In a YouTube video released on Wednesday, former Miss Alabama and conservative activist Amie Beth Shaver announced her candidacy for Alabama State House District 43.

The video, titled “Come Along,” opens with Shaver and her family praying at the dinner table and goes on to outline some of the issues she feels are key to the future of the state and country.

“How do you explain to a child the damage that ObamaCare and Common Core are doing to our country and their future?” Shaver asks rhetorically.

The repeal of so-called Common Core State Standards was one of the most contentious issues of the 2013 legislative sessions and Tea Party leaders have indicated they plan to push it again during the upcoming session. Shaver sounds as if she would be one of the leading voices in that fight.

Shaver became Miss Alabama in 1994 and has since then focused her efforts on pro-life issues, including adoption advocacy. She is also the author of Who Moved the Line? America’s Character Crisis, which led to a national speaking tour about abortion, adoption, teen pregnancy, motherhood, and faith and politics. Shaver is adopted, so the issue hits home for her.

Shaver will face Pelham optometrist Doug Clark in the Republican primary in June 2014. Clark announced his candidacy in mid-September.

House District 43 includes Valleydale and Riverchase in Shelby County and a portion of Altadena in Jefferson County. Republican Mary Sue McClurkin has represented the district since 1998. Earlier this year, Rep. McClurkin announced she would not seek re-election in 2014.

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The battle lines are beginning to harden in the maturing GOP presidential field now that Chris Christie is basking in his moment of supreme electability.

Rand Paul has been the most overtly confrontational, openly calling him a moderate.

Marco Rubio offered his congratulations but cautioned that the 2013 races shouldn’t be overanalyzed for lessons in future races.  ”Every race is different,” he said.

And then there’s Ted Cruz, who naturally saluted Christie’s brash nature, but then immediately pivoted back to hammering Obamacare.

Then, for once, he bit his tongue:

Asked whether Christie is a true conservative, Cruz walked away. Aides said he didn’t have time for more questions.

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How’s this for a congratulations?

The day after Gov. Chris Christie routed his Democratic opponent for a second term, Sen. Rand Paul rapped him for appearing in television ads funded by federal dollars allocated for Hurricane Sandy recovery.

New Jersey’s Record reports:

At a Senate hearing on the status of Sandy recovery, Paul never mentioned Christie by name, but left little doubt about who he meant when he asked Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan if it was proper to use disaster relief funds for television commercials.

As Donovan started to explain the purposes of the Community Development Block Grant program and how ads could be appropriate if they spur economic activity that reduces the need for future grants, Paul interrupted.

“It gives a little bit of a black eye to something that maybe a lot  of it is going to a good purpose,” Paul said.

“Some of these ads, people who are running for office put their mug all over the ads while they’re in the middle of a political campaign. In New Jersey, $25 million was spent on ads that included somebody running for political office… There might be a conflict of interest here. … That’s why, when people are trying to use taxpayers’ money wisely, they’re offended to see money spent on political ads. You know, that’s offensive.”

For the record, Donovan told Paul the ads are “clearly within the legal boundaries of what Congress has determined the program can be used for.”

Paul’s comments are all the more striking given the timing.  Christie’s enjoying a splash of favorable press coverage in the wake of his gigantic victory and grandiose speech he delivered holding up New Jersey as a model for political success.

Paul and Christie currently occupy the top two positions in The CHASE – The RUN’s rolling rankings of the most likely Republican presidential nominee in 2016.

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MONTGOMERY – Alabama House Speaker Mike Hubbard, R-Auburn, on Thursday announced a slate of new House committee vice chairmen and other key committee appointments that will take effect when the legislature returns to Montgomery in January.

“I am confident that this group of legislators will continue our successful efforts to fundamentally change how Montgomery operates,” Hubbard said in a statement. “Our work over the past three years has placed Alabama firmly on the road to reform and this year will be no different. Each of these individuals is uniquely qualified to fill these roles and I look forward to working with each of them as we continue to move Alabama forward.”

The following individuals have been named Vice Chairman of their respective committees:

· Rep. Mike Ball (R-Madison), Vice Chairman, Internal Affairs
· Rep. Dickie Drake (R-Leeds), Vice Chairman, Military and Veteran Affairs
· Rep. Jack Williams (R-Vestavia Hills), Vice Chairman, Financial Services
· Rep. Greg Wren (R-Montgomery), Vice Chairman, Ways and Means General Fund

Speaker Hubbard also announced appointments to other House Committees, including:

· Agriculture and Forestry: Rep. David Sessions (R- Grand Bay)
· County and Municipal Government: Rep. Randall Shedd (R- Cullman)
· Economic Development and Tourism: Rep. Kurt Wallace (R- Maplesville)
· Education Policy: Rep. Terri Collins (R-Decatur)
· Internal Affairs: Rep. April Weaver (R-Brierfield)
· Judiciary: Rep. David Standridge (R- Hayden)
· Transportation, Utilities and Infrastructure: Rep. Randall Shedd (R- Cullman)
· Ways and Means Education: Rep. Mac Buttram (R- Cullman) and Rep. Donnie Chesteen (R- Geneva)
· Ways and Means General Fund: Rep. Paul Lee (R-Dothan)

The appointments will take effect for the 2014 regular legislative session, which is scheduled to convene on January 14, 2014.

Earlier this year, Speaker Hubbard announced Chairman appointments to several committees, including:

· Rep. Steve Clouse (R- Ozark), Chairman, Ways and Means General Fund
· Rep. Alan Harper (R-Northport), Chairman, Economic Development and Tourism
· Rep. Bill Poole (R-Tuscaloosa), Chairman, Ways and Means Education
· Rep. Lesley Vance (R- Phenix City), Chairman, Financial Services

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(Above: MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” team discusses Bradley Byrne’s victory in AL-01)

Members of the national media have said for weeks that the outcome of the Republican runoff in Alabama’s first congressional district should serve as an indication of whether the GOP is moving away from so-called tea party candidates and toward so-called establishment Republicans.

Whether or not that’s true, MSNBC “Morning Joe” host Joe Scarborough said Wednesday that he saw Byrne’s victory as an important win for the GOP establishment.

“I tell you, it is an extraordinarily conservative district,” Scarborough said of AL-01. “This sends an important message to Republicans in the House of Representatives. You can be conservative. We want you to be conservative. Bradley Byrne is conservative. But I tell you… what will scare these House members? …When business money starts moving away from crazy candidates and starts going for establishment candidates who are — hold on friends — pro-life, pro-family as defined by conservative Republican Party, for tax cuts, for deregulation, but also are pro-business and are going to keep it in the middle of the road when it comes down to working to get things done… I think Republicans owe the Chamber of Commerce, Joe Ricketts and other people that went in there strong and hard … and the NRA, they owe them a big debt of gratitude because Bradley Byrne is going to be a great member of Congress. You know, people down in Alabama were telling me [Dean Young] would have made Michele Bachmann seem like a Minnesota liberal.”

