Is there still a chance for a Sparks candidacy?

Could we still hope to see Ron Sparks challenge Jefferson Beauregard Sessions, III in 2008? It doesn’t seem likely, but Sparks is keeping the door open - albeit slightly.

Given his determination to avoid a divisive primary and the likelihood that Rep. Figures will also run, I had pretty much given up hope and concentrated instead on the vegetable garden and an upcoming huge family celebration.

Then, Mooncat over at Left in Alabama surprised me with this post describing Sparks’ appearance on For the Record, APT’s public affairs show. It’s interesting that even though Sparks isn’t officially running, the press still pushes him for a decision and asks for his views on many issues outside the scope of his position as Alabama’s Agriculture Commissioner.

Maybe they see the same “spark” of intelligence, passion for the issues, and commitment to basic Democratic values of fairness and competence that attract the rest of us.

The fun thing is that apparently this blog - as puny as it is - was brought up on the program! Should anyone NOT be literate or willing to read our About Us page - or EVEN the top banner on every page, let me remind you that we’re not affiliated with Ron Sparks in any way, shape, or form. Well, I guess there’s some connection. I know who he is and he doesn’t have a clue who I am. Kind of like being a fan of an actor or just your basic political junkie. What gets said here is my own opinion and observation. Even if Sparks tried to monitor and edit the content, he’d get a big, fat, firm NO WAY.

But I still say, “Hey Ron! Give it a shot! We want to see you in higher office!”

Primary Pros and Cons

There’s been a lot of discussion around the blogs and among state Democratic activists about Ron Sparks desire to avoid a primary challenge.

As discussed in the Sand Mountain Reporter and Left in Alabama:

“The second-term commissioner said the Democratic Party doesn’t need a fight to see who will represent it against incumbent Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Mobile.

“He’s going to have enough money to burn a wet dog every day,” Sparks said.”

Ok. So this “burn a wet dog” thing really creeps me out. It must be a Southern aphorism my grandparents didn’t think to share, but still. Ick.

Anyway, Mooncat’s take on this at Left in Alabama is this:

“He expressed a reluctance to enter into a Democratic primary fight with Mobile state Senator Vivian Figures, who is also interested. I don’t think this is out of any sense of entitlement, but reflects his genuine belief that a bitter primary fight would doom the winner in the general election, rendering the whole undertaking useless.”

I tend to agree. Primary fights in Alabama can be terrible, bitter affairs that alienate half the base before the nominee is even picked. The most famous example has to be the Graddick/Baxley primary battle from 1986.

Why have a primary?

1. Candidate seasoning. It gives the candidate the chance to get out in front of the voters, hone the message, and - importantly - show us whether the person is likely to make a campaign-killing gaffe in the general (Macaca, anyone?).
2. Basic fairness. Shouldn’t the party regulars decide who they want as their nominee? If the party stalwarts aren’t with you, chances in the general are slim.
3. Running from a challenge makes the candidate look weak. Can’t you hear it? “Hey, the guy’s afraid of a primary! How will he stand up to ____________ (fill in the blank with your favorite bad guy here).

Why avoid a primary? Now, these are Alabama-specific reasons geared towards the 2008 campaign and take Alabama election laws into account. Yes, it may be a “situational ethics” type of list, but we make those decisions in daily life constantly. Politics is about compromise and if you can’t stomach it, you won’t last long - especially in the south.

1. Nasty primary fights damage the nominee in the general. See above: Bill Baxley.
2. Primary fights are expensive. As Sparks rightly noted, Sessions has enough money to…. well…. to spend as much has he needs to (and more). Furthermore, the national GOP will pour money into the race to protect Bush’s best bud, Jefferson Beauregard Sessions, III.
3. Crossover voting. Wow, again, see Bill Baxley! (if you aren’t familiar with this particular primary catastrophe, Google it. The details are outside the scope of this post.)Unlike many states where voters register by party and can only vote in their party’s primary, Alabama has no party registration. On primary day, you show up and declare that you want to vote in either the Democratic or Republican primary.There’s a tradition whereby if one party has a “safe” nominee in a high-profile race, the party activists are inclined to vote in the “other” primary to boost the chances of the weakest candidate. Or, as happened in 2006, to boost the chances of the least-crazy candidate (Bob Riley vs Roy Moore).

