By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
On Tuesday, Republican voters in Alabama House District 74 go to the polls to select their new state representative.
Former Montgomery School Board members and education choice advocate Charlotte Borden Meadows faces Montgomery County Commissioner Dimitri Polizos in a House District 74 Special Republican Primary runoff.
Meadows is endorsed by the National Rifleman’s Association (NRA).
Meadows has been targeted by the Alabama Education Association (AEA) which has spent thousands of dollars on negative campaign advertising directed at Meadows. Meadows said,
“I’m the only candidate being attacked by the AEA, because I’m the only candidate in District 74 that believes in giving Montgomery parents a choice in where they send their kids to school.”
Meadows said, “I’m proud of the work I have done as an education advocate. Alabama’s Education system needs reform and I am not going to back down because AEA attacks me. I am the only candidate that is pushing education reform and not defending the education status quo. I support the Accountability Act because I believe it is good for our students and families.”
Polizos who is a long time restauranteur has said that he would not have supported the Accountability Act if he had been a member of the legislature at the time.
Polizos has been endorsed by the Conservative Christians of Alabama.
The polls will open on Tuesday, October 8 at 7:00 am and will close at 7:00 pm.
Charlotte Borden Meadows is a former member of the Montgomery School Board who has been running on her support for education choice in Alabama. Meadows said,
“I’m the only candidate being attacked by the AEA, because I’m the only candidate in District 74 that believes in giving Montgomery parents a choice in where they send their kids to school.”
Meadows said, “I’m proud of the work I have done as an education advocate. Alabama’s Education system needs reform and I am not going to back down because AEA attacks me. I am the only candidate that is pushing education reform and not defending the education status quo. I support the Accountability Act because I believe it is good for our students and families.”
Dimitri Polizos said on his website,
“I am running as a Republican in the upcoming special election for your state house district. Jay Love (R from Prattville) has resigned. He represented us well, and I hope to offer the kind of leadership Jay has provided for us since he was first elected in 2002. Having been a Montgomery County Commissioner since 2004, I have made my mark as a conservative, responsible public servant who places the needs of my constituents above personal and special interests. The opportunity now presents itself to take my experience to the state level, and I am ready for the challenge. I hope you will take time to learn the issues confronting state government and read about my solutions to the issues. Under the new Republican leadership in the state House and Senate. Alabama is heading in the right direction.”
The winner of the Republican Primary will fill Love’s unexpired term because no Democrat qualified to run in the heavily Republican district.
The Republican Primary Special Election was held six weeks ago. Commissioner Polizos had 46% of the votes, but did not have the necessary 50% plus one to win the primary runoff outright, necessitating the primary runoff. Charlotte Meadows had 32% of the Primary vote.
The seat became vacant following the resignation of Representative Jay Love this past August and will be up for re-election again in 2014 along with every other seat in the Alabama Legislature.
Polizos has been running on the slogan, “It’s time to send a businessman to the State House.” Dimitri Polizos’ father founded the long popular Riviera Restaurant in Montgomery back in the 1960s. Polizos has been a Montgomery County Commissioner since 2004.
Dimitri Polizos said on his website, “I am running as a Republican in the upcoming special election for your state house district. Jay Love has resigned. He represented us well, and I hope to offer the kind of leadership Jay has provided for us since he was first elected in 2002.”
Many political insiders see this race as a test of AEA’s influence in Republican Primaries and could be a precursor to the 2014 Republican Primary season in districts that are considered to be safely Republican.
The winner of the Republican Primary will fill Love’s unexpired term because no Democrat qualified to run in the heavily Republican district.