Long-time political commentator and Bloomberg columnist Al Hunt saw the outcome much differently.

“I think the celebration is premature,” Hunt said. “This was a perfect storm, if you will for that side. This guy Byrne… was running against a guy who — how should I put it charitably — was bonkers and really, really was crazy. The money poured in galore. Everything was in his favor and he won by four points. I don’t find that terribly convincing.”

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On November 1, a three-judge panel of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals decided Gilardi v. HHS ruling against the controversial “birth control mandate” instituted under ObamaCare. People of faith from around the nation have waited for an answer on this question, with nearly 75 similar cases pending in federal courts. While this decision is a major victory for religious liberty, the issue will likely face another round at the U.S. Supreme Court.

Under the Affordable Care Act, employer-paid health insurance plans (for companies with over 50 workers) must offer free “preventive care” which subsequent guidelines define as “all FDA-approved contraceptive methods, sterilization procedures, and patient education and counseling for all women with reproductive capacity, as prescribed by a health care provider.”

The plaintiffs in the case were brothers Francis and Philip Gilardi, owners of Freshway Foods and Freshway Logistics, who have nearly 400 employees. The brothers filed suit on the basis that ObamaCare’s contraceptive mandate obstructs their right of free exercise as protected by the Constitution and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act in that the mandate conflicts with their Catholic faith.

The Court was asked to determine whether or not the birth control mandate could violate the free-exercise rights of the business owners, given that the company, not the individual brothers, was required to provide the employee benefits. In a 2-1 decision, the Court held that the mandate can and does impede the religious liberties of the business owners when the business is closely held.

The opinion, authored by Alabama native Judge Janice Rogers Brown, offered a scathing response to the “troubling” and “sketchy” arguments set forth by the U.S. Justice Department. The government’s key claim was that the religious beliefs of the Gilardi brothers were not substantially burdened because religious freedom is an individual right and cannot be enjoyed by corporations. That is, the government believes that the business owners forfeited their First Amendment and statutory rights of free exercise by opting for incorporation. In response, the Court found that “approving and endorsing the inclusion of contraceptive coverage in their employer-provided plans” is a “cognizable burden on free exercise” and a substantial one, given the looming $14 million penalty faced by businesses that do not follow the law.

The Justice Department furthered argued that providing contraception should be considered by the Court as a “compelling government interest” and should survive the Court’s strict scrutiny into whether the government’s interference with religious liberty was warranted. The government reasoned that the mandate was necessary to “safeguard the public health,” “avert negative consequences for the woman and developing fetus,” and protect “a woman’s compelling interest in autonomy.”

Pronouncing the Justice Department’s arguments “nebulous” and “unconvincing,” Judge Brown concluded, “it is clear the government has failed to demonstrate how such a right – whether described as noninterference, privacy, or autonomy – can extend to the compelled subsidization of a woman’s procreative practices.”
There are three critical takeaways from this decision. First, the Department of Justice has demonstrated once again that in its “representation” of the citizens of the United States, it is willing to make radical arguments in the defense of policies that trample the rights protected by the Constitution. Second, the Supreme Court’s June decision was not the end of constitutional scrutiny of Obamacare. There will likely be additional rulings by the highest court on other aspects of the law.

Third, the importance of the makeup of the D.C. Circuit Court cannot be overlooked. Republicans in the Senate, led by Senators Grassley and Sessions, must succeed in blocking Obama’s attempt at court-packing this circuit. It would be more than just troubling to have judges concurring with the preposterous positions the Justice Department so frequently advocates. While the President has the constitutional authority to make nominations to the D.C. Circuit, the Constitution also grants the Senate the power to oppose his nominations as a safeguard “to protect against the degeneration of the Republic’s original ideals and thus ensure the Republic’s stability.”

Katherine Green Robertson serves as senior policy counsel for the Alabama Policy Institute (API). API is an independent, non-profit research and education organization dedicated to the preservation of free markets, limited government and strong families. If you would like to speak with the author, please call (205) 870-9900 or email her at katheriner@alabamapolicy.org.

The speech he delivered matched the grandiosity of the stage he stood on.

Following his seismic 22-point victory over Democrat Barbara Buono, it’s obvious now that Christie sought to use the address to trumpet his rationale for a presidential candidacy.

Here are 5 key points he delivered along with the larger message he was attempting to send to the country.

1. Christie’s soundbyte: “I know that if we can do this in Trenton, New Jersey, maybe the folks in Washington, D.C. should tune in their TVs right now, see how it’s done.”

Christie’s message: For all the talk of my harsh, brash, pugnacious nature, I’ve proven I’m still more successful at governing than those putzes in Washington.  The government shutdown?  Woulda never happened on my watch.  I have to deal with a legislature of the opposite party too — but we’re still capable of acting like adults and working together.

2. Christie’s soundbyte: ”We show up.  We show up everywhere.  We don’t just show up in the places that vote for us a lot.  We show up in the places that vote for us a little.  We don’t just show up in the places we’re comfortable.  We show up in the places where we’re uncomfortable.  Because when you lead, you need to be there.”

Christie’s message: If (when) I run for president, I’ll strive to campaign everywhere — even in places that may be wary of an in-your-face northeastern governor, even in enclaves normally hostile to Republican candidates.  My mantra will be to win and winning means growing the party.  That means venturing into the big cities as well as the smaller far-flung towns.  And oh, punditry aside, I may just go to Iowa in the run-up to the caucuses, despite my long odds of success there.  Sure, I probably won’t win them (and frankly, I don’t need to), but I will respect their process and make my case, because that’s what I do.  I show up.  Everywhere.

3. Christie’s soundbyte: ”You can agree with me or disagree with me, but I will never stop leading the state I love.”

Christie’s message: Admit it Democrats, you probably don’t like a lot of my policies, but you can’t deny I’m not a natural leader with tremendous persuasive ability.  You gotta at least respect my no-nonsense candor, for the most part.

4.  Christie’s soundbyte: ”Now that doesn’t mean that we don’t have principles, we have many of them.  And we have stood and fought every day to cut taxes, to reduce the size of government spending, to reform pension benefits, to reform a broken education system and to make sure that we create an opportunity again for New Jerseyans.”

Christie’s message:  And to my conservative critics, look at the record, I’m a pretty conservative guy.  And I stress the stuff that matters — the stuff that will allow us to win — economic, bread-and-butter, kitchen table issues  I’m with you on the social issues too, but I’m not in your face about it.  This is part of the formula that allows me to win.  I’m one of you, just packaged a bit differently and with a bit more spunk.  So don’t even think about trying to portray me as a faux conservative. It won’t work.

