The Alabama Farmers Federation has endorsed Republican Jay Hovey in the State Senate District 27 race, the organization announced Tuesday.

“It is an honor to be endorsed by some of the hardest-working people in Alabama,” said Hovey. “We share the same work ethic and the same conservative values, and I look forward to working for them and all the people of Senate District 27 to make this district a better place to live and work.”

Hovey, who represents Ward 7 on the Auburn City Council, defeated State Sen. Tom Whatley (R-Auburn) by a single vote in the GOP primary election. Senate District 27 encompasses Lee, Russell and Tallapoosa Counties.

A mortgage loan originator with Auburn Bank, Hovey is a lieutenant governor’s appointee to the Alabama Small Business Advisory Commission. He also serves as a member of the United Way, Kiwanis Club and Auburn Chamber of Commerce.

An endorsement from ALFA is widely seen across the state as being one of great significance. The influential agriculture advocacy organization holds a membership roll of over 340,000, which includes representation from all 67 counties in the state of Alabama.

ALFA utilizes its political arm, FarmPAC, in the endorsement of candidates seeking election to statewide and local offices.

The district’s county Farmers Federation presidents released statements hailing the organization’s endorsement of Hovey.

Lee County Farmers Federation President Jamie Lazenby praised Hovey for his service on the Auburn City Council.

“Jay Hovey has been an outstanding leader as a member of our city council,” said Lazenby. “We know he will take our conservative values to Montgomery to continue his same excellent level of leadership.

Becky Martin, Russell County Farmers Federation president, touted Hovey as “an outstanding leader.”

“Jay Hovey is an outstanding leader and will represent the agricultural community well in the Senate,” said Martin. “We look forward to working with him.”

According to Tallapoosa County Farmers Federation President Jacob Hodnett, Hovey understands issues of importance to Alabama’s agricultural community.

“Jay Hovey is a hard worker who has given back to his community in numerous ways including serving on the city council,” said Hodnett. “He knows the importance of agriculture in Alabama and will represent us well in Montgomery.”

Hovey will face Democrat Sherri Reese in the Nov. 8 general election.

Dylan Smith is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL

For decades, losing political candidates in Alabama have been exiled to “Buck’s Pocket.” It is uncertain when or how the colloquialism began, but political insiders have used this terminology for at least 60 years.

Alabama author, the late Winston Groom, wrote a colorful allegorical novel about Alabama politics in the 1960s and referred to a defeated gubernatorial candidate having to go to Buck’s Pocket.

Most observers credit Big Jim Folsom with creating the term. He would refer to the pilgrimage and ultimate arrival of his opponents to the political purgatory reserved for losing gubernatorial candidates.

Which brings me to another contention surrounding Buck’s Pocket. Many argue that Buck’s Pocket is reserved for losing candidates in the governor’s race. Others say Buck’s Pocket is the proverbial graveyard for all losing candidates in Alabama.

One thing that Groom clarified is that once you are sent to Buck’s Pocket, you eat poke sallet for every meal. It is not certain if Big Jim or Groom began the poke sallet myth.

Once you are sent to Buck’s Pocket, Groom suggested you were relegated to the rural resting place forever.

However, history has proven that a good many defeated Alabama politicians have risen from the grave and left Buck’s Pocket to live another day.

Most folks do not know that there really is a Buck’s Pocket. Big Jim was the first gubernatorial aspirant to hail from North Alabama in the 20th century. He was the first one to campaign extensively in rural North Alabama, often one-on-one on country roads.

One day while stumping in the remote Sand Mountain area of Dekalb County, he wound up in an area he referred to as Buck’s Pocket. It was a beautiful and pristine area, but it was sure enough back in the woods.

Big Jim, who loved the country and loved country folks, was said to say, “I love the country, but I sure wouldn’t want to be sent to Buck’s Pocket to live.”

Buck’s Pocket is no longer a mythical place. If you are traveling up the interstate past Gadsden, on the way to Chattanooga, you will see it. There is a Buck’s Pocket State Park in Dekalb County, thanks to Big Jim.

So, next time you hear an old timer refer to a defeated candidate as going to Buck’s Pocket, you will know what they are talking about.

After the primary runoffs, Auburn City Councilman Jay Hovey was declared the winner of the State Senate District 27 race. He won by one vote. Folks, the old saying that one vote makes a difference is not just an adage.

It is nearly impossible to defeat an incumbent state senator, especially one who has served two terms and amassed an enormous war chest. Jay Hovey was outspent by the incumbent Tom Whatley $1.2 million to $96,000 – an unbelievable more than 12 to 1 advantage. The district includes Lee, Tallapoosa and Russell counties.

However, most of the votes are in Lee County. Hovey ran like a scalded dog through Auburn and Lee County. Obviously, he and his wife, Anna, are well thought of in Auburn, Opelika and Lee County. Home folks know you best.

He will make a good senator for that important part of the state.

Elmore County Circuit Judge Bill Lewis is a bright star on the judicial political horizon. Lewis has been on the bench six years. His circuit includes Elmore, Autauga and Chilton counties. He could wind up on the state Supreme Court one day if he not plucked earlier for a federal district judge spot by a Republican president. He is 43 and sharp.