   Vivian Figures has never won a statewide race - actually, she’s never even run in one. There will be no serious challenger to Sessions on the GOP side, so there’s a distinct possiblity of GOP voters crossing over to make Figures the nominee instead of Sparks.

   Not fair, but politics in Alabama is anything but fair. The rulebook is written in disappearing ink down here.

There’s no guarantee that Sparks will win the general election, primary or not. But the chances improve greatly if he doesn’t blow huge amounts of cash on a primary fight. I have absolutely nothing against Figures, but she has no statewide experience and has only won in a safe Democratic district. To jump from there to the US Senate, virtually unknown in the rest of the state, low on money, and an African-American woman (I hate, hate, hate it, but it matters in Alabama still), well, it would take a miracle.

I’d vote for her of course, but our chances of getting support from the national Democratic party would sink - as would getting money from out of state activists through ActBlue and other sources. It wouldn’t be viewed as a serious race and would give the GOP a pass on spending serious money to save the seat.

Every dollar the RNC and RSCC doesn’t spend in Alabama can be used to defeat Democrats in other parts of the country. If we don’t fight them here, we’ll be fighting them in Georgia, Florida, South Dakota…….

We can defeat Jefferson Beauregard Sessions, III and he can go back to selling chicken or something. But it will only happen with a united Democratic party in the state and substantial support from the national party structure. Ron Sparks can do it with a clear field and single goal: defeat Jeff Sessions.

Sparks Lights Up Marshall County Democrats

Unfortunately, I wasn’t there, but there’s a great synopsis at Left in Alabama.

Here’s a taste….

“I’m ready to roll up my sleeves; I’m ready to take them on, because you’re right and they’re wrong.”

“We’re within striking distance” of defeating Jeff Sessions. “This man is beatable … because of his record.”

“We’ve got better days ahead of us.”

“Rest assured, I’ll be on the ballot again.”

I also spoke with a friend from Marshall Co. who attended the event and her reaction to Sparks and his speech was: “Where do I sign up to volunteer and where do I send my donation?”

Now, the donation part will be critically important. Sessions may not have much going for him, but he does have deep pockets and wealthy supporters. The best thing we can do for Democrats nationally is make the GOP spend money holding a “safe” Senate seat in Alabama. But I don’t think Sparks is interested in any sort of run just for the fun of it; he’ll be in it to win.

Which will give us the best situation possible; a serious candidate (who MUST be well-funded, so open up your checkbooks people!) mounting a serious challenge to a senator who doesn’t even pretend to represent the average citizen of Alabama. His signature issue is the estate tax, for heaven’s sake!

But Jeffy seems to be getting a bit nervous. Witness his statements backing away from his former cheerleader role for the Iraq war and stiff questioning of Gonzo during the US Attorney hearings.

He should be nervous. If Sparks enters the race, Sessions can start packing his bags because we’re in this to win.

Back from Vacation!

I’m back from time off - end of school, getting the kid ready to go to camp, and actual (ahem) PAID work.

Ron Sparks has been busy too. More in a bit…..

Sparks to Decide on Run by Early July?

According to remarks made at Alabama A&M University last week, he will announce his decision in the coming weeks.

Saturday’s Huntsville Times reports that Sparks

“…confirmed that he is considering a 2008 run for the U.S. Senate seat held by Jeff Sessions, R-Mobile. He said he has received significant encouragement in Alabama and across the country to make the run and is evaluating his chances.”

Furthermore, Sparks noted that he’s term-limited in his current position and the Senate race could be a “once in a lifetime chance,” and said further that:

“If he does run, the reasons include his concern about the country’s budget deficit; that 48 million Americans don’t have health insurance; high gas prices; the handling and financing of the war in Iraq; poor veterans health care; and a basic unfairness in tax policy and worker pay…”

What a breath of fresh air he would be in Washington and what a coup for the average citizens of Alabama to have a Senator looking out for their interests and the common good instead of a few wealthy contributors and corporations.