5. Christie’s soundbyte:  ”I know that tonight a dispirited America angry with their dysfunctional government in Washington, looks to New Jersey to say, ‘Is what I think happening, really happening? Are people really coming together? Are we really working African-Americans and Hispanics, suburbanites and city dwellers, farmers and teachers, are we really all working together?’

Christie’s message: Remember that rebranding effort the Republican National Committee undertook a year ago?  How’s that working out for you?  Well, I’m a governor in a blue state who has built a broad coalition.  I can win women — the demographic that befuddled the other Republican gubernatorial candidate who lost this year. I can put Hispanics in play and African-Americans will at least give me the time of day.  And I’ve built a team of ambassadors here from all these different demographic groups who can vouch for me and my proclivity to be inclusive. It’s powerful and it’s just the beginning.

Follow Dave’s blog at TheRun2016.com

In what was probably the nastiest Republican primary since the 2010 gubernatorial race, former state senator Bradley Byrne outlasted businessman Dean Young to become the Republican party’s nominee for Congress in south Alabama.

Click here to check out 6 losers from the AL-01 Republican primary. Below are 6 of the winners.

DISCLAIMER: this list is no indication of whether I agree or disagree politically or philosophically with any of these individuals or groups — they simply ended up on the winning side in this particular race.

WINNERS

Bradley Byrne

Duh. Byrne has now been involved in two epic bloodbaths in the last three years. He lost the first one, but showed some resilience and won the second. Byrne probably has some of the thickest skin in Alabama politics at this point. Heck, he even fought through the heart-wrenching death of his brother just days before election day.

Barring something completely unforeseen in the general election, Byrne will be the first district’s next congressman. Not a bad second act for a guy who many people had written off after he couldn’t gain any traction for a potential primary challenge to Gov. Bentley.

Byrne is 58 years old, so south Alabama’s congressional seat will probably be in his hands for the next decade or so, assuming he doesn’t take another crack at statewide office at some point.

The National Rifle Association

At a time when Dean Young seemed to be gaining momentum among the conservative grassroots, the NRA dropped in and gave Byrne a big endorsement. That was especially damning for Young, who was seen so often on the campaign trail sporting an NRA hat.

The NRA’s street cred among conservatives is unquestioned. Even though I think endorsements are often overvalued, there’s no doubt the rifle association’s support of Byrne was at the very least an important psychological moment in the campaign.

They ended up finding themselves on the winning side.

Alabama’s Congressional Delegation

Reps. Roby, Rogers and Brooks all dropped $2,500 into Byrne’s campaign in the home stretch. It’s pretty rare for sitting congressmen to play in congressional primaries in their home state, but they apparently felt strongly enough about Byrne — or about keeping Young out — that they got involved. That would have made delegation meetings pretty awkward had Young squeaked through. But he didn’t.

Ending Spending PAC

Similar to the NRA, Ending Spending PAC has been a major player in conservative races in recent years. They were one of the biggest supporters of insurgent tea party candidate Ted Cruz before he became a U.S. Senator. They dropped in $100,000 of pro-Byrne advertising the week before the election, prompting Al.com’s Brenden Kirby to pen the crushing headline, “Dean Young vows to be ‘Ted Cruz congressman,’ but pro-Cruz PAC backs Byrne.” Again, similar to the NRA endorsement, moments like that left voters who may have been predisposed to supporting the tea party-styled candidate Dean Young a little unsure.

U.S. Chamber of Commerce

No endorsement was more polarizing than the Chamber’s nod to Bradley Byrne. They spent around $150,000 on his behalf and sent the national media’s “Tea Party vs. Business/Establishment” narrative into high gear. The Young campaign got a little egg on its face for pursuing the Chamber’s endorsement, then acting like they never wanted it once they found out it was going to Byrne. The Chamber might have some work to do to regain the trust of grassroots conservatives nationally, but they picked the winning horse in south Alabama — so they’re a clear winner in this one.

MSNBC

MSNBC has a win-win in #AL01. Dean Young wins – "Ala. elects birther nut." Byrne wins – "The Tea Party is dead!"

— Cliff Sims (@Cliff_Sims) November 5, 2013

…Just kidding. You have to have higher ratings than old re-runs of The Beverly Hillbillies to have a legitimate chance at actually being considered a “winner.”

Follow Cliff on Twitter @Cliff_Sims

In what was probably the nastiest Republican primary since the 2010 gubernatorial race, former state senator Bradley Byrne outlasted businessman Dean Young to become the Republican party’s nominee for Congress in south Alabama.

We’ve already walked through 6 winners from the first congressional district Republican primary, now below are 6 losers.

DISCLAIMER: this list is no indication of whether I agree or disagree politically or philosophically with any of these individuals or groups — they simply came up short in this particular race.

LOSERS

Dean Young

Love him or hate him, Dean Young is a fighter. He went toe-to-toe with a more well-known, much better funded opponent and held his own.

Unfortunately for Young, his campaign was just plain outgunned. He’s now 0 for 4 running for public office. Young didn’t rule out running again in the future, but it’s hard to imagine him having another legitimate shot at Congress. Of course, Abraham Lincoln lost a legislative race, a couple of runs for congress and twice wasn’t able to get his state legislature to appoint him to the U.S. Senate before he won the presidency. But to paraphrase Lloyd Bentsen, Dean Young, sir, is no Abe Lincoln.

Tony Kennon

Orange Beach Mayor Tony Kennon went all in for Dean Young. “I’m supporting Dean Young for Congress,” Kennon said in a robocall (which can be heard below). “He’s an honest straight-shooter who loves you and loves your family and this country. He will stand for our conservative values while his opponent, Bradley Byrne, who is financed by big money special interests, has run a dishonest campaign full of what my daddy used to call ‘balled-faced lies.'”

Now that Young’s lost, Kennon’s a small-town mayor with a terrible relationship with his soon-to-be congressman. Oops.

Mark Levin & Erick Erickson

Levin and Erickson, two individuals with significant influence among the conservative grassroots, came out hard against Byrne.

Levin called Byrne a “moderate” and a “corporatist” and seemed to question his stance on immigration based on the fact that the Chamber of Commerce was supporting him. But here was the most interesting line of Levin’s take on the AL-01 race:

“So just based on what I’ve read, just based on biography, based on who’s taken what position and so forth — I have to endorse Dean Young.”

And while Erickson pointed out Byrne as “an establishment Republican type,” he really only had this to say about his basis for supporting Young:

“I know nothing about Dean Young other than he’s a burn-it-all-down tea party guy…”

Point is, it seems like both of these conservative champions picked their guy based solely on what they’d read in the media, rather than any personal experience they’d had with him. I’m not saying they wouldn’t have supported Dean Young had they gotten to know him, but I find it interesting that two major conservative figures inserted themselves into a race without having a personal relationship with the candidate they were touting. They ended up on the losing end of this one.

