commanding lead in the polls and has raised a substantial amount of financial support. It is my belief that there are other candidates in the Republican party who have the wherewithal to be effective leaders of the state. There does not seem to be any evidence of either Battle or Hightower being under the control of others nor being manipulated by special interest groups. The future of the state would best be served if the primary leads to a runoff for the governor’s position. Governor Ivey does not come across as the kind of individual that can foster a brighter future for the state. Although a doctor has stated that she is in good health, when she talks with the raspy tone of a retired auctioneer, it raises the suspicion that all might not be well with her health. If there should be health issues, then we would be looking at the ineptness of whomever wins the race to be the Republican candidate for Lieutenant Governor. Lord help us!