AP Newsbreak: Alabama moving up presidential primary to Feb. 2

[MaineDem]

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) -- Alabama's presidential primary next year is expected to be moved up to Feb. 2, a Saturday in advance of the increasingly crowded lineup of states on Feb. 5.

Democratic and Republican leaders said Monday they are working together on a bill to move the primary away from Feb. 5, 2008 - which happens to fall on Fat Tuesday, a major Mardi Gras holiday on the Alabama coast. That change would put it right on the heels of South Carolina as an early test of candidate strength in the South.

Feb. 2 will distinguish Alabama from the growing number of states choosing Feb. 5, and it will test how Alabamians like voting on a Saturday rather than the state's traditional Tuesday voting day, House Majority Leader Ken Guin, D-Carbon Hill, said.

Legislation last year moved Alabama's primary to Feb. 5 and got presidential candidates to visit the state after years of ignoring it. With other states joining the Feb. 5 crowd, they decided to move it to an even earlier date so Alabama would "be a player no matter what," said House Minority Leader Mike Hubbard, R-Auburn, who is also chairman of the Alabama Republican Party.

That may be optimistic thinking considering how many bigger states are looking at early February for their primaries.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/N/NH_ALABAMA_PRIMARY_NHOL-?SITE=NHMAL&SECTION=STATE&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

This would put AL outside the window the DNC has established for primaries/caucuses. The earliest date allowed (for other than the first four states)is Feb 5. This will be interesting.

[BOSSHOG]

1. Primary Election versus Mardi Gras - NO CONTEST

If bubba had to choose between getting dressed up like a Mardi Gras fool (not a criticism,) drink beer all day and hanging out at a parade route til the last float goes by or voting in a primary, those seeking office would be wasting their money in Bama.

[OwnedByFerrets]

2. Despite what "some" think........

we "are" able to multi-task and I, for one, am tired of the primaries already being decided by the time they move south. I applaud this idea. It means my vote MIGHT make some little difference.

[BOSSHOG]

3. You applaud moving the primary to Saturday?

So do I. Its not an issue of multi-tasking. Its an issue of priorities. Mardi Gras is damn near a religious event in Alabama and Louisiana. I'd hate to make that choice. I'm now trying to figure out when I'm going to the quarter in the next seven days. Yes, its good the south gets a vote. I'd like to think that I'm a part of the "we" you refer to.

[OwnedByFerrets]

6. And, btw,

Thank YOU to the wonderful person who gave me the heart. It makes my day.

[Stuckinthebush]

4. Well hot damn!

My primary vote will finally mean something!

I like the idea of Saturday voting. We will see if more people vote because it is on a Saturday and they don't have to negotiate voting with work. It will be interesting.

Well this is very exciting!

[LizW]

5. And just think

Some candidates will actually come here and campaign. I might just start feeling like I'm actually part of the political process!

[Stuckinthebush]

9. Me too, Liz!

I'm still giddy.

:D

[zbdent]

7. So, Brownback will be a more viable candidate for 2008?

I guess that Alabama didn't want their favorite extremist to be mathematically eliminated before they got a chance to vote for him ...

[underpants]

8. Damn and I was going to try to get a dentist appointment that day

:bounce:

[olddad56]

10. it is a Saturday, get your dentist appointment on Sunday so you can miss church.

[Moloch]

11. Oh god...

I'd hate to see who the red-necked bamas would choose as the Democratic nominee. They'll probably write-in Zell Miller.

[OwnedByFerrets]

12. Actually, we "bamas" like the same

Democratic candidates as the rest of the country. And, if you were "just" talking about the rednecks, they all vote for republics.

[nealmhughes]

13. Who would the "red-necked bamas" be voting for in a Democratic primary?

The better quest is trying to find a "red-necked bama" in Alabama voting in the Democratic primary.

Don't look in Huntsville or Florence. Don't look in Tuscaloosa, Auburn, Bham or Mobile or Montgomery, not for Democratic voters who are "red-necked bamas," that is.

North Alabama is solidly mainstream Democratic. Much of the rest of the state is as well, especially in union households, households tied to education, high tech industry and African-American households.

That leaves a small percentage of "Bible-belt lashing" wingnuts who love Roy Moore, but get Bob Riley, who is about as liberal a Republican one could hope for in the South for Governor.

Alabama is a very complicated state politically, with a very strong populist undercurrent that has been in place since before the turn of the 20th century, and is also a state divided by regional differences, as well. It is about as complicated as is Tennessee or NYS in those respects.

Actually, Alabama has many Democratic populist heroes of whom to boast: Jim Folsom (Jr. and Sr.), Ruben Kolb, Hugo Black and even Claude Pepper before he left for Florida. The heroes of the New Deal such as Lister Hill, Jim Sparkman, and Carl Elliot...

Alabama is actually an industrial state, with a relatively small ag base these days. Auto production, transportation in general,computers and education and health care the big businesses these days.

I went to WalMarks the other day in Athens, and Lordy me! there was folks all a wearing shoes and the Black fountain and out house was gone! Then I went to Madison and had sushi and there was real live Japanese fellers cuttin' the bait...

[Moloch]

15. Well... My post was based on my personal experience of

having lived in Alabama (Mobile) for 5 years. Growing up as a gay teenager, I didn't see the wonderful progressive paradise that you described.

Lets see...

Alabama has a republican governor, two repub senators and no democratic representatives from congressional districts that aren't gerrymandered to huddle in the Black voters.

Obviously, I wasn't talking about any DUer in my characterization of dull-witted Alabama hicks so there's no need to take personal offense. You would have to agree that the overwhelming majority of Alabamians are bigoted conservatives.. I simply spent too much time there to see otherwise.

Jim Folsom was a great governor, but lets not forget that he was defeated by none other than george wallce.

hugo black was in the kkk.

[Syrinx]

16. why do think "bigoted conservatives" would vote in the Democratic primary?

I don't see anywhere in Neal's post that he called Alabama a "progressive paradise." And it's not the hell-hole that you claim either. It's somewhere between those extremes. Sure I get frustrated and angry because of the prevailing political climate here, but it's really not like a descent into hell when you drive over the border from Tennessee, Mississippi, Georgia or Florida. Or if you fly in from Virginia.

[Syrinx]

14. are you talking about the same voters...

That voted for John Kerry, Al Gore, Jimmy Carter and Jesse Jackson?