Flash polls

An automated poll (as opposed to one conducted by an actual person on the phone) by Montgomery-based political consulting firm Cygnal made the rounds a week before the election. It showed Young with a 3-point advantage over Byrne, 43%-40%. Although some pollsters expressed concerns with the poll’s accuracy shortly after it came out, it was the only public data anyone had on the race, so it got a lot of media attention. To put it plainly, the poll was off. Byrne ended up winning by 5 points, an 8-point difference from what the poll showed just days before the election.

In their defense, turnout was much higher than anyone expected, so that played a roll in the poll’s inaccuracy.

But after talking with a couple of well-known national pollsters Wednesday night, I’m more convinced than ever that it’s important to take these push-button polls with a grain of salt. “If Byrne had actually been at 40% a week before the election, he would have been toast,” one of the pollsters told me. It was fun to debate and a good way to get folks stirred up, but Yellowhammer shouldn’t have touted the Cygnal poll the way we and other outlets did. (Shoot, does that make us a loser, too?)

Our Voice PAC

The super PAC founded by failed Nevada senate candidate Sharon Angle placed a $10,000 ad buy in support of Dean Young’s candidacy in mid-September.

This below pamphlet, which says it was paid for by Our Voice PAC, also made the rounds in the First District attacking Byrne. Yellowhammer never posted it during the campaign because we couldn’t verify its authenticity.

Class

The frequently trumpeted idea that U.S. politics are more divisive and vitriolic than they’ve ever been is pretty much nonsense. Seriously, go read some history about the Jefferson-Adams battles when the country was in its infancy. When Barack Obama pleaded for a “return to civility,” he was calling for something that’s never really existed in U.S. political campaigns.

Check out this awesome video of the 1800 U.S. presidential campaign in the candidate’s own words:

But just like we encourage pee wee football teams to shake hands at midfield — no matter how dirty the other team played — we expect our statesmen to show humility in victory and grace in defeat.

The Byrne and Young campaigns both issued vicious attack ads with questionable accuracy (at best) during the campaign — so it’s understandable that they don’t want to have Sunday brunch with each other. But Young refused to even call Byrne to concede or congratulate him Tuesday night. He also vowed not to support him in the general election — which I suppose means he tacitly supports an ObamaCare-loving Democrat.

Follow Cliff on Twitter @Cliff_Sims

(Above: WKRG reports from the campaign headquarters of both Bradley Byrne and Dean Young)

It was supposed to be decided by the slimmest of margins, but in the end it wasn’t really that close.

On Tuesday night, Bradley Byrne defeated Dean Young by a five-point margin and won the Republican nomination in the race to become south Alabama’s next congressman.

He will now be the overwhelming favorite against Democratic nominee Burton LeFlore.

Byrne won by a margin of 38,150-to-34,534 according to the Associated Press. 72,684 voters came out to the polls for the runoff, a much higher turnout than the 52,344 who voted in the primary.

The former chancellor of Alabama’s two year college system congratulated his opponent  and offered to work with Young to “unify” the party.

“We had a huge, huge victory tonight,” Byrne said to his supporters Wintzell’s Oyster House in downtown Mobile. “I want to congratulate Dean Young on fighting a hard race and I look forward to working with him over the next several weeks and months as we unify our party, go to Washington and do the hard work for the people of this district and the people of the United States of America.”

However, Young said in his concession speech (which can be viewed in the video above) that he’s not willing to take Byrne up on that offer.

“I cannot bring myself to vote for someone who would mislead the people of south Alabama and the nation like Bradley Byrne has,” Young said at his election night event at Cottages on the Green in Foley. “And he should be ashamed of what he’s done. He should be. And therefore, you know — you reap what you sow and that will follow him — what he’s done and how he mischaracterized who I am and who I’m about. That will follow him.”

The Byrne-Young matchup garnered a lot of attention from the national media who did their best to frame the race as establishment vs. tea party in one of the most solidly Republican districts in the country.

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FIVE POINTS – Farmer Phil Slay on Tuesday announced that he will run as a Republican candidate for the House District 37 legislative seat being vacated by retiring State Rep. Richard Laird, I-Roanoake. The district includes portions of Chambers, Clay, and Randolph counties.

Slay said he will focus his campaign on issues that include creating jobs, making needed improvements in public education, and bringing a higher standard of ethics and common sense to Montgomery.

“Alabama has made great progress over the past four years, and it has been a good first step, but there is a lot of work yet to be done before our state is where it needs to be with regards to education, ethics, and economic development,” Slay said in a statement. “As a farmer, I know that a hard day’s work produces results, and I am ready to put in the hours and efforts it takes to do this job for my fellow citizens in District 37.”

Since 1988, Slay and his family have operated Slay Farm, where they specialize in raising and marketing cattle, sheep, and other livestock. In 1995, the Slays were selected as Alabama’s “Young Farm Family of the Year.”

For the past three years, the 48-year-old Slay has served as the Chambers County president of the Alabama Farmers Federation. He is active in the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association and has served as a member of the Chambers County Soil and Water District Board for more than two decades.

In an effort to bridge the gap between rural and urban residents, Slay has also worked for several years with the Chambers County Farm-City Committee.

Slay also served as chief of the Five Points Volunteer Fire Department for 13 years.

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Mitt Romney was never a natural fit for Iowa.

But as the Republican Party wrestles with how to alter its nominating system in order to produce a less battered nominee in 2016, the former Massachusetts governor offers some advice in an interview with the Boston Globe: Move away from the complicated caucus.

Romney, who was pilloried during the GOP primaries by many Tea Party supporters, said the presidential nominating contest should be altered to diminish the influence of caucuses and encourage states to select candidates through broader primary elections.

“I’m concerned that there’s an effort on the part of some to move toward caucuses or conventions to select nominees, and I think that’s a mistake,” Romney said.

“I think we should reward those states that award delegates to the convention based upon primaries. Primaries are the place where you see whose message is connecting with the largest number of people,” he said.

A change this dramatic would implicitly alter Iowa’s role, which is persistently debated after each presidential campaign.  But Romney said that was not his intention.

Romney’s plan would probably limit the strength of the Tea Party, whose activists have proved effective in caucuses, where they can rally their most ardent supporters. Romney said he was less concerned about diminishing the influence of Iowa, which holds strong to its tradition of having a caucus, than with other states moving in that direction.

“I’m concerned that that kind of approach could end up with a minority deciding who the nominee ought to be. And that I think would be a mistake,” he said. “I think we should have the majority of the party’s voters decide who they want as their nominee.”

There’s one candidate who comes immediately to mind that could feasibly embrace a caucus-free approach come 2016.

