re: Off Topic: Governor's race. Walt Maddox vs. Kay Ivey

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You can portray my views however you'd like. Doesn't make them any less important to me. I view the murder of unborn children as far more than a wedge issue

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It's a wedge issue because it's not something for which a compromise can be reached, but it's also something that has been largely settled by the courts. The GOP uses abortion, the 2nd Amendment, gay marriage, etc. to drive voters to the polls in spite of the fact that those issues have been decided and are unlikely to change anytime soon regardless of which party is in power. Calling it a wedge issue isn't meant to detract from its importance. It's meant to illustrate the purpose behind it being highlighted.

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Same with gun control. It doesn't really matter if someone can get legislation through. I view this as an ethical issue. I cannot support someone who views fundamental rights with such obvious disregard. Shows a serious disrespect for our nation's Constitution and calls into question their ability to lead

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So if a particular candidate has a good plan to improve healthcare and education both in terms of quality and affordability, make childcare affordable, combat opioid dependency, balance the budget, improve infrastructure, and bring more industry and jobs to the state, would all that be negated if that candidate wanted to prevent mentally ill people from legally purchasing firearms? I'm not trying to argue with you or put words in your mouth. I just genuinely do not understand why conservatives prioritize certain things over others. I'm very much in favor of gun ownership since I own several dozen of them myself, but I also don't see why extensive background checks and mental health screenings are a huge problem.

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How she talks down to people will absolutely turn off certain demos - some more than others as I mentioned. Enough people will buy into an ad with a lab, a gun, and a church like it is 1998, but not as many people do that anymore.

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I tend to agree with you that they may not be as effective as they used to be, but they’re still effective and have been replaced by the “I was for Trump before the other guy” ads. As if your level of Trump support dictates how well you perform as Public Service Commisioner or Auditor.

When it comes to the governor’s race, I have a pretty low bar for Ivey. I get the political strategy and she will win by 10-20 points....but let’s be honest, even if she threw up all over herself in a debate, it wouldn’t change anything. The debate would be aired on APT or something and get no viewers. It would also be in the heart of football season so a poor debate performance would be out of most voter’s minds in microseconds. It still took a perfect storm and a horrendous candidate for Doug Jones to barely win.

What gets me is that she seems almost arrogant in her strategy. She’s a lifelong politician who didn’t earn the job she’s in now and is relying solely on her party affiliation & incumbency. She hides behind a team of handlers. Good strategy or not, that sickens me and it’s insulting. We live in a state where 3 of the last 6 Governors have had corruption/ethical issues. (I didn’t even include Riley who some say was very corrupt) I don’t want another Governor who feels no accountability.

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I didn’t even include Riley who some say was very corrupt

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He was and is still is. It's not a big secret why he and his cronies endorsed Ivey. She's a pushover, and he'll be the proxy governor.

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I thought Maddox had a chance to make it somewhat of a race (keep it within 8 points), but I don’t know if he can do that.

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FWIW, I've been told by someone with ties close to the campaign that their internal numbers have him around 5 points behind. This same person kept assuring me Doug Jones was neck and neck with Moore that entire campaign, so he has some credibility. He's confident they can make up that difference by November.

I think he loses too, but it will be closer than most expect.

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FWIW, I've been told by someone with ties close to the campaign that their internal numbers have him around 5 points behind. This same person kept assuring me Doug Jones was neck and neck with Moore that entire campaign, so he has some credibility. He's confident they can make up that difference by November.

I think he loses too, but it will be closer than most expect.

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It won't be close at all. Moore should have lost by 20 points and yet the only reason Jones won is because Republicans stayed home.

Kay Ivey got 330,000 votes in the Republican primary.

There were 283,000 TOTAL votes cast in the Democratic primary.

In total, there were almost twice as many ballots cast in the R primary as were cast in the D.

The last time there was a gubernatorial election, there were also more voters in the R primary but difference was less than 150,000 votes. The gap between the two parties is larger than it has ever been and thanks to the recent re-election of Nancy Worley, it's only going to get bigger. Fairhope is right. Maddox will lose by 10-20 points and it will probably be closer to 20 than 10.

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However, Tom Parker is a horrendous Justice (like he is awful at his job) and he will be our next Chief Justice. His campaign slogan was literally Fox News’ “Fair, Balanced, and Unafraid” and said George Soros was out to get him.

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Roy Moore Lite owes a great deal of thanks for his election to, of all groups, Southern Poverty. They decided to go after him with a very shaky complaint, giving him a self-written campaign. Without that, he's even money at best.

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Its not just that they stayed home, but many were motivated to cross the aisle.

Moore was a boogeyman and had always underpeformed in statewide elections. Ivey won't have that problem.

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There were certainly more than a few crossovers, but IMO it was still more a case of people staying home. Again, going back to the 2010 governor's race because it is the closet of recent similarity, (D) Ron Sparks got 625,000 votes - almost identical to the 651,000 Doug Jones got. The difference was that Bentley got 860,000.

It's no secret that R voters tend to turn out better in off year and special elections so most of the 200,000 that stayed home were Rs. Heck even with that turnout if the 22,000 write ins (who you know were all Rs) had picked Moore he's senator Moore today.

Everything else you said about Moore, Ivey, and Worley is 100% spot on.

I think any hope Maddox had went out the door with this Kavanaugh stuff. The GOP crossovers who voted for Jones aren’t going to be there this time. It isn’t helping Maddox that Jones is burning those bridges with his No vote on Kavanaugh.

And I have no idea what Maddox’s strategy is. It was going to be an uphill battle regardless but he really hasn’t done anything to make any kind of noise.

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Ivey comes across like a country boy looking to give someone a good arse whoopun.

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Between Doug Jones, and that bull crap in Washington last week, I am thinking the Republicans will be out to vote.