When Sparks speaks, we know it’s coming from the heart; it’s authentic and his positions are poll-tested and contributor approved. We can only keep our fingers crossed that he makes the leap into the Senate race. He’s the strongest candidate by far and our best chance to send Jefferson Beauregard Sessions, III packing.

Sparksmania Goes to Washington

Yesterday, Roll Call, the respected Capitol Hill newspaper, reported on the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee’s (DSCC) interest in a possible Ron Sparks Senate run. In this subscription-only link, reporter Josh Kurtz notes:

Democratic leaders in Alabama think their time in the wilderness may end this election cycle. All it will take to build a Democratic bonfire, they believe, is Sparks — specifically, Ron Sparks (D), the state’s commissioner of agriculture, who is seriously weighing a challenge to Sen. Jeff Sessions (R).

In his bid for a second term last year, Sparks captured 59 percent of the vote, winning 62 of 67 counties in the process. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is leaning hard on him to take on Sessions, and Alabama insiders believe Sparks could jump in the race as early as next month.

“He has a grass-roots network and good name identification and a lot of support in the Republican base — without betraying his Democratic roots,” said Alabama Democratic Party Chairman Joe Turnham. “I think there’s a sense that if he runs, he could be another [Sen. Jim] Webb [D-Va.] or [Sen. Jon] Tester [D-Mont.].”

Make no mistake. If Sparks runs, it will be a hard campaign as the GOP struggles to hold on to yet another “safe” seat. The electoral map looks good for Democrats in 2008; Republicans will be defending 21 Senate seats.

With dissatisfaction with President Bush, the many administration screw-ups and scandals, and the Iraq War, GOP candidates will be carrying a heavy load. Furthermore, party financial resources will be stretched thin.

It won’t be easy, but a Sparks candidacy could send Jefferson Beauregard Sessions, III back to Mobile and obscurity. I’m glad to know the DSCC is interested and getting involved this early. The fact that they’re paying attention to a candidate in Alabama is an indication of just how successful Democratic candidates can be in 2008. We’ll know the DSCC is truly serious when they start writing checks.

Run, Ron, Run!

Plain talk from Ron Sparks: “Arrogance is not diplomacy.”

This is a quote from Ron’s recent liveblogging. See diary here titled “Americans Deserve Fair Trade & Safe Food.” Got me so excited that I just had to post the Sparksmania photo again….

The entry below has some choice nuggets, but this was so good it deserves its own entry. This, this is the reason Ron Sparks would make such an outstanding Senator. Our current occupant, Mr. Jefferson Beauregard Sessions, III, is too wedded to entrenched special interests, corporations, and the 1% of Alabamians who would benefit from the end of the Estate Tax. Ron Sparks would be the senator for the other 99% of us!

When asked about his game plan for challenging a Republican in Alabama, Sparks responded:

“We’ll start by telling the people the truth about what’s gone on in this administration over the past six years. They went into office with a $5 trillion surplus and we now have a $7 trillion deficit. We’ve also got to remember that we are putting a $1.75 billion a day on the backs of future generations because of the out-of-control deficit.

There are 48 million Americans without healthcare. We also must get our healthcare issues for young people under control. Obesity and diabetes are dramatically on the rise. If we don’t take of this now, our healthcare system will be crippled.

I would not support an estate tax that only benefits the top 1% of America’s population, but benefits Dick Cheney millions.

We’ve got to remember that Donald Rumsfeld told us the Iraq war would cost $50 billion. It’s now cost us over $500 billion. When the war was started, nearly 100% of Iraqi children were in schools. Now only 30% go to classes and millions have fled the country. I believe that we should use all the intelligent minds we have in this country. Arrogance is not diplomacy.

I believe very strongly that if our men and women are willing to go to war to fight for our freedoms that they deserve the best medical care that we can possibly provide them when they return. The number we talk about with our veterans is the number that have fallen, the nearly 3500 that I have great respect for. But over 30,000 have returned wounded and approximately 300,000 need VA care that they’re not receiving. The world no longer looks to America as a leader. That needs to change. We must start by talking with all nations to try to make this a safer world for our children.

