AP: Moore rates ahead of Riley in poll (today's Birmingham News)

[LizW]

A New poll shows Roy Moore with a lead over Gov. Bob Riley in the race for the 2006 Republican gubernatorial nomination, a potential boost for the former chief justice should he decide to run for office.

A Mobile Reguster-University of South Alabama poll of likely Republican primary voters shows Moore with a lead of 8 percentage points over Riley in a hypothetical primary matchup. Moore drew support from 43 percent of respondents, while the governor garnered 35 percent.

(snip)

Poll director Keith Nicholls, a political scientist at South Alabama, said the results indicate the 2006 nomination is "Moore's for the taking."

(Sorry, no link. I read this in the print edition and I don't see it online yet.)

I don't know if this is good or bad. One part of me thinks Moore is such a nut that Seigelman could beat him, but then the pessimistic part of me thinks Moore might win in a landslide and turn Alabama into a loony and repressive theocratic state.

[Dhalgren]

1. Seigelman won't run - too damaged.

But Baxley looks better and better all the time. And she polls very well across the board. Alabama has already had a woman governor, so that is no obstacle and Lucy just may be the only candidate the Democrats have that could stand up against Roy Moore and the "Alabama Taliban".

edit: called her "Baxter"!

[Syrinx]

4. I think Siegelman will indeed run

He's doing this "listening-tour" thing that Hilary did before running for Senate. No doubt, he has some sleazy characteristics, but I think he will run, and between him and Moore, or even Riley, I will vote for him enthusiastically.

[misanthrope]

8. Are you kidding?...

...Alabama's only female governor was Lurleen Wallace, wife of George C. Wallace. George was prohibited by law from serving more than two successive terms, so Lurleen was, for all practical purposes, appointed governor to serve between George's successive terms. A vote for her was actually a vote for him and they did nothing to hide the fact.

Stop framing this subject to make the state look more progressive than it really is. How many women have served as governor, lt. governor, or even treasurer since then? Better yet, how many females has the Heart of Dixie elected to the U.S. Senate or even the U.S. House since then?

And a Democrat has practically no chance to win any statewide election in Alabama anymore. None. The ONLY reason Siegelman won a couple of years ago was because of the lottery issue, and once that died, so did his career. Bama is hard-core Republican and getting moreso by the day. If Roy Moore wins the GOP nomination, he wins the general election.

[jody]

2. Moore the governor, then the senate when Shelby retires, then

the presidency. :puke:

[Syrinx]

5. between W and Roy Moore...

I'd probably go with Moore. But let's hope it doesn't come to that.

[Syrinx]

3. here's a link

I agree with your thoughts.

And you know, Riley hasn't been that bad. He tried the progressive tax-reform plan that failed. He's not bad at all, as far as "conservative" Republicans go. I might have to vote in Pug primary this go-round.

http://www.al.com/newsflash/regional/index.ssf?/base/news-11/110598234892910.xml&storylist=alabamanews

[LizW]

6. Thanks for posting the link

I guess if we have to have a Repug governor, Riley's not so bad.

It could be that the religious right and the business factions of the Alabama GOP might get in a bloody primary battle. I'll enjoy that. :)

[bamacrat]

7. Scary. Does anyone else think he looks like George Wallace?

[quaoar]

9. Better get used to Gov. Roy Moore

Cuz it's gonna happen.

Y'all must have missed the big political news from last week that will decide the governor's race:

Republicans are pushing for an anti-gay marriage law in Alabama. They could easily get it through the state legislature, but they don't want to do that. They want to make it a constitutional amendment so it will have to be approved by voters -- in 2006. The idea being to bring Roy's Army out in droves to protect Alabama from the horror of gay marriage.

And it will work.

[MelissaB]

10. Crap! I missed that.

Anybody else thinking of registering as a republican?

[Syrinx]

11. see post 3 :)

Unless they've changed the rules recently, you don't have to be a registered Republican to vote in their primary. You do have to be a registered Democrat to vote in ours though. Unless I'm wrong, which has been known to happen. ;)

[southlandshari]

13. You are right!

Any registered Alabama voter can vote in Republican primaries in the state, regardless of party affiliation (if any). I ran into many a fellow Dem voting for various candidates we hoped would be the lesser of evils in judicial primaries in 2003. Don't know about Democratic primaries (when was the last time we had one in this state?!).

Which is why I have hope that Riley will defeat Moore in a primary election, should both of them enter the governor's race next year.

[BamaLefty]

12. It Could Pass 90-10%

Defense of Marriage Amendment in Alabama I am talking about...

Roy Moore would win by 50%. I will say that I would rather have the religous over the corporate gurus. :/

[southlandshari]

14. Riley mentioned on "any Republicans you like" thread today

thanks to quaoar! I seconded quaoar's post on Riley because I really do like the guy. Most of my admiration comes from his attempts to change our antiquated and repressive tax system and from my observations of his approach to state appropriations last year after Amendment One failed.

He has seemed willing to do what is right rather than what is popular, and that is far too rare among politicians, not just in Alabama. It is exactly what I want my elected officials to do.

If you like Riley, put in a plug for him here (even if he is a Republican - our poor state is so maligned here we can use positive recognition anywhere we can get it!):

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=1535943#1536264