Like the Alabama State Senate, the State House of Representatives will have very little turnover. Our state legislative seats are becoming analogous to congressional seats when it comes to incumbency. Over 80 percent of the legislature is unopposed. The partisanship makeup and faces will be pretty much unchanged. The House will have a supermajority Republican complexion. It will remain 75 percent Republican. There will be a strong continuity of leadership in the House of Representatives between this quadrennium and the next quadrennium.
The leadership on both sides of the aisle will be returning. The speaker of the House will, again, be the respected and powerful Nathaniel Ledbetter, a Republican from Dekalb County. He will have the affable gentleman from Mobile, Chris Pringle, by his side as pro tem. The major committee chairmen will remain the same. Joe Lovvorn, R-Auburn, will chair the Rules Committee. Rep. Danny Garrett, R-Trussville, and Rep. Rex Reynolds, R-Huntsville, will chair the Budget Committees.
The Republican Leadership will return, including House Majority Leader Paul Lee, R-Dothan; Andy Whitt, R-Huntsville; Matt Simpson, R-Mobile; David Standridge, R-Blount; Reed Ingram, R-Pike Road; Alan Baker, R-Escambia; Chip Brown, R-Mobile; Chris Sells, R-Butler; Ginny Shaver, R-Cherokee; David Faulkner, R-Jefferson; Chris Blackshear, R-Russell; Steve Hurst, R-Munford; and Jamie Kiel, R-Franklin. Veteran Steve Clouse, R-Ozark, will prevail for a ninth term and will continue to lead the conservative Wiregrass delegation.
There are three young rising stars in the Republican ranks, who are returning: Brock Colvin, R-Marshall; Parker Moore, R-Morgan; and James Lomax, R-Huntsville. Lomax has an interesting challenger in his Madison County reelection bid. Former legislator and veteran, right wing Congressman Mo Brooks is running against young James Lomax. The youngster is expected to prevail, and the victory will catapult him into stardom.
Some other Republican stalwart legislators who are becoming major players in the House are Susan DuBose, R-Shelby; Corley Ellis, R-Shelby; Phillip Pettus, R-Lauderdale; Randy Wood, R-Calhoun; Margie Wilcox, R-Mobile; Allen Treadway, R-Jefferson; Frances Holk Jones, R-Baldwin; Jennifer Fidler, R-Baldwin; Donna Givens, R-Baldwin; Mike Shaw, R-Jefferson; Marcus Paramore, R-Pike/Dale; Ed Oliver, R-Tallapoosa; Mayor Jeff Sorrells, R-Hartford; Kenneth Pascal, R-Shelby; Danny Crawford, R-Limestone; Russell Bedsole, R-Shelby; Mark Gidley, R-Etowah; Leigh Hulsey, R-Shelby; Bill Lamb, R-Tuscaloosa; Ron Bolton, R-Tuscaloosa; and Troy Stubbs, R-Elmore.
There is a cadre of superstars, who came to the House during the past quadrennium who have tremendous potential and will be sterling legislators. This list includes Bryan Brinyark, R-Tuscaloosa/Fayette; Kristin Nelson, R-Chambers; Norman Crow, R-Tuscaloosa; Jeana Ross, R-Marshall; Cindy Myrex, R-Cullman; and Heath Allbright, R-Cullman.
There will be a few interesting House races. Democrat Marilyn Lands will be striving to defend her purple Huntsville Seat. Alva Lambert is attempting to capture a Democratic seat in Montgomery for the Republicans. The best race in the House will be in the Houston/Henry County seat. Incumbent Rick Rehm is being challenged by popular Henry County former Probate Judge David Money.
The Democrats will return a stellar cast of outstanding and veteran legislators. The Democratic leader Anthony Daniels, D-Huntsville, will be returning. He is special.
There are some truly outstanding women coming back, who have all been in the House for decades, including Laura Hall, D-Huntsville; Pebblin Warren, D-Macon/Tuskegee; Barbara Boyd, D-Calhoun; and Mary Moore, D-Jefferson.
There are some very distinguished gentlemen who have immense seniority and wisdom. Included in this list are Thomas Jackson, D-Clarke; Berry Forte, D-Barbour; Mayor Sam Jones, D-Mobile; A.J. McCampbell, D-Marengo; Chris England, D-Tuscaloosa; Jeremy Gray, D-Lee; and Kenyatte Hassell, D-Montgomery.
The Alabama House of Representatives will be stock full of wise leaders, and will be led by a wise, stable, strong as new rope, speaker of the House in Nathaniel Ledbetter.
See you next week.
