By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
On Thursday, April 10, 2014 the Alabama RetailPAC, the Alabama Retail Association’s State political action committee, made its first major endorsements in advance of the 2014 campaign cycle. Included on this list are statewide judicial candidates previously endorsed in November of 2013.
Alabama Retail Chairman George Wilder said, “The Alabama Retail Association believes these candidates understand the issues retailers face and that, if elected, these individuals will give retailers’ interests a fair hearing.
Alabama Retail President Rick Brown said, “We are confident these candidates are the best choices for these positions.” The Retail Association said in their statement that they closely evaluate each candidate’s record and discusses the ramifications of each race before granting its endorsement.
Much like the powerful Business Council of Alabama (BCA), the RetailPAC appears satisfied with the current Republican dominated leadership and is endorsing almost all of that leadership.
For the state’s constitutional offices, RetailPAC endorsed: incumbent Gov. Robert Bentley (R), incumbent Lt. Gov. Kay Ivey (R), incumbent Attorney General Luther Strange (R), Agriculture Commissioner John McMillan (R), incumbent State Treasurer Young Boozer (R), and Public Service Commissioner Place 1 Jeremy Oden (R).
Lt. Gov. Kay Ivey said, “Alabama retailers are an important part of the fabric that holds this state together. Their investments in our communities is the cornerstone of the economic engine that helps improve the quality of life in Alabama. I am honored and very proud to receive their endorsement.”
The only incumbent state wide office holder that RetailPAC refused to endorse is PSC Place 2 Commissioner Terry Dunn (R). For that office RetailPAC endorsed Chip Beeker (R).
On Monday, April 14 Chip Beeker said in a statement,
“Last week, I was honored to receive the endorsement of Alabama Retail PAC, the political action committee of the Alabama Retail Association. This group is made up of over 4,000 independent merchant and national company members that sell food, clothing, furniture and other general merchandise at more than 6,000 locations throughout Alabama. My message of protecting consumers, job creation, improving our economy and pushing back against the overreach of the federal government is resonating across the state. I truly appreciate the Alabama Retail Association for recognizing my commitment to conservative, pro-business values. I am grateful for their support.”
In the two Statewide constitutional offices where no incumbents were on the ballot RetailPAC endorsed for Secretary of State: Rep. John Merrill, (R) from Tuscaloosa and for State Auditor: current Alabama Secretary of State Deputy Chief of Staff Adam Thompson (R).
The Alabama Retail Association PAC endorses all the current federal incumbents on the ballot: U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R), 1st District U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne (R) from Montrose, 2nd District U.S. Rep. Martha Roby (R) from Montgomery, 3rd District U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (R) from Saks, 4th District U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt (R) from Haleyville, 5th District U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks (R) from Huntsville, and 7th District U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (D) from Birmingham.
In the open 6th District the group has endorsed: State Rep. Paul DeMarco (R) from Homewood.
For the appellate court races, RetailPAC endorses these unopposed incumbents:
◾Place 1 Associate Supreme Court Justice Greg Shaw
