By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
BIRMINGHAM—On Monday afternoon, November 3, 12 longs months of campaigning ended with one last rally at the Birmingham Airport. Governor Robert Bentley (R) and his wife, Diane, were joined by Sixth District Congressional Candidate, Gary Palmer (R) for a joint appearance.
Governor Bentley said, “I want to thank y’all for coming. We are running as a team here in Jefferson County. Some of y’all are here supporting me and some of y’all are here supporting Gary. That’s ok, if y’all are supporting Gary y’all are supporting me and if y’all are supporting me y’all are supporting Gary. We are all a team here in Jefferson County.”
Gov. Bentley said, “This is a Great state and we have some fantastic people running for office.”
Both men were confident of the victory that they would experience on Tuesday.
Bentley said that he was excited about the polling numbers and hopes that everyone gets out to vote. Bentley said that he, “Is very excited to serve with Gary Palmer.” “We have been friends for a long time.”
Gary Palmer thanked Governor Bentley for his service to the state and thanked Mrs. Bentley as well. Palmer said that a lot of the sacrifices in serving for office are born by the spouses.
Palmer said, “I do think the turnout will be better that expected.” Palmer said that good things are happening in Alabama and the state is going in the right direction and that after Tuesday he believed that the rest of the nation will begin going in the right direction.
Gov. Bentley said that the Republicans can win the Presidency in 2016, but they “Just have got to pick the right guy.”
Palmer said that, “A lot of great things are going to happen over the next two years and the next four years.” We are beginning to turn the country around.
Following the easy general election victory Palmer said, “I am honored that voters in Alabama’s 6th district have decided that I will represent them for the next two years. We have run our race without resorting to the ugliness of negative ads, without misrepresenting any opponent’s positions or maligning their character. We have run on ideas and solutions for getting America back on the right track and for solving some of our nation’s toughest problems.”
Congressman elect Palmer said, “We truly do have a window of opportunity for renewal in America. We have the resources and the know how to get our economy growing again and to create millions of jobs that will help people get back to work and back on their feet again.”
Palmer said that one of his top priorities will be to work with other leaders to replace Obamacare with healthcare reform legislation that makes healthcare affordable and available to everyone and preserves the best healthcare system in the world.
Congressman elect Palmer said, “We can reign in the out of control federal regulatory bureaucracies such as the EPA that are stifling our economy and destroying millions of good jobs and that deny us the ability to use our natural resources.”
Palmer continued, “We can secure our borders and protect our people without compromising the great promise that America represents to so many people. We can pursue a rational foreign policy that is based on reality and regain the respect of the nations by once again being a nation that our friends can trust and our enemies will fear.”
Palmer beat out six other candidates in a heavily contested race to win the seat of retiring Congressman Spencer Bachus (R from Vestavia).
Congressman Bachus as well as Congressman Robert Aderholt were both in attendance at the Pamer victory party at the Marriott Grandview in Birmingham.
Governor Robert Bentley won a second term as Alabama’s Governor. Bentley had a long, successful career as a dermatologist in Tuscaloosa. Bentley represented Tuscaloosa in the Alabama House of Representatives before running for Governor in 2010.
Bentley told supporters, “Thank you for choosing me to continue as your Governor. We are honored to be able to serve you for four more years.”
Alabama Governor Robert Bentley (R) brushed aside the challenge of former Congressman Parker Griffith (D from Huntsville). The popular Governor Bentley received 64 percent of the votes cast (747,357 votes) to Parker Griffith’s 36 percent (427,218).
Following the landslide Republican victory in which the GOP won just about everything that was winnable across the state and across the country conservative Alabama Republican Party Chairman Bill Armistead said in a statement, “What a great election year for Alabama and the nation! Thanks to all of the great Republican candidates who stepped forward this year. We had the best slate of candidates ever, and I know just how hard each of them worked during the election. I also want to thank the voters for doing their duty and heading to the polls this year. Because of you, Alabamians have a lot to celebrate tonight!”