The state Democratic Party has elected Randy Kelley, a Huntsville minister, as chairman, and Tabitha Isner, a Montgomery political activist, as vice chairman. They were the choices of the five-decade king of Democratic politics, Joe Reed.

The Alabama Republican Party right-wing hierarchy has passed a resolution asking the Legislature to have a closed private primary.

It is doubtful that the Legislature will give credence to the group’s wishes. It would disenfranchise over half of the Republican-leaning voters in the state and shoot the Republican Party in the foot.

It would also discriminate against black voters in the state and, if passed, would never withstand Justice Department approval under the Voting Rights Act.

See you next week.

Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in more than 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the state Legislature. Steve may be reached at www.steveflowers.us.

As State Sen. Tom Whatley (R-Auburn) was defeated in his reelection bid to the legislature’s upper chamber, a new Republican is set to become chairman of the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee.

During this past Friday’s broadcast of Alabama Public Television’s “Capitol Journal,” State Sen. Will Barfoot (R-Pike Road) stated his intentions to seek the committee’s chairman’s gavel.

Barfoot, who is entering his second term of service in the Alabama Senate, currently serves as vice chair of the committee.

According to Barfoot, the lawmaker’s experience in the legal profession makes him “well suited” to occupy the position of Senate Judiciary Committee chairman.

“I’ve let my desire to be chairman of that committee be known to the leadership,” said Barfoot. “Obviously, [I’m] a lawyer practicing in the Montgomery area’s surrounding counties. And I think I’m well suited from the legal side of things to understand some of those bills and the affects they have on businesses and individuals throughout the state. So certainly I would appreciate that opportunity and I’m hopeful when the time comes to be considered for that.”

During debate over state government’s role in implementing measures related to combatting the spread of COVID-19, Barfoot emerged as a leading critic of the state health officer’s authority to unilaterally institute restrictions on business and individuals.

An additional issue Barfoot has routinely sought to address during his first term of service is to prohibit divisive concepts, such as Critical Race Theory, from being incorporated in public school curriculum.

The state senator touched on the “challenging” aspects of serving as chair of the committee and spoke to the discourse that occurs between members while debating a bill.

“It’s a challenge I look forward to if given the opportunity… Number one: There are a lot of lawyers in there, right? We like to talk sometimes. But there are a lot of bills that come through that committee,” noted Barfoot. “[A]nd so, it’s challenging at times. It’s pretty evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats on the committee. There are bills that are of grave importance to the state of Alabama. We spend a good bit of time talking about those, trying to flesh those out in committee and see what happens on the floor once it gets through.”

Dylan Smith is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL

The possibility of Alabama elections moving toward a closed primary system continues to be a topic of debate among lawmakers and party officials.

Sparking the discussion was the perceived involvement of Democratic voters in choosing the Republican Party’s nominees during this past election cycle, most notably in the Senate District 27 GOP primary contest.

Speculation that Democrats were attempting to sway the GOP’s election outcomes intensified when Auburn University creative writing professor Anton DiSclafani, a self-described “left-leaning Democrat,” penned a New York Times op-ed admitting to casting a Republican ballot to oppose the candidacy of incumbent State Sen. Tom Whatley (R-Auburn).

Whatley, a three-term senator and chairman of the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee, lost his reelection bid to Auburn City Councilman Jay Hovey by a single vote.

Alabama Republican Party (ALGOP) chairman John Wahl has repeatedly expressed his desire for the state to pass electoral reform to close party primaries to voters of the opposite political affiliation.

During this past Friday’s broadcast of Alabama Public Television’s “Capitol Journal,” State Sen. Chris Elliott (R-Daphne) provided his analysis of the issue and indicated that the legislature could consider enacting such a reform to the state’s voting system.

“[I]t’s something that’s been discussed before, ironically, legislation that was sponsored by my colleague Senator Tom Whatley previously,” Elliott told host Todd Stacy. “So you have to look at some fundamental questions, I think, to arrive at a conclusion. One — a party primary is a party function, you’re picking the party’s nominee, and whether or not that’s a party function. And I think the answer to both of those is yes. And then whether or not you want to allow members of another party to influence the decision of who the party’s nominee is. I think when you talk to most Republicans, the answer to that would be no.”

He added, “I think what you’ve seen in a number of races this year, and specifically in the Senate race in East Alabama, you saw probably the best documented case of organized Democrats voting against a Republican incumbent for the purposes of swaying the outcome of the primary. And not only documenting the plans to do so, but then documenting that they had done so on social media and The New York Times.”

Elliott asserted that Democratic activists played a vital role in determining the outcome of the GOP primary election. According to the South Alabama lawmaker, ALGOP must examine if an open primary system is in the party’s best interests.

“[A]nd I think that the Republican Party, and as a member of the steering committee, we’ve got to look at whether or not that type of action — that clear involvement of the other party’s activists playing and affecting the outcome of a party function — is something we’re going to continue to allow,” continued the senator.

