By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
From Reconstruction until 2010 the Alabama Democratic Party has been in control of the Alabama House of Representatives. In 2010 however, under the leadership of Alabama Republican Party Chairman/then minority leader Mike Hubbard (R) from Auburn the Alabama Republican Party won a majority of seats in the Alabama House of Representative. In fact they won a filibuster proof super-majority. Anything that the Republican Supermajority wants to do in the House they are able to do. After qualifying ended 5:00 p.m. on Friday it became obvious that it is a certainty that the Republican Party will be able to hold on to their majority.
There are 105 seats in the Alabama House of Representatives. To take control of the legislature you need a minimum of 53 seats. The Alabama Democratic Party was only able to find candidates in 58 of the 105 seats. In other words, they conceded 47 House seats to the Republicans. Barring the unlikely event of a third party emerging between now and November, the Alabama Republican Party will have a minimum of 47 House seats without spending the first dollar or planting the first yard sign.
While it is still mathematically possible for Democrats to win control of the legislature they would have to win 91.4% of the races where they have a candidate to wrest a one vote majority from the Republicans.
The Republicans on the other hand have conceded 18 mostly majority minority seats to the Democrats. With 47 seats safely Republican, the Republicans in the House only need to win 6 out of the 40 contested seats (15%) to retain control of the House. To retain a filibuster proof super-majority of 63 House seats, the Republicans need to win 16 out of the 40 contested seats (40%). If you factor in weak candidates and candidates in name only a Republican majority in the House for the next quadrinium is a certainty and it is very likely that the Republicans will find the votes to hold on to their supermajority in the House.
Below are the Democratic candidates for the House in the June 3 primary:
Greg Burdine (i) is running for re-election in House District 1.
Andrew “Andy” Betterton has qualified in House District 2.
Marcel Black (i) has qualified for re-election in House District 3.
Henry A. White has qualified in House District 5.
Jody Letson has qualified for House District 7.
Rex Cheatham has qualified in District 8.
Daniel H. Bowman (i) has qualified for re-election in District 16.
Don Barnwell has qualified in District 17.
Johnny Mack Morrow (i) has qualified for re-election.
Laura Hall (i) has qualified for re-election.
Patrick A. Jones and C. Terry Jones are running in District 21.
Dennis W. Stephens is running in District 22.
Jim Green is challenging John Robinson (i) in District 23.
David Beddingfield has qualified in District 24.
Jeff McLaughlin has qualified in District 27
In District 28 Craig Ford (i), the House Minority Leader, has qualified for re-election.
Michael J. Gladden has qualified in District 29.
Barbara Bigsby Boyd (i) has qualified for re-election in House District 32.
Anthony Zachero has qualified in District 33.
Stephanie Engle is running in District 35.
Josh Burns is running in District 37.
Richard Lindsey (i) has qualified for re-election in District 39.
In District 40, Ted Copeland and Lindsay Ford both qualified.
Salvatore Bambinelli is running in House District 47.
In District 52 John W. Rogers, Jr. (i) faces a challenge from Patrick Sellers.
Anthony Daniels has qualified in District 53.
In District 054 Patricia Todd (i) faces challengers: Chris Cummings and Lawrence Conaway.
Roderick “Rod” Scott (i) is being challenged by Eric Major in District 55.
Lawrence McAdory (i) faces a primary challenge in House District 56 from Louise Alexander.
In District 57 Merika Coleman (i) has qualified for re-election.
Oliver Robinson (i) has qualified for re-election in District 58.
In District 59 Mary Moore (i) faces challenges from: William A. Barnes and Chris Davis
Juandalynn “LeLe” Givan (i) faces a challenge from Arthur D. Shores Lee in District 60.
In District 65 Elaine Beech (i) has qualified for re-election.
Darrio Melton (i) has qualified for re-election in District 67.
In District 68, Thomas E “Action” Jackson (i) has qualified for re-election.
Kelvin J. Lawrence is running for House District 69.
In District 70 Christopher John England (i) has qualified for re-election.
In District 71 Artis (A.J.) McCampbell (i) faces a challenge from Wesley J. Hodges.
In House District 72, voters get to choose from: James E.Carter, Patrick S. Arrington, Ralph A. Howard, and Thomas O. Moore
Zack Buckner qualified in District 74
Therese Ford qualified in District 75
In District 76 Tracy Larkin and Maurice Rollins are challenging Thad McClammy (i).
John Knight (i) has qualified for re-election in District 77.
Alvin Holmes (i) has qualified for re-election in District 78.
In District 79 Shirley Scott-Harris has qualified
Dylan V. Oliver is running in House District 81.
Pebblin W. Warren (i) has qualified for re-election in House District 82.
George “Tootie” Bandy (i) faces challenger Ronnie Reed in District 83.
Berry Forte (i) has qualified for re-election in District 84.
Dexter Grimsley (i) has qualified for re-election in District 85.
Joel Lee Williams is running in District 89.
Chris Sells and Walton Hickman are running in House District 90.
Jennifer Marsden has qualified in District 93.
Adline C. Clarke (i) has qualified for re-election in District 97.
Napoleon Bracy, Jr. (i) is facing a challenge from Darren Flott in House District 98.
James E. Buskey (i) faces challenger Henry A. Haseeb in District 99.
Charlie L. Staten and Barbara Drummond have qualified in House District 103.