Follow Dave’s blog at TheRun2016.com

Montgomery – The Alabama Public Service Commission today approved rate and revenue reductions affecting Alabama Gas Corporation (Alagasco) and its customers.

PSC President Twinkle Cavanaugh said she was pleased that Alagasco customers will receive some much needed relief during these difficult economic times.

“This is a real victory for the consumers,” Cavanaugh said. “I promised to review all utility rates regulated by the PSC in order to keep utility rates down and, in return, continue to recruit and grow jobs in Alabama. All of these efforts boil down to Alabama families getting to keep more of their hard earned money.”

The decrease in Alagasco’s allowed rate of return represents one of the largest one-time reductions in an allowed return by a regulated utility in recent history.

The return for Alagasco, which has been in place since 1987, was reduced from the current range of
13.15 percent to 13.65 percent, to the lower range of 10.5 percent to 10.95 percent.

This reduction in allowed earnings will result in approximately $13.5 million in annual savings to Alagasco customers, which equates to approximately $33 in savings per customer during each year of the agreement, which runs through September 30, 2018.

Cavanaugh said the new agreement gives the Commission greater oversight through additional filing requirements and provides additional information needed to more effectively monitor the Company’s financial performance. It will also guarantee that customers can view their rates online or request a copy in the mail.

Commissioner Jeremy Oden said the process the PSC has used to review rates has been extremely successful to this point, due in large part to their ability to hear directly from the public.

“During the Mobile Gas, Alabama Power, and Alabama Gas proceedings, I have continued my commitment to hear directly from actual rate payers by calling for public proceedings in off-site locations,” Oden said. “The public hearing in Auburn for Alabama Gas Company, on September 25th, provided customers the opportunity to speak directly to the company and to me and my fellow Commissioners. This public hearing process allowed us the flexibility to work directly with our staff, the Attorney General’s Office, and the company to institute significant, tangible savings to ratepayers while ensuring a stable regulatory environment for Alabama Gas Company.”

The agreement the Commission approved today also contains a new provision that ensures open and transparent hearings will be held when drastic changes occur in the economy.

“One of the things we ensured during this thorough public hearing process is the rate payers’ right to have the rate of return examined when the economy is experiencing extreme volatility,” Cavanaugh said.

The Public Service Commission also voted today to approve an application for a Certificate of Industrial Development from Plains Mobile Pipeline, Inc.

The approved project consists of the installation of approximately 2.2 miles of pipeline. It will cost the company approximately $14.4 million and create 40 new construction jobs and retain close to 50 jobs currently employed with the company.

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Brad Gaddy owns a trucking company in the little town of Double Springs, Alabama that hauls wood chips, lumber, logs, and other freight for a number of customers in Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee.  In fact, with 17 trucks and 30 employees, Gaddy Logistics, Inc. is one of the larger employers in Double Springs, accounting for 4-5% of the total jobs in this small town. Imagine Gaddy’s surprise one Monday morning two weeks ago when he learned that the Federal Government had effectively closed his business.

Gaddy had received an early-morning call from a customer in Tennessee who “asked how I intended to deliver his freight.  I didn’t have a clue what he was talking about,” Gaddy recalled.  “I said ‘Just like always – hook-up to the trailer and have it there this afternoon.’” The customer then told Gaddy he had received notice that all Gaddy Logistics trucks had been placed “Out-of Service” (may not operate) by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).

A quick visit to the FMCSA website confirmed what Gaddy’s customer had told him.

Understandably confused, Gaddy called the FMCSA office in Atlanta. Officials there told Gaddy that he had ignored a letter from them requiring him to file a “Plan of Corrective Action” to address two roadside truck inspections, each of which had found one defective tire.  Both vehicles had been placed temporarily out-of-service until the tires were replaced.  Because the company was cited two times within a 90-day period, the federal agency required a written plan of “improved maintenance practices” if he was continue to operate.

The problem was, Gaddy never received that letter and the deadline for filing the report had come and gone.  FMCSA officials from Atlanta later faxed a copy of the letter, which had apparently been sent to the physical address of the business, rather than the post office box.  When Gaddy objected that he had not received the notice, he was told “that’s not our problem” by FMCSA officials.

Gaddy then contacted the Alabama Loggers Council at the Alabama Forestry Association and asked for assistance.  AFA contacted Congressman Robert Aderholt and Senator Jeff Sessions on his behalf.  Staffers at both offices were shocked to learn that a federal agency could, even temporarily, shut down a private company with no more notice than a first class letter.

Congressman Aderholt’s office helped Gaddy submit his “Plan of Corrective Action,” which was approved the following day.  However, FMCSA informed Gaddy that his trucks would remain out-of-service for the full 30-day period because, “that’s our policy.”

Ironically, Gaddy received a Certified Letter on October 30, 2013 stating that his “Plan of Corrective Action” had been approved.  FMCSA obviously has the “cart before the horse” in sending a certified letter to acknowledge approval of a corrective action, but using regular mail to tell a company that if they do not take the corrective action they would be closed down!

Gaddy’s case is now effectively dead.  His insurance carrier has cancelled his policy due to the ruling, and he further faces two more weeks of trying to keep his business afloat and his employees paid with no way to produce income.  It seems unconscionable that a group of un-elected federal bureaucrats would operate with such careless disregard for a legitimate company, 30 employees and the small town economy they help support, even to the point of ignoring the counsel of the elected representatives who oversee their agency.

Federal agencies should ensure that businesses they regulate operate safely, for the good of the company and the public. But no agency operating under a banner of “that’s our policy” should shut down a legitimate business that has complied with a requested action, without ensuring that proper notice was sent AND RECEIVED about a potential shutdown order.

Looked at another way, is this still a country where “we the people” are served by a government funded with our taxes, to help us run businesses and employ people?

This case makes me doubt that proposition.

Chris Isaacson is the Executive Vice-President of the Alabama Forestry Association, which represents members of Alabama’s forest products industry.

State Rep. Patricia Todd, D-Birmingham, has pre-filed a bill for the 2014 legislative session that would bring the repeal of Alabama’s constitutional ban on gay marriage up for a vote of the people.

Here’s the synopsis of the bill, HB40, as filed by Rep. Todd:

Under Constitutional Amendment No. 774, Constitution of Alabama of 1901, no marriage license may be issued in Alabama to parties of the same sex and same sex marriages from other jurisdictions are not recognized in Alabama. This bill would propose a constitutional amendment to repeal Amendment 774.

Todd, who is the only openly gay member of the Alabama legislature, went to Massachusetts in September to marry her partner. She has said several times this year that she planned to challenge Alabama’s gay marriage ban in court. When asked by USA Today how realistic it is to expect Alabama to one day lift its ban on gay marriage, Todd replied that she has “all the confidence in the world” that it will happen eventually.