Elliott went on to acknowledge that some voters could desire not to affiliate with either major political party. A compromise to this, Elliott suggested, would be to allow independent voters to partake in party primary elections while barring participation of those registered to the opposite political party.

Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL

Radio talk show host Dale Jackson and CEO of 256Today Mecca Musick take you through Alabama’s biggest political stories, including:

— Was it wise for the director of Planned Parenthood in Alabama to declare a political “reckoning” was coming to Alabama over the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade?

— With U.S. Representative Mo Brooks (R-Huntsville) refusing to appear before the January 6 committee, will the members actually try to enforce their subpoena?

— Will tolls be used to pay for the I-10/Mobile Bay Bridge, or will this attempt to get the bridge built fail again?

Alabama Republican Party chairman John Wahl joins the show to discuss the controversies surrounding State Senate District 27 election, how the legislature will handle the abortion issue and everything else happening in Alabama politics this week.

Jackson closes the show with a “Parting Shot” directed at the people who think screaming about how Republicans just “want to control women” is an effective strategy in red states with no incentive to weaken their newly-active abortion laws.

Watch:

Dale Jackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 5-9AM weekdays on WVNN and on Talk 99.5 from 10AM to noon.

7. Travel was a nightmare over the holiday weekend

• Over the July 4 weekend, many travelers were left without flights or experienced delayed flights. The number of people traveling was back to near pre-pandemic levels, with 2,490,490 people traveling on Friday, July 1, according to the Transportation Security Administration. This is just under the number of people traveling on February 11, 2020, at over 2.5 million.
• On Friday, 464 flights were canceled, and over 6,600 flights were delayed. On Saturday, 655 flights were canceled, and 5,893 were delayed. Sunday saw over 200 flights canceled and over 930 flights delayed. The ongoing travel issues result from staff and pilot shortages across the country. The shortages started during the coronavirus pandemic when airlines started requiring all personnel to get the coronavirus vaccine.

6. Best days are still ahead, according to Biden

• In his Independence Day speech at the White House, President Joe Biden stated, “Make no mistake, our best days still lie ahead.” Biden later said on Twitter, “While we celebrate the Fourth of July, I am thinking of the countless service members who have pledged their lives to defend our nation and democracy around the world.”
• Vice President Kamala Harris stated, “This Fourth of July, as we celebrate the liberty our brave service members fought and died for, let us fight to ensure every American can enjoy the freedoms promised in the Declaration of Independence and the rights secured by the generations who came before us.”

5. Effort being made to impeach Clarence Thomas 

• There is now an effort to impeach U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas after he voted to overturn Roe v. Wade. About 1 million people have signed a petition to impeach Thomas, with the petition stating that Thomas “made it clear what’s next: to overturn high court rulings that establish gay rights and contraception rights.”
• There have also been accusations of conflicts of interest between his ruling on releasing “Donald Trump’s records regarding the January 6 insurrection and attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.” The petition adds, “It has become clear that his wife – long time conservative activist Ginni Thomas – was actively urging the White House to overturn election results both leading up to January 6 and after the deadly insurrection.”

4. Election theft averted in State Senate District 27

• In the State Senate District 27 primary, Auburn City Councilman Jay Hovey has officially been declared the winner by the Alabama Republican Party (ALGOP) after a long debate over whether to include an unregistered voter’s provisional ballot.
• Hovey will now face Democratic Party nominee Sherri Reese on November 8 in the general election. While the ALGOP did decide that Hovey beat State Senator Tom Whatley (R-Auburn) by one vote, the party said, “This election cycle has revealed several areas of serious concern in the election process. These issues led to problems that hurt the Alabama Republican Party, our candidates, and our voters. We plan to work with lawmakers, the Secretary of State, Probate Judges, Boards of Registrars, and ALEA to find solutions to these problems, and make sure they don’t happen again.”

3. Brooks has received a subpoena from the January 6 committee

• U.S. Representative Mo Brooks (R-Huntsville) said that he received a subpoena from the House Select January 6 committee but that it was “legally defective.” Brooks went on to say, “I’m going to reiterate to the January 6 committee that I’m more than happy to voluntarily testify provided that they meet certain terms and conditions that make it a better process.”
• Today, Brooks is sending his official response to the subpoena. He also discussed how this looked bad for former President Donald Trump, adding, “I have a high degree of confidence that the Democrats are trying to figure out a way to prevent Donald Trump from running for president in 2024…if they can find a way to get a criminal prosecution in front of an overwhelmingly Democrat court and jury, then Donald Trump is at risk of being convicted. Now, how great of a risk I don’t know.”

2. Mass shooting at July 4 parade in Highland Park, Illinois

• Six people were killed, and dozens were injured in an attack on a parade in a Chicago suburb. This mass shooting attack added to the large number of gun deaths that already occurred in Chicago the weekend where 54 were shot prior to this shooting, and seven had already died.
• The shooter has been identified as 22-year-old Robert E Crimo III, who is believed to have taken up a position on a rooftop overseeing the parade before firing on the crowd below. Crimo was taken into custody after a manhunt and is now being detained.