◾Place 1 Court of Civil Appeals Judge William C. “Bill” Thompson
◾Place 2 Court of Civil Appeals Judge Scott Donaldson
◾Place 1 Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Mary B. Windom
◾Place 2 Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Beth Kellum
For the Alabama Senate, RetailPAC endorses:
◾District 2: Incumbent Sen. Bill Holtzclaw, R-Madison
◾District 3: Incumbent Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur*
◾District 4: Incumbent Sen. Paul Bussman, R-Cullman
◾District 5: Incumbent Sen. Greg Reed, R-Jasper*
◾District 6: Incumbent Sen. Roger Bedford, D-Russellville
◾District 7: Incumbent Sen. Paul Sanford, R-Huntsville
◾District 8: Steve Livingston, R-Scottsboro
◾District 9: Incumbent Sen. Clay Scofield, R-Guntersville*
◾District 10: Incumbent Sen. Phil Williams, R-Rainbow City
◾District 12: Incumbent Sen. Del Marsh, R-Anniston
◾District 13: Incumbent Sen. Gerald Dial, R-Lineville
◾District 14: Incumbent Sen. Cam Ward, R-Alabaster*
◾District 15: Incumbent Sen. Slade Blackwell, R-Birmingham*
◾District 16: Incumbent Sen. J.T. “Jabo” Waggoner, R-Vestavia Hills
◾District 18: Incumbent Sen. Rodger M. Smitherman, D-Birmingham*
◾District 19: Incumbent Sen. Priscilla Dunn, D-Bessemer*
◾District 20: Incumbent Sen. Linda Coleman, D-Birmingham
◾District 21: Incumbent Sen. Gerald Allen, R-Tuscaloosa
◾District 24: Incumbent Sen. Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro*
◾District 25: Incumbent Sen. Dick Brewbaker, R-Montgomery*
◾District 26: Incumbent Sen. Quinton T. Ross Jr., D-Montgomery*
◾District 27: Incumbent Sen. Tom Whatley, R-Auburn
◾District 28: Incumbent Sen. Billy Beasley, D-Clayton*
◾District 30: Clyde Chambliss, R-Prattville
◾District 31: Incumbent Sen. Jimmy Holley, R-Elba
◾District 32: Incumbent Sen. Trip Pittman, R-Daphne *
◾District 33: Incumbent Sen. Vivian Davis Figures, D-Mobile*
◾District 34: Incumbent Sen. Rusty Glover, R-Semmes*
◾District 35: Incumbent Sen. Bill Hightower, R-Mobile
*Unopposed at this time
For the Alabama House of Representatives, RetailPAC endorses:
◾District 1 Incumbent Rep. Greg Burdine, D-Florence
◾District 2 Incumbent Rep. Lynn Greer, R-Rogersville
◾District 3 Incumbent Rep. Marcel Black, D-Tuscumbia
◾District 4 Incumbent Rep. Micky R. Hammon, R-Decatur*
◾District 5 Incumbent Rep. Dan Williams, R-Athens
◾District 6 Incumbent Rep. Phil Williams, R-Huntsville*
◾District 7 Incumbent Rep. Ken Johnson, R-Moulton
◾District 8 Incumbent Rep. Terri Collins, R-Decatur
◾District 9 Incumbent Rep. Ed Henry, R-Hartselle
◾District 10 Incumbent Rep. Mike Ball, R-Madison*
◾District 11 Incumbent Rep. Randall Shedd, R-Cullman*
◾District 12 Incumbent Rep. Mac Buttram, R-Cullman
◾District 13 Incumbent Rep. Bill Roberts, R-Jasper
◾District 14 Incumbent Rep. Richard Baughn, R-Lynn
◾District 15 Incumbent Rep. Allen Farley, R-McCalla*
◾District 16 Kyle South, R-Fayette
◾District 17 Incumbent Rep. Mike Millican, R-Hamilton
◾District 18 Incumbent Rep. Johnny Mack Morrow, D-Red Bay
◾District 19 Incumbent Rep. Laura Hall, D-Huntsville*
◾District 20 Incumbent Rep. Howard Sanderford, R-Huntsville*
◾District 21 Incumbent Rep. Jim Patterson, R-Meridianville
◾District 22 Incumbent Rep. Wayne Johnson, R-Ryland
◾District 23 Incumbent Rep. John Robinson, D-Scottsboro
◾District 24 Nathaniel Ledbetter, R-Rainsville
◾District 25 Incumbent Rep. Mac McCutcheon, R-Capshaw*
◾District 26 Incumbent Rep. Kerry Rich, R-Albertville
◾District 27 William Ainsworth, R-Guntersville
◾District 28 Incumbent Rep. Craig Ford, D-Gadsden
◾District 29 Incumbent Rep. Becky Nordgren, R-Gadsden
◾District 31 Incumbent Rep. Mike Holmes, R-Wetumpka*
◾District 32 Incumbent Rep. Barbara Bigsby Boyd, D-Anniston*