Passage of Todd’s bill, which is extremely unlikely, would not mean the current ban would be lifted. Constitutional amendments require a vote of the people, which has proven to be a high bar to clear for gay marriage advocates. Twelve states have legalized gay marriage, but only three have done it by ballot referendums — Maine, Maryland and Washington. Even Californians voted down gay marriage 52% – 48% in 2008.

Alabama House Speaker Mike Hubbard, R-Auburn, was complimentary of Todd’s work as a legislator on Monday, but said there’s no way her bill will receive the support of Republicans, who hold super-majorities in both houses of the legislature.

“Rooted firmly in the Bible and reflective of our traditional, conservative values, recognized marriages in Alabama are a covenant made only among a man, a woman, and God, and I would oppose any effort to change that solemn fact,” Hubbard told Yellowhammer. “Rep. Todd is a hard-working, conscientious legislator, and I consider her a friend and valued colleague, but on this issue, my faith, my values, and my beliefs prevent me from supporting her efforts.”

Follow Cliff on Twitter @Cliff_Sims

According to campaign finance disclosures released Monday, Gov. Robert Bentley, R-Tuscaloosa, has raised a stout $2.3 million for his reelection campaign since June.

The reports, which were filed with the Secretary of State in accordance with Alabama campaign finance procedures, revealed that more than $433,000 dollars were raised by the campaign in the month of October alone. That comes on the heels of the $550,000 they raised in September.

Bentley & co. now have $2.1 million cash-on-hand.

“I think the people of this state see how hard we’ve worked and what we’ve been able to accomplish. Unemployment is significantly lower than it was when I came into office, and we’ve recruited over 40-thousand new, future jobs,” Bentley said. “There’s still a lot of work to be done to bring in high-paying jobs for the people of this state, and that’s what I plan to do as Governor. I thank the people of this state for supporting our re-election campaign.”

Former Morgan County Commissioner Stacy George is challenging Bentley in the Republican primary. George’s campaign finance report showed that he has about $47 cash-on-hand.

At this point, no Democrat has stepped up to challenge Bentley in the general election.

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If at first you don’t succeed — try, try again.

Former Democratic-turned-Republican Rep. Parker Griffith is considering taking another crack at current incumbent Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Huntsville, in the upcoming general election for Alabama’s 5^th congressional district.

In an interview with Huntsville CBS affiliate WHNT’s Daniela Perallon, Griffith said if he ran, he would be running as an Independent, rather than a Republican or Democrat.

“For the last several decades, the political parties have been choosing their voters instead of the voters choosing their representatives,” Griffith said. “I’m still considering [a run]. I’m not committed at all to running. I’ve done it twice, failed.”

Griffith touted the idea of an education lottery and expanding Medicaid, two positions that aren’t traditionally touted by Republicans.

“We want to hear about an education lottery,” he said. “We want to hear about the expansion of Medicaid. We want to hear about the creation of jobs.”

To qualify for the election as an independent candidate, Griffith would need signatures from 3 percent of the 5^th congressional district’s voters by June. According to WHNTm that would be 6,858 signatures.

Brooks reacted to the possibility of another rematch against Griffith at a town hall meeting on Monday night at the University of Alabama-Huntsville. He told WHNT’s Greg Screws it would be left up to the voters.

“Well, I wouldn’t know what to do running for Congress if Parker Griffith weren’t on the ballot opposite of me,” Brooks sad. “So we’ll see how that plays out. That’ll also be up to the voters to decide.”

Griffith is 0-2 when going up against Brooks. During his only term in the U.S. House, Griffith switched from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party, but was defeated in the 2010 Republican primary by Brooks. Griffith took another shot at the Republican nod in 2012, but Brooks crushed him by a 42-point margin.

Follow Jeff on Twitter @Jeff_Poor

The final national figure to campaign for Chris Christie’s re-election in New Jersey will be New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez.

Martinez is not only her state’s first female governor, but also the first Hispanic female governor in the entire country.

The Star-Ledger notes that Martinez represents Christie’s concerted effort to reach out to Hispanics.  Campaign spokesman Kevin Roberts even delivers a quote that the Martinez visit “makes another statement about what we are doing and the non-traditional support we are gaining.”

The images of Christie and Martinez together Monday will only conjure up thoughts of a possible 2016 ticket.

If Christie is the nominee, it’s highly unlikely he’d select one of his insurgent rivals like Sens. Rand Paul or Ted Cruz as his running mate. Given his thematic of being able to win big in a blue state, Martinez falls right into the sweet spot.  Furthermore, if he’s locked in a battle with Hillary Clinton, the pressure to seriously consider a female running mate will be palpable.  Given her own record and political profile, Martinez will likely end up on Christie’s short list.

Martinez is only the second national politician to join Christie in Jersey; the other was former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani.  It’s fascinating to contrast the two blue-state, more moderate Christie surrogates of Martinez and Giuliani with the rest of the 2016 pack who saddled up for Ken Cuccinelli’s likely losing effort in Virginia.

Cuccinelli brought in Sens. Paul and Marco Rubio along with Govs. Bobby Jindal and Scott Walker.  Granted, Cuccinelli was more in the need of cavalry, given his underdog political position.

But Christie’s campaign partners are instructive with regards to saying something more about who he is comfortable associating himself with — moderates who represent the diverse, big tent Republican Party rationale.

And the 2016 atmospherics may just make Martinez an option that’s too good to resist.

Follow Dave’s blog at TheRun2016.com

1. Public Service Commissioner Terry Dunn, R-Southside

There’s no Republican in the state who’s more out of touch with Alabama’s conservative base than Terry Dunn. After siding with environmental groups in a series of battles at the Alabama Public Service Commission, Dunn has found himself in the crosshairs of two viable Republican primary challengers — former Greene County Commission Chairman Chip Beeker and Alabama Minority GOP Chairman Philip Brown. Republicans have abandoned Dunn in droves. He will have a very difficult time raising the kind of money his campaign will need to beat back his challengers, especially Beeker, who has proven himself to be a solid fundraiser.

2. Pike County Sheriff Russell Thomas, D-Troy

The five-term sheriff of Pike County is just about the last Democrat standing in his neck of the woods. Pike County’s state representative, state senator and probate judge are all Republicans. He’s put himself on island recently by alienating local leaders. He’s still operating like he was 10 years ago when you could be a heavy-handed Democrat Party boss and still get away with it. Times have changed.

3. Sen. Harri Anne Smith, I-Dothan

Due to a major falling out with the local Republican Party a few years back, Smith is now in Independent in a heavily Republican district. She has cited family reasons for not being able to attend regularly during the legislative session, but her absence left her sponsoring only one local bill in 2013 — a bill to bring forth a referendum on Sunday alcohol sales in Dothan. Popular Republican county commissioner Melinda McClendon is challenging Smith in 2014. It promises to be one of the most interesting races of the cycle.