1. Protesting Independence Day is all the rage this year

• The effort to protest July 4 emerged after Roe v. Wade was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court. The idea of protesting the holiday has been shared across the country, but even in Mobile, individuals at an abortion rights rally stated they wouldn’t be celebrating due to the ruling.
• One individual stated, “There is nothing to celebrate. We’re not independent when people are making choices for our bodies.” Other individuals stated they wouldn’t be celebrating because “We are not free anymore.” On Independence Day, there were rallies held in Huntsville, Auburn, Cullman, Dothan, Tuscaloosa and Mobile to protest the ruling.

The Senate District 27 GOP primary contest between State Sen. Tom Whatley (R-Auburn) and Auburn City Councilman Jay Hovey officially came to an end on Friday.

The Alabama Republican Party (ALGOP) has declared Hovey as the party’s nominee for the November 8 general election, where he will face Democratic Party nominee Sherri Reese.

The five-week-long contest saw the candidates engage in a public relations battle over which campaign could claim the prevailing narrative as a single vote separated the two.

The ending vote tally stands at 8,373 in Hovey’s column and 8,372 for Whatley.

Whatley’s last-ditch effort to hold onto the Auburn-area Senate seat centered around a rejected ballot cast by Tallapoosa County resident, Patsy Kenney, who alleged that she had been wrongly excluded from the voter roll due to a registration error by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA).

In a hearing of its candidate committee to consider the Whatley campaign’s arguments on behalf of Kenney, ALGOP voted to grant the incumbent state senator the race’s tying vote. It was decided by the party that a coin toss would determine the race’s victor.

After a review was conducted into the matter, ALEA released a statement debunking the Whatley campaign’s assertions that Kenney was wrongfully denied the opportunity to vote, due to her not completing the issuance transaction necessary to obtain an Alabama driver’s license, thus making her an ineligible voter.

Additionally, Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill publicly declared that Hovey had garnered “the most legal votes cast.”

Still, Kenney’s legal representation threatened to file a federal lawsuit if her provisional ballot was not accepted.

Friday, ALGOP reconvened its candidate committee to reconsider its decision to grant Whatley Kenney’s tying vote. The party ruled in favor of Hovey, officially making him the party’s nominee.

In a statement announcing the race’s conclusion, ALGOP provided insight into its decision-making process surrounding the tying vote that was in question.

“Election security and making sure that every legal vote is properly counted is of paramount importance to the Alabama Republican Party,” advised ALGOP. “ALEA’s statement makes it clear that Mrs. Kenney was not registered to vote for the primary election. We believe in the rule of law, and that only legal votes should be counted.”

“We also believe that the ability to vote is a sacred right, and one that the Alabama Republican Party is committed to protecting and defending,” added the party. “The Candidate Committee did not want to discount Mrs. Kenney’s provisional ballot while there was any reasonable doubt that she could have actually been registered to vote. We believe that everyone deserves that respect.

ALGOP noted that its leadership felt it was appropriate to take a deliberative approach to adjudicating election contests brought before it during the primary election cycle.

“The election contest process is incredibly difficult for the Alabama Republican Party,” continued ALGOP. “We care about each of our candidates, and we want them all to be successful. The rulings in these cases took longer than some wanted, but we felt it critical that all sides had a chance to gather information and investigate what happened. The ALGOP Candidate Committee heard arguments from both sides of all cases, considered the information presented to it, and made its rulings based on what was set forth.”

“This election cycle has revealed several areas of serious concern in the election process,” the party asserted. “These issues led to problems that hurt the Alabama Republican Party, our candidates, and our voters. We plan to work with lawmakers, the Secretary of State, Probate Judges, Boards of Registrars, and ALEA to find solutions to these problems, and to make sure they don’t happen again. The ALGOP believes Alabama and our voters deserve better. We invite Councilman Hovey and Senator Whatley – as well as our other candidates – to join us in this effort.”

ALGOP concluded its statement by stating its intentions to work alongside Hovey to ensure Republicans hold control of the Senate seat.

“We would like to thank Senator Whatley for his many years in the legislature on behalf of his district. His commitment to public service and our Party’s values are to be commended. The Party looks forward to working with Councilman Hovey as he now turns his focus to the general election. The ALGOP is united and energized more than ever to take back our country this November,” finished the party.

Hours before ALGOP reconvened for a final decision on the matter, Whatley released a statement announcing his intention to “step away” from the race.

“The last twelve years have been fantastic. I have loved serving in the Alabama Senate. I have made lifelong friendships with many fantastic people,” reflected Whatley. “Hands down, the best thing about my Senate service has been speaking to an Auburn University class where I met my wife Lauren. We are thrilled to have recently welcomed our daughter, Laurel, into the world.”

Even as Hovey legally earned the GOP nod, Whatley maintained that he was “the Republican nominee,” which is an apparent reference to speculation that his challenger benefited from Democrats that crossed over to vote in the Republican primary.

