The Alabama Republican Party voted on Tuesday to censure James Bonner who is running for Public Service Commissioner Place 1 and urged voters not to vote for him.
Alabama Republican Party Chairman Terry Lathan made the following statement:
“On Tuesday, May 29, 2018, the Alabama Republican Party Candidate Committee voted unanimously to publicly censure and strongly condemn Mr. Jim Bonner, candidate for Public Service Commission, Place 1. Mr. Bonner’s recent comments on his social media as well as radio shows are not condoned by the Alabama Republican Party. Mr. Bonner is welcome to his opinions and his first amendment right of free speech. The Alabama Republican Party is welcome to our opinion as well, and we reject the egregious comments Mr. Bonner continues to spew.”
“Furthermore, the ALGOP Candidate Committee unanimously urges Republican voters in the June 5 primary to NOT cast votes for Jim Bonner for the Public Service Commission, Place 1.”
Bonner’s anti-Semitic, racist, misogynistic rants were reported by Alabama Political Reporter Editor-in-Chief Bill Britt.
Mistaken identity and racist, sexist, anti-Semitic posts could spell disaster in PSC race
Bonner is challenging PSC member Jeremy Oden.
Normally, one would expect Oden to beat such a poorly-known challenger easily, but Bonner shares a last name with popular retired Congressman Jo Bonner and Jo’s sister, Judy, who used to be president of the University of Alabama. Because of the general popularity of the Bonner family, Jim Bonner is polling very well, particularly in the Mobile area.
The Republican primary is on June 5.
The GOP is fearful that if Bonner somehow wins this primary, then-Democratic candidate Cara Y. McClure could win the PSC seat in November, and Bonner’s “off-color” comments could become an embarrassment to the entire GOP ticket.