4. (tie) Sen. Tammy Irons, D-Florence and Sen. Marc Keahey, D-Grove Hill

The shifting population in Irons’ and Keahey’s districts left them in tough shape after reapportionment went into effect.

Athens city councilman Chris Seibert, who played football at Bama, is challenging Irons as a Republican. Tea Party candidate Danny Joyner is taking a second crack at taking down Keahey. He fell just short in 2010. Word around south Alabama is that Keahey actually might decide to not seek re-election rather than waging an uphill battle to hold his seat.

6. Rep. Daniel Boman, D-Sulligent

Boman is one of the most bizarre characters in Alabama politics. You have to question the political acumen of someone who switches parties from Republican to Democrat right when Republicans win the majority for the first time since Reconstruction. Now he’s legal counsel to former youth evangelist Matt Pitt in his ongoing arrest and imprisonment saga.

Boman has some of the worst polling numbers in the state. Insiders say his hard re-elect is below 15 percent — meaning less than 15 out of 100 people surveyed say they plan to vote for Boman no matter who runs against him. That’s atrocious.

7. Sen. Shadrack McGill, R-Scottsboro

Lackluster fundraising, discontent among local Republicans because of his lack of activity in the district, and a steady string of negative press has left McGill extremely vulnerable to a primary challenge. AEA Republican Todd Greason, R-Ider, is giving up his state house seat to take a shot at McGill. But conservative businessman Steve Livingston is the one to watch. If Livingston can muster the resources, SD-8 will have a shot at having some decent representation.

8. Rep. Steve Hurst, R-Munford

Hurst ran as a Democrat in 2010, then promptly switched parties days after the election once he saw Republicans had taken control. He barely fended off his general election challenger in 2010, now he has to face him in the Republican primary. Hurst’s voting record hasn’t shifted at all since he became a Republican. RINO is an overused acronym these days, but it describes Hurst to a tee.

9. Rep. Greg Burdine, D-Florence

While Burdine’s state house district votes Republican for U.S. Senate, governor and just about everything else, they’ve shown a willingness to continue sending liberal Democrat Greg Burdine back to Montgomery. 2014 may be the year Burdine’s record finally catches up with him. HD-1 is a conservative-leaning district. That leaves an entrenched leftwing politician like Burdine in a tough spot.

10. Rep. Craig Ford, D-Gadsden

House Minority Leader Craig Ford may end up being one of the few incumbents in the state who has to survive both a tough primary and general election. A black female county commissioner is widely believed to be eyeing Ford’s seat, and his district has shown in recent years that it’s becoming more willing to elect Republicans. Ford is still AEA’s favored son, so he’ll have the resources to try and beat back any potential challengers, but his race will still be one to watch, depending on who gets in.

Follow Cliff on Twitter @Cliff_Sims

DOTHAN – Republican businesswoman and Houston County Commissioner Melinda McClendon today announced she is challenging incumbent state senator Harri Anne Smith, I-Dothan, for the Alabama Senate district 29 seat. The election is set to be held exactly one year from today.

McClendon said she believes the 2014 cycle presents conservatives with an important opportunity to push back against President Obama’s infringement on states’ rights.

“This is our last chance to get the proverbial fox out of the henhouse,” she said. “If we’re not careful, we’re going to hand over on a silver platter to President Obama and his czars the freedoms that we’ve all taken for granted. The country that I grew up in is quickly becoming nothing but a memory, and I can’t just sit by and watch it on the news without putting up a fight.”

McClendon was diagnosed with Stage III breast cancer in late 2009 and said she brings a very personal commitment to the ongoing battle over affordable and quality healthcare.

“I sat with women every day who didn’t even know who was driving them home from treatment, much less how they were going to pay for the chemotherapy they needed,” McClendon recalled. “But in the two years I went through that entire ordeal, I never saw a patient turned away. Not ever.”

Asked how Obamacare will affect her healthcare decisions, McClendon said she refuses to let a bureaucrat who works for the IRS in Washington, D.C., tell her what type of treatment she’ll be approved for if her cancer recurs.

“This is very personal to me, I’ve definitely got a dog in this fight,” she added.

McClendon currently owns a consulting business in Dothan and said she believes the legislature would benefit from the perspective of a conservative businesswoman.

“It’s critical that we have experienced business people representing us in Montgomery who can negotiate, build relationships and close these deals, and I’m that person.”

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Just days away from an expected smashing re-election victory in New Jersey, a new book portrays Gov. Chris Christie as an opposition researcher’s dream.

In “Double Down: Game Change 2012″, Mitt Romney’s vice presidential vetting team is portrayed as hostile to Christie due to a litany of troubling issues in his past that haven’t previously received sustained attention.

An excerpt of the book chronicling the 2012 campaign quotes Romney adviser Ted Newton saying, “When  you look below the surface, it’ not pretty.”

This graph summarizes the red flags that disturbed Romney’s team and ultimately dissuaded them from favoring Christie for vice president:

The vetters were stunned by the garish controversies lurking in the shadows of his record. There was a 2010 Department of Justice inspector general’s investigation of Christie’s spending patterns in his job prior to the governorship, which criticized him for being “the U.S. attorney who most often exceeded the government [travel expense] rate without adequate justification” and for offering “insufficient, inaccurate, or no justification” for stays at swank hotels like the Four Seasons. There was the fact that Christie worked as a lobbyist on behalf of the Securities Industry Association at a time when Bernie Madoff was a senior SIA official—and sought an exemption from New Jersey’s Consumer Fraud Act. There was Christie’s decision to steer hefty government contracts to donors and political allies like former Attorney General John Ashcroft, which sparked a congressional hearing. There was a defamation lawsuit brought against Christie arising out of his successful 1994 run to oust an incumbent in a local Garden State race. Then there was Todd Christie, the Governor’s brother, who in 2008 agreed to a settlement of civil charges by the Securities and Exchange Commission in which he acknowledged making “hundreds of trades in which customers had been systematically overcharged.” (Todd also oversaw a family foundation whose activities and purpose raised eyebrows among the vetters.) And all that was on top of a litany of glaring matters that sparked concern on Myers’ team: Christie’s other lobbying clients, his investments overseas, the YouTube clips that helped make him a star but might call into doubt his presidential temperament, and the status of his health.

Newton told his colleagues, If Christie had been in the nomination fight against us, we would have destroyed him—he wouldn’t be able to run for governor again, according to “Double Down.”

At campaign stops Friday, Christie waved off the claims as an attempt to sell books.

Follow Dave’s blog at TheRun2016.com

Sen. Ted Cruz privately told a group of donors in New York this past summer that Sen. Rand Paul can’t be elected president.