“I am a Republican. I want to thank all my supporters and friends who have reached out to me during this process. I’ve been a delegate to the last three Republican conventions. I am the Republican nominee who was voted by Republicans in my district,” the senator contended.

Whatley concluded, “With that said, I now believe that it is in the best interest of my friends, colleagues, family, and the Republican Party, for me to step away from this tied race so that we can move forward and have success in November. I am looking forward to spending some quality time with my wife and daughter, focusing on my law practice and other business interests. It has been the honor of a lifetime serving the people of Lee, Tallapoosa and Russell counties.”

Whatley, a three-term senator and chairman of the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee, outspent Hovey in the primary contest $1,251,359 to $94,674, which is more than a 13:1 margin.

UPDATE 11:50 a.m.:

In a statement to Yellowhammer News, Hovey touched on the combative nature of the race and thanked his supporters for granting him with an opportunity to serve in the Alabama Senate.

“I am honored to be elected as the Republican nominee to the Alabama State Senate from Senate District 27,” said Hovey. “I’m thankful for the prayers and words of encouragement from my supporters throughout District 27. This has been a potentially divisive experience. But we have maintained that we would be successful by standing with integrity and running a clean campaign about me and my desire to serve.”

“I look forward to continuing to campaign to win the November General Election. Beyond November, I pledge to represent the people of Senate District 27 honorably and with integrity in the Alabama Senate,” concluded Hovey.

Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL

7. Has any of this money gone towards dealing with the coronavirus?

• Coronavirus relief funds from the American Rescue Plan Act were reportedly used toward “under/unemployed oral historians” for research relating to anti-racism and “Latinx” history. Reportedly, $87.8 million has been given to “nearly 300 cultural and educational institutions to help them recover from the economic impact of the pandemic, retain and rehire workers, and reopen sites, facilities, and programs.”

• There were also funds given to the Oral History Association to develop a program, “Diversifying Oral History Practice: A Fellowship Program for Under/Unemployed Oral Historians.” At the time of the Rescue Plan passage, President Joe Biden argued that the $1.9 trillion plan was needed due to the “immediate crisis.” He added, “[C]ritics say my plan is too big, that it costs $1.9 trillion. So that’s too much. Well, let me ask them: What would they have me cut? What would they have me leave out?”

6. Buttigieg to set racist highways right or something

• Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg visited Birmingham on Thursday to announce a new infrastructure program called “Reconnecting Communities.” The $1 billion program is meant to change racially dividing roads and improve transportation.

• Buttigieg stated, “This is not an exercise in blame or guilt. It is a reckoning with simple realities and an insistence that the future will be better than the past. Recognizing where taxpayer dollars isolated people or caused damage, and using new resources to fix it, that’s not divisive. What’s divisive is a highway or railway or interchange that is dividing people from where they need to be in their community and fixing it will make a whole community better off.”

5. Ketanji Brown Jackson been sworn in

• In the U.S. Supreme Court, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson has been sworn in as the most recent justice. The day has been called “historic” by some, as Jackson is the first black female justice on the court.

• Jackson stated, “I accept the solemn responsibility of supporting and defending the Constitution of the United States and administering justice without fear or favor, so help me God. I am truly grateful to be part of the promise of our great Nation.”

4. U.S. Supreme Court ends Remain in Mexico policy

• The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled the “Remain in Mexico” policy originally put in place by former President Donald Trump. The court voted in a 5-4 decision, with Justices Stephen Beyer, Sonia Sotomayor, John Roberts, Brett Kavanaugh and Elena Kagan voting in favor of ending the policy.

• Governor Kay Ivey said that the end of the policy “is contributing to the full-blown crisis at the Southern Border and is having devastating effects on both U.S. citizens and migrants…While the federal government has refused to secure the Southern Border, states like Texas, Alabama and our neighbors have stepped up to provide resources. We will continue our fight to demand action from our government.”

3. State Senate District 27 race still isn’t over

• Despite the Republican primary election taking place on May 24, the State Senate District 27 race between Auburn City Councilman Jay Hovey and State Senator Tom Whatley (R-Auburn) is still not decided. After a vote from an unregistered voter was counted, resulting in the race being called a tie, the Alabama Republican Party (ALGOP) has now decided to rehear arguments on the issue.

• The hearing on the election is taking place this morning. This comes after it was confirmed by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) confirmed that the voter was unregistered the day of the primary. Hovey said he was “very pleased that the Party granted our request to reconvene.” Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill also commented on the election, saying that Hovey had “the most legal votes cast.”

2. Biden supports ending the filibuster, too bad for him

• In an effort to pass a federal law legalizing abortion, President Joe Biden said at the NATO summit in Spain that he would support ending the filibuster. Biden made the comments during a press conference, describing the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade as “outrageous.”

• Biden went on to say, “I believe we have to codify Roe v. Wade in the law, and the way to do that is to make sure that Congress votes to do that. And if the filibuster gets in the way, it’s like voting rights, we should require an exception to the filibuster for this action.” Biden’s hopes were immediately dashed by U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Az.)

