The Daily Kos Elections Morning Digest is compiled by David Nir, Jeff Singer, Stephen Wolf, and Carolyn Fiddler, with additional contributions from David Jarman, Steve Singiser, Daniel Donner, James Lambert, and David Beard.
Leading Off
● AL-Gov: Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox has been mulling seeking the Democratic nomination for governor of Alabama, and on Thursday, he announced that he was forming an exploratory committee. Maddox says he's still deciding, though he put out a very candidate-like statement and video. Maddox did not say when he expects to make a final decision.
Maddox didn't hide his party affiliation, writing, "There's something else you need to know. I'm a Democrat. While many have urged me to change parties for the sake of political convenience, that would be dishonest. Dishonest with you and dishonest with myself." Still, Maddox argued that "the days of running for the Democratic Party or for the Republican Party need to end." Maddox told the Montgomery Advertiser that Alabama needs a break from its many recent scandals; most dramatically, GOP Gov. Robert Bentley resigned in May after trying to cover up an affair with a top staffer. The Yellowhammer State is incredibly conservative, but Democrats may have an opening if they can make the case that change is needed.
Democrats don't have a very large bench here, but Maddox has long been mentioned as a rising star. Maddox earned some attention for his work helping Tuscaloosa recover from the destructive 2011 tornados, and he recently won a fourth term with ease. However, if Maddox runs, he won't have a clear path to the Democratic nod. Former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb, one of the last Democrats to win statewide office, is in. However, Cobb made some enemies in the party when she resigned in 2011, which allowed Bentley to pick her successor; she also backed then-Sen. Jeff Sessions' nomination to become attorney general.
A few other Democrats, most notably 2010 nominee Ron Sparks, have also expressed interest. Things are even more unsettled on the GOP side, where new Gov. Kay Ivey has yet to announce her 2018 plans, but several Republicans are running regardless of what she does.
from Daily Kos http://ift.tt/2txlewe
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