Gov. Kay Ivey raised more than three times as much as her nearest competitor last week, continuing to far outpace her opponents as Republican and Democratic candidates for governor enter the final week of the campaign for the June 5 primary elections. Read more.
Birmingham’s controversial PACE Board is back in action after being defunct for nearly a year. The Birmingham City Council voted Tuesday to appoint new members to the board in order to secure approval for a new restaurant at the Negro Southern League Museum, despite deep reservations by some council members over the board’s accountability. The Public Athletic, Cultural, and Entertainment Facilities Board — PACE, for short — is a five-member board created by the city in 2011 to oversee development of Regions Field and the Negro Southern League Museum. But the board drew ire from the council after construction costs for Regions Field went over budget by roughly $8 million, $4.1 million of which the council is paying off in installments through 2021. The rest of those costs were taken on by development companies Robins & Morton and A.G. Gaston Construction.
Office: Jefferson County Commission, District 2 Party: Democratic Age: 62 Residence: Birmingham Political experience: None. Professional experience: President and CEO, RAD Communications; senior official, Clinton Administration; various senior roles, state and local government; director of strategic communications, USAID in Kandahar, Afghanistan; equity partner, EcoHouse; staff member, 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. Civic experience: Public safety committee Education: Davis & Elkins
Candidates for commissioner of agriculture and industries
Secretary, Agriculture and Industries Cecil L. Murphy Jr. Party: Republican Residence: Loxley Professional Experience: Career technical and mathematics teacher; manager of family farm and timberland. Civic Experience: Youth sports coach. Education: Bachelor’s in secondary mathematics, Auburn University; bachelor’s in secondary education, University of West Alabama. Main Issues: If elected, Murphy said he is committed to expanding
Office: Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries Tracy “T.O.” Crane Party: Republican Residence: Kimberly Professional experience: President and CEO of Crane Intelligence; works in retail and security areas of food industries; certified protection professional for ASIS International security and member of its Food Defense and Agriculture Security Counsel; appointed member of the Alabama Private Investigators Board;
WBHM has been interviewing candidates vying to take over the Governor’s Office. Listen to the recordings.
Most Alabama voters have a lot of decisions to make before going to the polls June 5. All of the top statewide races are on the ballot and contested, many of them on both the Democratic and Republican sides. All of the seats in the Legislature are up for grabs this year, as are many judgeships and county offices. The state’s Democratic Party had seemed to be dwindling from a blue dot in a sea of red to something closer to a pin head. But Democrat Doug Jones’ surprise election to the U.S. Senate in December energized the party. Half again as many people signed on this year to run for the Democratic nomination to seats in the Legislature than did in 2014. More Democrats lined up to run for other local races, as well, though the increase wasn’t quite as large as for the Legislature. Even the Republican Party had a bump in people wanting to run for office this year, perhaps in a desire to stave off the threat of a Democratic resurgence. In Jefferson and Shelby counties, more than 60 races are contested by about 170 people who want their party’s nomination to run in the general election this fall. You need a scorecard to tell them apart. Read the Voter Guide.
About 170 names are on the June 5 ballot in Jefferson and Shelby County as candidates seek their party’s nomination to run in the general election. Read profiles of each candidate, including biographical information, the main issues they’re citing in their campaigns, their biggest contributors and links to more information. Find Your Candidates.
Candidates in the race for House District 73