1. Bibb County sheriff’s deputy has passed away

• After being shot in the line of duty, Bibb County sheriff’s deputy Brad Johnson has passed away. Johnson was shot by convicted felon Austin Patrick Hall. Deputy Chris Poole was also shot during the chase of Hall and has been released from the hospital.

• Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said, “Alabama feels the heavy loss of another law enforcement hero who gave his life while putting his sworn duty to protect the public ahead of his own personal safety.” Marshall went on to add, “My Office is closely scrutinizing the policies that allowed for a violent offender, like Hall, to walk free. The justice system failed these officers and I will do everything in my power to ensure that doesn’t happen again.”

7. Movement to boycott July 4 grows

• If you have Facebook, you surely have friends who are declaring that they will not celebrate July 4 because of the recent Supreme Court ruling wiping Roe v. Wade from the history books. These are the same people that found a reason every year to declare they wouldn’t celebrate July 4 because of Donald Trump’s presidency, but they still took the day off and ended up posting red, white and blue photos on Facebook.

• Inexplicably, one of these people is a school board member from California, Avila Farias, who wanted the world to know. She wrote on Facebook, “I haven’t celebrated 4th of July since 2016 and I don’t think it’s a holiday to celebrate.” She further noted, “Lastly, last Friday women’s reproductive rights were taken away! We are not in a place of progress or celebration when human rights are being taken away.” Apparently, she would rather still be a subject of Great Britain. 

6. California has released a list of individuals with concealed carry permits

• California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office has leaked a list of people within the state who have a concealed carry permit for a firearm. The list consists of individuals’ first and last names, addresses, dates of birth, and race.

• Executive director of Gun Owners of California Sam Paredes criticized the attorney general, saying he “is either massively incompetent, incredibly negligent, or willing to criminally leak information that he does not have the authority to leak.” The list was leaked on the California Department of Justice’s 2022 Firearms Dashboard Portal.

5. Huntsville maintains great record on clearing homicide cases

• The Huntsville Police Department has continued to have a higher clearance rate for homicides than the national average, and the homicide rate in the area is still declining. The national rate for solving homicides is at about 50%, while Huntsville had a rate of 100% in 2021. This has opened the department’s availability to work on more cold cases.

• Huntsville Police deputy chief Dewayne McCarver also said that the current economy and environment in Huntsville “is going to naturally bring the crime rate down, and if the crime rate is lower, we then have the resources to work on every single crime.”

4. Hovey wants ALGOP to reverse the decision on counting unregistered voter’s ballot

• The State Senate District 27 primary is still not settled after a provisional ballot was counted by the Alabama Republican Party (ALGOP), resulting in a tie between Auburn City Councilman Jay Hovey and State Senator Tom Whatley (R-Auburn). However, the vote that was counted was from an individual that was not registered to vote until after the primary, and current state law does not allow people to register to vote and vote on the same day.

• Hovey filed a motion with the State Executive Committee with the ALGOP requesting a rehearing on the election. Whatley agreed to the coin toss, but Hovey responded to Whatley’s statements by saying, “Of course he agreed to a coin toss today, he knows he lost then used an illegal vote to try to tie.” Previous to the provisional ballot being counted, Hovey had won the election by one vote.

3. Collins: With the abortion ban in place, Alabama should focus on adoption

• State Representative Terri Collins (R-Decatur) noted how Alabama needed to focus on improving adoption in the state with the Human Life Protection Act now in effect. Collins stated, “[I]f we are going to not have abortion at all or very many, then there are going to be more babies…we need to be proactive in making sure we’re helping with that.”

• Collins mentioned that adoption rules should be eased and referenced legislation she previously sponsored that “gave foster parents a place at the table when decisions were being made about adoption for children that they had kept. I think that we strengthen those.” Collins added, “[I] t’s just going to be working smarter to help women that are in very hard situations find the best path for them to take, and families that have been longing for a baby have better options than those very expensive ones that are out there. So yes, we’ve got work to do.”

2. Marshall argues that transgender law should move forward

• Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall filed a brief in favor of the state law that banned certain medical treatments and procedures for transgender youth, arguing that recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions concerning Roe v. Wade and Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Org. supported the state having a ban and it should not be blocked. Marshall said, “[N]o one—adult or child—has a right to transitioning treatments that is deeply rooted in our Nation’s history and tradition…The State can thus regulate or prohibit those interventions for children, even if an adult wants the drugs for his child.” Marshall added, “even if some novel right to obtain transitioning treatments existed, the Act passes any level of scrutiny: It serves the compelling interest of protecting children from unproven, life-altering medical interventions, and no other approach would offer children in Alabama adequate protection.”

• Interestingly, a Pew Research Center showed that the majority of people believe that a person’s gender was assigned at birth and could not be changed has increased from previous years. In 2017, 54% believed that a person’s gender couldn’t be changed, but this increased to 56% in 2021, and is now at 60%. Only 38% of Democrats align with this thought, compared to the 86% of Republicans. According to the poll, 58% of respondents said that transgender athletes should only compete as their birth gender, 58% said that in college and professional athletics, transgender women shouldn’t be allowed to compete, and 68% of people said that if allowed, “transgender girls would have a competitive advantage over other girls.”