That’s the lead nugget in a New York Times piece examining the relationship of the two tea party stars.  It’ also the first published piece of evidence showing a breach between the two colleagues who are in agreement on the substance of most issues but are heading towards a potential collision course in 2016.

[W]hen Mr. Cruz went to New York City to meet with donors this summer, he privately offered a different view of Mr. Paul: The Kentucky senator can never be elected president, he told them, because he can never fully detach himself from the strident libertarianism of his father, former Representative Ron Paul of Texas.

Word of Mr. Cruz’s remarks reached Mr. Paul’s inner circle, touching off anger and resentment.

An aide to Paul said that while Rand and Cruz genuinely like each other, their friendship wouldn’t impact the senator’s decision to run.

“Kelley Paul is the one that matters,” said the aide.

The same, is likely to be assumed of Cruz, who has been more coy about his own obvious presidential ambitions.

But a Cruz-Paul slugfest could be just the formula for a more moderate GOP figure — like Chris Christie or Marco Rubio — to slide up the middle and capture the nomination. It’s a scenario not dissimilar to the fissure that Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich experienced in the 2012 primary fight against Mitt Romney.

Follow Dave’s blog at TheRun2016.com

(Above: 60 Minutes profiles the Bama football program and head coach Nick Saban)

For the last eight months, University of Alabama head football coach Nick Saban gave CBS’ 60 Minutes full access to his entire program.

On Sunday evening, CBS aired the first half of a two-part series focusing on The Crimson Tide, starting with a visit to Crimson Tide practice

“Why are you so tough on people?” 60 Minutes correspondent Armen Keteyian asked Saban after watching him relentlessly demand perfection from his players.

“I don’t know if that’s fair, that I’m really tough on people,” the Tide coach replied calmly. “We create a standard for how we want to do things, and everybody’s got to buy into that standard… Mediocre people don’t like high achievers and high achievers don’t like mediocre people.”

The means through which Saban and his teams pursue perfection is a system known simply as “The Process.” Rather than worrying about winning, Saban encourages his guys to focus on doing their job at the highest level every single play — in practice, and ultimately during the games.

“The approach was to challenge the players to play every play in the game like it had a history and a life of its own,” Saban explained. “[We] tried to take the other team out of the game and make it all about us… It really is the simple way to do it. It’s the best way to do it.”

The play that epitomized “The Process,” according 60 Minutes, took place late in last year’s National Championship game.

The Crimson Tide were up big with just over 7 minutes to go against an outmatched Notre Dame squad. Alabama quarterback A.J. McCarron and center Barrett Jones called different plays at the line of scrimmage. Both insisted they were right. After arguing over the play, McCarron called a timeout in frustration and berated Jones, who responded by shoving McCarron in front of millions of people on live television.

Saban loved it.

“The game’s probably won… and they’re still trying to get it right,” he said, “which to me is the kind of pride in performance that you want in the players.”

The CBS crew dug into Saban’s past to try to gain a better understanding of what in Saban’s upbringing led to his seemingly maniacal pursuit of perfection.

Saban’s dad, Nick, Sr., is a local Pee Wee football coaching legend in their West Virginia coal mining town. Saban started working at his dad’s service station when he was only 11 years old.

“If we washed a car… and it was not done exactly, perfectly correctly, he would say ‘wash it again,'” Saban recalled. “A single streak and you had to do the whole care again.” He says now that his desire for perfection started at that service station.

Years later, after working as a graduate assistant for Kent State University’s football program, Saban decided that coaching was the profession for him. In what would be the last conversation he ever had with his father, Saban told him the news.

“I think [coaching football] is what I really want to do,” Saban recalled telling his dad. “That was the last conversation we had.”

Nick, Sr. passed away just days late at the age of 46.

After bouncing around from college to college, never staying longer than a few years, Saban won his first national championship at LSU. He then hightailed it to the NFL, taking a job as the Miami Dolphin’s head coach.

But after a couple of lackluster seasons, Alabama came calling.

Saban initially denied any interest in the job. At one press conference, an exasperated Saban explicitly said he would not be Bama’s next head coach.

He took the job shortly thereafter.

Asked by the 60 Minutes correspondent if he regrets those words now, Saban said, “Absolutely… It affected my integrity as a person by saying one thing and doing something else.”

The criticism he received over taking the Alabama job ended up being nothing more than a blip on the radar, though, especially now as the Tide pursues its third consecutive national championship. But there are still some who question whether any coach is worth what the University of Alabama pays Saban — over $5 million per year, more than any other college coach in the country.

University of Alabama system Chancellor Dr. Robert Witt, who approved Saban’s giant contract, says it has proven to be one of the smartest decisions he’s ever made.

“Nick Saban is the best financial investment this university’s ever made,” Witt said confidently.

When 60 Minutes ran the numbers, they found plenty of data to back up that claim. Saban has overseen a 112 percent increase in revenue for the athletic department, $4 million of which was returned to the university in the form of academic scholarships last year alone.

But Saban’s pursuit of perfection has not consumed him to the point that he’s blind to the world around him. Even a little bit of pop culture seems to have infiltrated “The Process.”

After a big win against Texas A&M earlier this year, Saban praised his team in the locker room with a familiar phrase from A&E’s hit reality show Duck Dynasty.

“I’m so happy, happy, happy,” Saban exclaimed. “…I’m so proud.”

The second part of the 60 Minutes profile is set to air Wednesday on Showtime.

Follow Cliff on Twitter @Cliff_Sims

Whoever “Bradley Bynes” is, he’s a liar — at least according to Republican First Congressional District hopeful Dean Young.

Young and fellow Republican Bradley Byrne are locked in a tight battle for the GOP nomination in AL-01 with only a day to go.

The campaign has turned extremely negative in recent weeks as both Byrne and Young have taken direct shots at each other. Byrne called Young a “political moneyman with a self-dealing past” and said he “fools Christians for his own profit.” Young has inundated phone lines and mail boxes with a deluge of vitriol aimed at Byrne.

Third-party groups supporting both candidates have also jumped in the fray with hit pieces.

But over the weekend, the Young campaign went… well… ghetto.

In a pair of digital ads that were initially seen running on popular news aggregator DrudgeReport.com, Young went back to the most basic of all attacks — he simply called his opponent a liar. The problem? Well, in addition to the rudimentary photoshop work, the Young campaign misspelled their opponent’s name.

To their credit, they got Byrne’s name right in the second ad. And the photoshop work… immaculate.

The election is set for tomorrow. Baldwin County Republican Party Chairman Matt Simpson summed up the feelings of most of south Alabama last week when he posted on Facebook, “By this time next week ALL THE ROBOCALLS WILL STOP!”

Follow Cliff on Twitter @Cliff_Sims