◾District 33 Incumbent Rep. Ron Johnson, R-Sylacauga
◾District 34 Incumbent Rep. David Standridge, R-Hayden*
◾District 35 Steve Dean, R-Munford
◾District 36 Incumbent Rep. Randy Wood, R-Anniston*
◾District 37 Bryant Whaley, R-Rock Mills
◾District 38 Randy Price, R-Opelika
◾District 39 Incumbent Rep. Richard J. Lindsey, D-Centre
◾District 40 Incumbent Rep. Koven L. Brown, R-Jacksonville
◾District 41 Incumbent Rep. Mike Hill, R-Columbiana*
◾District 42 Incumbent Rep. Kurt Wallace, R-Maplesville
◾District 43 Dr. Doug Clark, R-Hoover
◾District 45 Incumbent Rep. Richard “Dickie” Drake, R-Leeds*
◾District 47 Incumbent Rep. Jack Williams, R-Birmingham
◾District 48 Incumbent Rep. Jim Carns, R-Birmingham*
◾District 49 Incumbent Rep. April Weaver, R-Brierfield*
◾District 51 Incumbent Rep. Allen Treadaway, R-Morris*
◾District 52 Incumbent Rep. John Rogers Jr., D-Birmingham
◾District 53 Anthony Daniels, D-Huntsville
◾District 54 Incumbent Rep. Patricia Todd, D-Birmingham
◾District 55 Incumbent Rep. Rod Scott, D-Fairfield
◾District 57 Incumbent Rep. Merika Coleman-Evans, D-Birmingham*
◾District 58 Incumbent Rep. Oliver Robinson, D-Birmingham*
◾District 59 Incumbent Rep. Mary Moore, D-Birmingham
◾District 60 Incumbent Rep. Juandalynn Givan, D-Birmingham
◾District 61 Incumbent Rep. Alan Harper, R-Aliceville
◾District 62 Rich Wingo, R-Tuscaloosa
◾District 63 Incumbent Rep. Bill Poole, R-Tuscaloosa*
◾District 64 Incumbent Rep. Harry Shiver, R-Bay Minette
◾District 65 Incumbent Rep. Elaine Beech, D-Chatom *
◾District 66 Incumbent Rep. Alan Baker, R-Brewton*
◾District 68 Incumbent Rep. Thomas Jackson, D-Thomasville*
◾District 69 Kelvin Lawrence, D-Hayneville
◾District 70 Incumbent Rep. Chris England, D-Tuscaloosa*
◾District 71 Incumbent Rep. A.J. McCampbell, D-Livingston
◾District 72 Incumbent Rep. Ralph Howard, D-Greensboro
◾District 73 Matt Fridy, R-Montevallo
◾District 74 Incumbent Rep. Dimitri Polizos, R-Montgomery
◾District 75 Reed Ingram, R-Montgomery
◾District 79 Incumbent Rep. Mike Hubbard, R-Auburn
◾District 80 Incumbent Rep. Lesley Vance, R-Phenix City
◾District 81 Incumbent Rep. Mark Tuggle, R-Alexander City
◾District 82 Incumbent Rep. Pebblin Warren, D-Tuskegee*
◾District 84 Incumbent Rep. Berry Forte, D-Eufaula
◾District 86 Incumbent Rep. Paul Lee, R-Dothan*
◾District 87 Incumbent Rep. Donnie Chesteen, R-Geneva*
◾District 88 Incumbent Rep. Paul Beckman, R-Prattville*
◾District 89 Incumbent Rep. Alan Boothe, R-Troy
◾District 90 Incumbent Rep. Charles Newton, R-Greenville
◾District 91 Incumbent Rep. Barry Moore, R-Enterprise
◾District 92 Incumbent Rep. Mike Jones, R-Andalusia*
◾District 93 Incumbent Rep. Steve Clouse, R-Ozark
◾District 94 Incumbent Rep. Teddy “Joe” Faust, R-Fairhope*
◾District 95 Incumbent Rep. Steve McMillian, R-Bay Minette*
◾District 96 Incumbent Rep. Randy Davis, R-Daphne*
◾District 97 Incumbent Rep. Adline Clarke, D-Mobile*
◾District 98 Incumbent Rep. Napoleon Bracy, D-Prichard
◾District 99 Incumbent Rep. James Buskey, D-Mobile
◾District 100 Incumbent Rep. Victor Gaston, R-Mobile*
◾District 101 Chris Pringle, R-Mobile
◾District 102 Jack Williams, R-Wilmer
◾District 104 Incumbent Rep. Margie Wilcox, R-Mobile*
◾District 105 Incumbent Rep. David Sessions, R- Grand Bay*
The Alabama Retail Association represents retailers, the largest private employer in the State of Alabama, before the Alabama Legislature and the U.S. Congress. The group has 4,000 independent merchant and national company members that sell food, clothing, furniture and other general merchandise at more than 6,000 locations throughout Alabama. The Alabama Retail has promoted the retailing industry in Alabama since 1943.
