By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
The ‘Alabama Political Reporter’ talked with persons at the Alabama GOP headquarters yesterday inquiring about former State Senator Tom Butler’s status. We were told over the phone that Senator Butler will not be on the March 13 Republican Primary ballot running for the Madison County Commission.
The long-time Democratic Party State Senator was defeated in his bid for reelection in 2010. In November of last year, former Senator Butler announced that he was switching parties and becoming a Republican and was going to be a candidate for the Madison County Commission district two. Despite an endorsement from former Republican Governor Bob Riley, the Madison County Republican Executive Committee voted to reject Sen. Butler’s application to run on the party’s ballot saying that the long-time Democrat was too liberal to run on the Republican ballot. Sen. Butler then filed an appeal of the Madison County decision to the state Republican Party. The state Republican executive committee has elected not to hear the appeal and Sen. Butler will not be on the March 13 Republican Primary ballot running for the Madison County Commission. Sen. Butler spent 28 years in the Alabama legislature as a member of the Alabama Democratic Party.
In other news, Tuscaloosa businessman Stan Pate will be on the Republican Party Primary ballot as a candidate to represent Alabama’s Sixth Congressional District in the United States Congress. There was some discussion in Birmingham talk radio of challenging Pate’s Republican credentials on the grounds that he had supported Democratic party candidates in the past. Officials at Alabama GOP headquarters says that no challenge was filed and Stan Pate will be on the March 13 Republican Primary ballot. Mr. Pate does not live in the recently redrawn Sixth Congressional District, but this is not a requirement to run for Congress.
Any Alabama resident can run for any of Alabama’s seven congressional districts. Stan Pate is perhaps best known for his public feud with former Republican Governor Bob Riley. Mr. Pate will be running against incumbent Congressman Spencer Bachus from Vestavia. State Senator Scott Beason from Gardendale, Blount County Probate Judge David Standridge, Tea Party Activist Al Mickle, and Justin Barley are also running in the Republican Party Party to represent the Sixth District. The winner of the March 1 Republican Party primary will face the winner of the Democratic Party Primary in the General Election on November 6. Either retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Penny Bailey from Leeds or Birmingham attorney Bill Barnes will represent the Alabama Democratic Party in the general election.
