My Vote Tomorrow: For Robert Bentley

For some time, I have hesitated to make an endorsement in the contentious GOP race for governor, for several reasons. First, I have such immense respect for many of my friends on both sides of this race, and second, there has been little evidence of a true visionary in this race. Bradley Byrne has, for the most part, made this a referendum on his opponents and AEA, using vitriol and negativity at every stop in order to attack those who criticize them, whether those attacks are real or assumed. Bentley has run a positive campaign, though he has also dodged on specifics. Bentley's public campaign has largely focused on issues like his willingness to refuse a salary which are, at best, cosmetic fixes to the state's problems.

Despite these reservations, I believe Bentley is the clear choice for the GOP in tomorrow's primary, and I will be voting for him. Looking at the ads which have recently run, they actually do provide some evidence toward who could be a better leader of our state. Recent history shows that governors have been shaped by how they have dealt with failure instead of success. Gov. Don Siegelman ran in the 1990s on an education lottery, and after his program was denied by voters, his administration spiraled into ultimate failure (and corruption). Gov. Riley proposed Amendment 1 to raise Alabama's taxes for education, and this also failed miserably when put to a statewide vote. However, Gov. Riley responded by working around his failings to create real change in Alabama. On education, he worked around the AEA to pass responsible budgets and develop innovative programs like the ACCESS Distance Learning Program, the Alabama Math, Science, and Technology Initiative (AMSTI), and other programs to encourage better education in Alabama. He has worked tirelessly to bring economic development to the state, reaching out directly to Europe and Asia to promote investment opportunities in Alabama. Most importantly, he has worked with Alabama's leaders in Washington, notably Sen. Jeff Sessions, on proposals such as the ThyssenKrupp steel development near Mobile and the ever-controversial Airbus proposal for a new military tanker to be built near Mobile. Gov. Riley has done this while fighting for real ethics reform without clear results and reaching what could largely be considered a stalemate on gambling. Gov. Riley has fought issues where he knows the odds are against him, but he has also been willing to select issues where he knows he can succeed, building a better state along the way.

Although Gov. Riley has endorsed Byrne, I think Bentley is clearly the better successor to Riley's legacy. Humility as an over-used term in politics which rarely applies to candidates, but Mr. Byrne has taken political hubris to a new level. Byrne adopted an 'every man for himself' tactic of negativity in the initial crowded primary, and he has brought a similar level of negativity to the runoff against Mr. Bentley. Bentley, on the other hand, has adopted a positive campaign, and positive campaigns can build coalitions. By making fewer enemies, Dr. Bentley has a better chance to actually gain results in Montgomery, and by all accounts, Bentley is also a true conservative candidate. Bentley offers the possibility for addressing health care needs in this state, economic growth, and improved education. The gentle touch which he has applied during the primary will serve him well in Montgomery, allowing him to work around difficult issues while still improving the state. Mr. Byrne has not shown that he can deal with individuals and build coalitions around those who disagree with him. By all accounts, many of the GOP rivals in the initial primary have supported Bentley. If Byrne can't play well with his fellow Republicans, what makes voters think he can get results when fighting against hostile Democrats who may well retain control of the legislature heading into 2011?

Like many in the GOP, I dislike the AEA. Top gun Paul Hubbert has often been a force against reasonable change in Alabama, on education reform like charter schools and on ethics reform like double-dipping rules for legislators. Hubbert is a major reason why Alabama has failed to move forward in recent decades. That said, the level of GOP posturing on the issue, including a forced resignation of an ALGOP local official with ties to Hubbert, has reached the level of a laughable and irresponsible witch hunt. Anyone who has ever read Arthur Miller's Crucible knows that witch hunts rarely end well, and by voting against a candidate for assumed ties to Hubbert or his friends, GOP voters are still allowing the AEA undue influence over their party. Meanwhile, though Byrne has criticized Bentley's ties to AEA, few have questioned Byrne's ties to large numbers of PAC contributions, highly wealthy independent donors, and large businesses like Alabama Power. Traditional conservatives were equally critical of big government and big business. Byrne's contributions from a who's who of wealthy Alabama donors total far more than Bentley's contributions from AEA, and this is certainly a problem.

Meanwhile, Byrne's connections do cause concern. In recent days, Byrne has received support from major Republican officials, namely Governor Riley and Congressmen Spencer Bachus and Jo Bonner. To some, this may be an awe-inspiring show of support for Mr. Byrne. To me, it reeks of the political desperation of a well-connected candidate. Instead of 'wowing us' with his views, Byrne is trying to 'wow us' with his wealthy and powerful friends. Having to resort to this type of campaigning does not speak well of his ability to deal with the hurly-burly of Montgomery politics as a top executive.

Thus, to me, there is a clear choice on election day, and I'll be voting for Bentley. It should come as no surprise that when the generally conservative Rasmussen Reports provided a poll on the Alabama race, Bentley performed better against Democrat Ron Sparks than Byrne. Both beat Sparks, though Byrne won 49-40 and Bentley won 56-37. Thus, Bentley gives the GOP both a better chance at victory in November and Alabamians a stronger assurance of a better next four years. Bentley deserves praise for his work in elevating himself from a likable candidate to a serious candidate, and GOP voters would be smart to reward him tomorrow with their vote to be the next governor of Alabama.