The Lamar Countian, March 8, 2024
3 Questions Answered, 2 Questions Asked by Tuesday's Election Results
Earlier this week, 3407 of my fellow Lamar Countians and I had our say in the 2024 “Super Tuesday” party primary elections. That works out to a disappointing 31% of our county’s registered voters, but at least it was better than the even more disappointing statewide average of 21%. And while some of our local results were never in doubt (Lamar Countians overwhelmingly voting the Republican ballot and for Trump specifically), Tuesday’s election results answered three questions and asked two new ones.
Question One: Is Congressman Robert Aderholt untouchable?
Congressional incumbents are notoriously difficult to defeat, especially after two terms in office. Robert Aderholt cruised to another easy victory, securing a 15th term to represent Alabama’s Fourth District with 80% of the vote (85% in Lamar County). According to Ballotpedia, Aderholt has earned at least 70% of the vote in every election (primary and general) since 2002.
Justin Holcomb, Aderholt’s Republican challenger, was never a serious candidate in my opinion. I heard his stump speech twice, and twice he failed to convince me he had any business representing us in Congress. But the reasons he gave for not re-electing Aderholt, particularly asking what we have to show for all of his time in DC, line up with complaints I’ve been hearing more and more often around this part of the District. I thought “Aderholt fatigue” might at least help Holcomb garner 30-35% of the vote, but it was obviously a non-factor.
So, if Robert Aderholt’s long tenure isn’t an issue for an overwhelming majority of voters, is the job his until he decides to retire? Barring a challenge from a well-known, experienced conservative politician (such as a multi-term state senator), I don’t think he has anything to worry about.
Question Two: Could Probate Judge Sharon Nethery secure a second term?
Congressional incumbents may be notoriously difficult to defeat, but no recent Lamar County Judge of Probate not named Johnny Rogers has enjoyed that same level of job security. Add sitting Judge Sharon Nethery to the one-and-done list as current Revenue Commissioner David Boyett prevailed with 60% of the vote.
Nethery’s legal background allowed her to enter office in 2019 with arguably more relevant experience than any of her recent predecessors, but competency and popularity don’t always go hand-in-hand in the world of politics. Whatever you think about her job performance, Judge Nethery was seemingly unable to grow her initial base of support. Names of potential challengers were starting to surface as far back as 2021, and perhaps the biggest surprise of this race was that, in the end, there was only one challenger. Regardless, I thought Nethery had a puncher’s chance at retaining her seat until she posted a quote on her LinkedIn profile late last week about the rejections leaders often face. Whether it was meant to be or not, I interpreted the post’s substance and timing as a signal that she knew her time in office might soon come to an end.
Question Three: Would voters in District 2 put an end to drama over Kevin King’s residency?
As mentioned in my last newsletter (and extensively elsewhere), questions over Kevin King’s actual, legitimate home address have been hanging over his second term and campaign for a third like a dark cloud. A few individuals from outside his district openly called for his disqualification from the Republican primary, but almost every District 2 voter I talked to in the lead up to the election wanted the opportunity to settle it via the ballot.
And they did.
Commissioner-elect Mitchell Puckett certainly deserves credit for his landslide victory, but a two-term incumbent mustering only 30% of the vote in a two-man race points to serious dissatisfaction among the electorate. We may never know how much the questions over King’s residency actually factored into this public repudiation, but in the end the reasons matter far less than the result.
Question 4: Could a change in our county’s governance structure be on the horizon?
Based on comments made during the campaign, David Boyett seemed the more likely of the two Probate Judge candidates to take a proactive role in exploring if changes to our county’s governance structure might lead to increased efficiency and better delivery of services. Currently, each of our four districts has its own budget, bank account, work crew, equipment, and an elected, “full-time” commissioner to manage it all. Most counties in this state have adopted a “unit system” in which the funding, manpower, and equipment for infrastructure maintenance is centralized within the county engineer’s office. In this system, commissioners are no longer expected to serve as the de facto foremen of their district road crews and can instead focus most of their attention on county business.
To clarify, the office of Probate Judge does not have the authority to mandate a change in our county’s governance; however, that office is well-positioned to initiate and facilitate a process for doing so. I’m hopeful Boyett will form a study committee to take a serious look at our options, schedule a series of public hearings to gather local input, and formulate a plan that can better serve Lamar County’s immediate and future needs. That’s just the first step in what would be a years long process of approval and implementation, but it is a step I’m cautiously optimistic will finally be taken.
Question 5: Who will Governor Ivey appoint as our next Revenue Commissioner?
Two years will remain on David Boyett’s term as Revenue Commissioner when he moves across the hall into the Probate office, requiring someone new to step in and assume those duties. Such vacancies are filled by gubernatorial appointment, and Governor Ivey is free to select anyone who meets the qualifications for office. She could elevate someone already working within the office, appoint someone who agrees to only serve out the remaining term in a caretaker/interim capacity, or give a head start to someone considering their own run for that office in 2026. If you are interested in the job, contact the Governor’s office.
Closing Thoughts…
Moving away from the election, I want to touch very briefly on last night’s State of the Union address and the GOP’s response.
First, I thought President Biden did what he needed to do: solidify his position within his own party. As for the address itself, it was far more a campaign speech than an assessment of our country’s position at this moment in time. I disagreed with most everything he said, and I’m hopeful his angry, scolding delivery style turned off a significant number of swing-state voters.
As for our very own Senator Katie Britt’s response on behalf of the Republican Party, I thought her message was pretty much spot on. As for the delivery of that message, well, let’s be generous and say the reviews are mixed at best. I’m a Britt supporter and have been since the early days of her campaign, but I’m not enough of an apologist to argue that she’s one of the great orators of this generation. Honestly though, we don’t need her to be. Britt is perfectly suited and positioned to assume greater and greater leadership responsibilities within the US Senate, and that is where I believe she can do the greatest good for our state and nation.
Until next time, y’all take care and thanks for reading.