I would hope that our next president will be able to see through the deception of weapons of mass destruction that were not there, but also hope they could see an obvious hurricane approaching New Orleans that was there.

My grandmother, who played a large role in raising me, worked in a hosiery mill for 43 years pairing socks. To my knowledge, she never played the stock market and I feel very strongly that it is my responsibility to our senior citizens that they never see their social security system destroyed by politicians.

President Lincoln taught us that we have an obligation “to him who shall have borne the battle.” It’s time we live up to that charge.”

 

More Liveblogging from Ron Sparks

Yikes! I missed this last Friday. That’s what happens when you run errands in town all day instead of obsessively checking emails and blogs.

Here’s the link: Sparks second livebloggins session

And a few great quotes….

Agriculture & National Security:

“…agriculture goes hand in hand with national security. Being able to continue feed our citizens and not depend on other countries is extremely important to our national security. A country that can’t feed itself is vulnerable. “

Sparks on Alternative Fuels:

“And I hope that the Center helps make Alabama a leader in alternative fuel technology and development. I think we should look at cellulose and other methods of feed stock as we are currently doing with our universities to help solve our dependence on foreign oil. Every gallon of fuel we produce in Alabama is one less gallon of fuel we bring out of the desert. “

Rural development/zoning/faming issues:

“I don’t think a subdivision should build next to a farming operation and then expect them to go out of business. But at the same time, I don’t expect a farmer to build a hog farm next to a subdivision and the homeowners like it. We must become good neighbors so that we can coexist.”

On the diffiiculties of (possibly) mounting a challenge to Senator Jefferson Beauregard Sessions, III:

“…it would be important to the Republican party not to lose a Southern senator. We will have to mount every resource we possibly can to win that battle. “

Don’t worry Ron, we’re right there with you and we have your back.  

Sparks Urges Caution on Food Imports

From remarks posted on the Alabama Democratic Party blog:

“All it takes is one harmful contaminant to change thousands and possibly even hundreds of thousands of lives. What if instead of our beloved pets, the tainted product was baby formula, or cereal? What is more important than the health of our kids? As parents, we would not take a chance with their health.

People have a right to know that what they are eating and what they are feeding their children and their pets is safe. That is one of the reasons Country of Origin Labeling was initiated last year as a pilot project for fresh vegetables and produce by the Alabama Grocer’s Association. We know where everything we buy comes from, whether it’s clothing, a big screen TV, or a car. With so many food products coming into our country from around the world, I believe people should have a choice when it comes to what they want to eat even in restaurants. Many food products from other countries are completely safe, but based on testing at our state food lab many products such as the Vietnamese seafood contains banned substances.”

So I ask: Why are we importing food from China anyway? Why, when we have plenty of catfish swimming in Alabama waters, are we even considering importing catfish from Vietnam?

I remember studying in elementary school that a major source of the United States’ strength was the fact that “we can feed ourselves.”

People talk about how important oil is to our national security, and that’s certainly true. But think how much more important it is to have a safe, reliable, and affordable food supply! Fortunately, we have an agriculture commissioner who understands that. I’m thrilled at the work Ron Sparks has done on food safety and promoting Alabama farm products.

Sparks Helping Farmers at “Alabama Food Products Day”

Alabama farmers and food processors want priority when state agencies purchase food and negotiate with suppliers and Agriculture Commissioner Ron Sparks has promised to help.

Today’s Montgomery Advertiser highlights “Alabama Food Products Day” in Montgomery yesterday. The event highlighted the enormous diversity and high quality of Alabama food products and introduced members of the Legislature to such delicacies as “Micro Rinds” pork rinds.

Sparks is supporting legislation that would favor Alabama producers when state contracts are awarded.

Go Sparks! With all the concerns about urban sprawl, loss of farm land, and the safety of imported foods, it’s imperative that we support our local farmers and producers every way we can.