By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
The 2016 Presidential election is a long way away but among the early names being mentioned as a possible Republican Presidential candidates is former Pennsylvania U.S. Senator Rick Santorum.
Santorum was the winner of Alabama’s 2012 Republican Presidential Primary and was the runner up to eventual nominee, Governor Mitt Romney from Massachusetts. On Wednesday that Alabama Republican Party announced that the conservative former Senator will be returning to Alabama later this month for a Republican event in Tuscumbia.
Alabama Republican Party Chairman Bill Armistead said that Senator Santorum will not be campaigning this time but instead will be helping the Alabama Republican Party continue building the Republican Party in the northwest area corner of the state (the Shoals).
Chairman Armistead said, “We are extremely pleased that Senator Santorum is taking time out of his busy schedule to come to Alabama and we are very excited to be hosting the first ever major events in the northwest part of the state sponsored by the Alabama Republican Party. The Shoals area has been typically considered a Democrat stronghold but we targeted several races last year in Colbert, Lauderdale, Lawrence and Franklin Counties and learned that we can be successful in electing Republicans in every corner of the state.”
Senator Santorum will be the special guest of honor at a Republican Party fundraiser and public event scheduled for September 26th in Tuscumbia, AL.
Armistead said that voters in 2012 elected the first Republican since reconstruction in Colbert County when David Black, the Colbert County Republican Party chairman, was elected to the County Commission. Colbert County provides the Republican Super-majority with some opportunities to pick up seats if they can increase Republican turnout and persuade more voters to vote GOP. Colbert County is represented by Democratic incumbents Representatives Marcel Black and Johnny Mack Morrow and Senator Tammy Irons.
Armistead said that Republicans are also gaining ground in Franklin County with the election last year of Probate Judge Barry Moore and County Commissioners Rayburn Massey and Chris Wallace. Revenue Commissioner Gene Ellison switched to the Republican Party earlier this year. Franklin County is represented in the Alabama House by adding yet another Republican to the growing list of elected Republicans in Franklin County.
Armistead said that electing Republicans at the local level in Lauderdale began in earnest with the election of District Judge Carole Medley in 2010 and was followed by the election of County Commissioner Roger Garner in 2012.
Since 2010 Lawrence County has elected Republicans state Rep. Ken Johnson, County Commissioners Bobby Burch, Joe Hargrove, John Mark Nelson, Circuit Judge Mark Craig and District Judge Angela Terry.
Armistead said, “Since the Shoals is no longer safe territory for Democrats we have invited Senator Santorum to come to northwest Alabama to join us in celebrating our 2012 victories and to help us prepare for even greater success in 2014.”
Santorum will attend a private fundraising reception in the Shoals area at 5 PM and will then attend a political rally and hot dog cook-out at The Tuscumbia Roundhouse located at 205 West Fifth Street in Tuscumbia, AL. The public political rally will begin at 6 PM. and the general public is invited to attend the rally. Armistead said, “There will be no charge for attending rally but contributions are gladly accepted,”
Since becoming Chairman of the Alabama GOP Bill Armistead has focused much of his energy on winning county races in counties that have been voting GOP in Presidential and Gubernatorial elections; but have had Alabama Democratic Party controlled county governments.
Sen. Santorum opposes the proposed attack on Syria and has recently endorsed conservative columnist Quinn Hillyer in Alabama’s First Congressional District race to replace the retired Jo Bonner (R).