1. Bombshell testimony continues to fall apart under scrutiny

• Although the Secret Service immediately debunked the testimony of Cassidy Hutchinson where she claimed former-President Donald Trump attempted to take on his protective detail on January 6 to head to the U.S. Capitol, the impact of her testimony was further blunted by other issues raised by people she attempted to implicate during her testimony.

• White House lawyer Eric Herschmann disputed the claim that Hutchinson wrote a note about a more full-throated response from the White House at chief of staff Mark Meadows’s direction and instead said it was Herschmann who wrote it. Hutchinson also suggested Rudy Giuliani and former senior Justice Department official Jeff Clark were working together on election matters, but they have never even spoken. And on the matter of the Secret Service, it has now been reported that the Secret Service was never informed of what Hutchinson was going to testify to, nor were they given a chance to refute it. There is also a claim of armed rioters, but only five people out of around 750 suspects have been charged with possession of a firearm, one of which wasn’t in Washington at the time. If not for an irreparably-biased media, this farce would be over.

The dramatics have yet to cease in the Senate District 27 GOP primary saga featuring State Sen. Tom Whatley (R-Auburn) and Auburn City Councilman Jay Hovey.

This past weekend, the Alabama Republican Party (ALGOP) candidate committee decided to add one provisional ballot to Whatley’s vote total, which brought the race to a tie with each candidate holding 8,373 votes each.

ALGOP chairman John Wahl determined that the race’s outcome would be decided by the flip of a coin, which would take place at a later date.

Wahl decided that a coin toss was an appropriate option given that state law requires that a game of chance be utilized to determine the outcome of a tied race during general elections.

The vote ALGOP granted to Whatley’s column was an uncounted ballot cast by Tallapoosa County resident Patsy Kenney, who recently moved to Alabama from Georgia.

ALGOP’s decision to grant the incumbent state senator Kenney’s tying vote was a result of the successful argument made by Whatley’s legal team, who contended that she was wrongly excluded from the voter roll due to a registration error made by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA).

Shortly after it was announced that the party would count the excluded ballot, ALEA released a statement detailing that Kenney did not complete the issuance transaction necessary to obtain an Alabama driver’s license.

The department’s statement advised that an individual’s “voter registration information from ALEA’s Driver License Division is only sent after the credential is issued and the customer signs the required voter declaration,” which it said did not take place in Kenney’s situation.

In response to questions relating to Kenney’s ballot, Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill took to social media and stated that the final vote count still reflected that Hovey held “a one-vote advantage.”

“The ballot in question was disqualified through the process of certification during the administration of that election,” Merrill wrote in a tweet. “It did not count and the certified total in the election remains the same as it was on June 1. Hovey has a one-vote advantage.”

In an additional tweet, Merrill advised that Hovey garnered “the most legal votes cast.”

“Jay Hovey received the most legal votes cast in the Republican Primary for State Senate District 27 on May 24 and was certified by the canvassing board as the top vote getter on June 1,” wrote the secretary of state. “All of that information was presented to the Alabama Republican Party as required by law.”

Wednesday, Hovey told Yellowhammer News that he had filed a motion requesting ALGOP to hold a rehearing of the election contest and reverse its decision to grant Whatley the tying vote, citing ALEA’s statement to support his argument.

Hovey’s motion for rehearing as follows:

Earlier on Wednesday morning, Whatley released a statement outlining that he “will agree to a coin flip tomorrow the 29th in an undisclosed location.”

The senator added that neither he nor Hovey “will attend but representatives will be there and represent us with witnesses.” Whatley then laid out the terms that he would like for the two parties to agree upon after the coin flip had determined the race’s outcome.

He detailed what he asserted to be the importance of including Kenney’s ballot.

“Win or lose the coin toss, helping a constituent like Mrs. Kenney have her ballot counted was the correct thing to do and I am glad to have served her as her state senator,” added Whatley.

“I respect the decision and authority of the Steering Committee and do hereby agree to participate through my representative with the terms outlined above that in my opinion offer the best chance for Republican victory in the fall under the current circumstances and decisions,” Whatley’s statement concluded.

Yellowhammer News reached out to Hovey for comment regarding the scheduling of a coin toss.

The councilman responded, “Of course he agreed to a coin toss today, he knows he lost then used an illegal vote to try to tie.”

Hovey said that the date for the coin toss to take place had yet to be determined and emphasized that he would argue for the ALGOP candidate committee to reverse its decision.

Preceding the campaigns’ latest public statements, it was revealed that Hovey had qualified for reelection to the Auburn City Council. Whatley took a jab at Hovey over the news and “endorsed” the city councilman for reelection.

Chaser: SD27 GOP primary "co-winner" (?) @SenTomWhatley endorses Hovey for city council re-election pic.twitter.com/vzEJgv5hHf

— Jeff Poor (@jeff_poor) June 29, 2022

EDITOR’S NOTE: This story has been updated from its original version.

Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL

7. State representative calls coin toss tie-breaker insulting 

• After it was announced that the State Senate District 27 race between State Senator Tom Whatley (R-Auburn) and Auburn City Councilman Jay Hovey was called a tie and a coin-toss tiebreaker would be considered, State Representative Ed Oliver (R-Dadeville) called the decision insulting.

• Oliver stated, “I hate to see it reduced to a coin toss. It’s an insult to the Senate. It’s an insult to my voters.” He added about ALGOP chair John Wahl and the steering committee not making a decision on the race, “My personal view is they just didn’t want to make a decision.”

6. Don’t call Ivey “Gov. MeMaw” from the bench

• Mobile County Circuit Judge James T. Patterson has been suspended for comments that he made about Governor Kay Ivey in court, allegedly calling her “Gov. MeMaw.” Patterson received his suspension after an investigation was conducted by the Judicial Inquiry Commission.

• Patterson has also been accused of using profanity in court and made a “stupid, stupid joke” about everyone’s ability to speak English after seeing a juror of Asian descent. Patterson apologized to Ivey for his comments, saying it “was a poor attempt at humor in the midst of this COVID-19 mess.” Due to the repeated, inappropriate conduct displayed by Patterson, he could now be removed from his position.

5. Over 1 million voters have gone red

• Despite Democrat efforts to maintain the majority throughout the midterm election, over 1 million voters in the United States have altered their party affiliation to become registered Republicans.

• A report released by the Associated Press said that about 630,000 voters have also switched parties to Democrats. It’s expected that Republicans could make gains in the midterm election.

4. Palmer pushing to require proof of citizenship to vote

• In a move to protect elections, U.S. Representative Gary Palmer (R-Hoover) introduced legislation that would require individuals to produce proof of citizenship when registering to vote. The legislation, “Citizen Ballot Protection Act,” would amend the National Voter Registration Act.

• Palmer outlined, “Restoring faith in the ability to conduct free and fair elections in this country begins with cleaning up voter rolls and requiring proof of citizenship to prevent illegally cast ballots from swaying elections. Americans deserve to know their elections are secure. It is common sense that states should be able to require proof of citizenship to ensure only citizens are voting in their elections.”

3. Alabama will enforce its abortion ban

• Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall emphasized his stance on the state enforcing the abortion ban after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Marshall said that the state made abortion “a Class A offense, which is the most significant offense we have in our state, and we’re prepared to enforce the law, and I know law enforcement will do the same.”

• Marshall further explained that they needed to “give guidance to local law enforcement and prosecutors about what is the current state of the law.” He added, “[W]e need to make sure that we’re giving guidance as to how broadly law enforcement is responsible for enforcing this and the theories that prosecutors can use to make sure that the law itself is being prosecuted.”

2. You’re allowed to pray at sports games; SCOTUS ruling impact could be wide-ranging

• The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled in favor of Washington high school football coach Joe Kennedy, who held prayers after each game in the middle of the field. Jefferson County is currently reviewing its absurd decisions on this matter over the last year because of the ruling.

• The court’s vote was 6-3, with Justice Neil Gorsuch writing that “a government entity sought to punish an individual for engaging in a brief, quiet, personal religious observance doubly protected by the Free Exercise and Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment.” Gorsuch added, “[T]he only meaningful justification the government offered for its reprisal rested on a mistaken view that it had a duty to ferret out and suppress. Religious observances even as it allows comparable secular speech. The Constitution neither mandates nor tolerates that kind of discrimination.”

1. Mo Brooks will not be testifying today, maybe never

• Many questions were asked about who the then-unknown testimony will come from at the hastily-called January 6 committee hearing scheduled for today, but we do know it will not be U.S. Representative Mo Brooks (R-Huntsville). The committee finally released the name of the person appearing before the committee after hours of speculation, and that person is Cassidy Hutchinson, an aide to former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows. The 1 p.m. EST hearing may not be the blockbuster they suggested it would be.

• Brooks made it clear that he would be willing to testify if the committee would meet his requirements which included the hearing being in public and the members of Congress doing the questioning themselves. When asked by AL.com whether the committee had been in contact with him about his demand, Brooks replied, “[O]f course not.” 

7. Abortion tourism is now a thing

• After the U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D) said that the state would be a “safe harbor” for women wanting an abortion. Hochul stated, “We’re going to get a flood of people.” She isn’t the only one. Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont (D) wants his state to get in on this madness. He advised, “[W]e are going to be welcoming anyone that feels they aren’t getting a fair shake.”

• Hochul added, “Women who cannot receive the fundamental right to control their body or receive an abortion. They are oppressed. They are welcomed here in the state of New York…Roe v. Wade is now part of our state law, but we’re looking to find any other ways we can strengthen it. We protected our providers. We gave them immunity already.”

6. Ainsworth has a perfect record on endorsements

• Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth maintained a perfect record on his endorsements in the 2022 Republican primary elections. Ainsworth said he’s “always proud to stand up, support, and endorse the candidates who I believe best represent the deeply conservative principles that more Alabama Republicans share.”

• Ainsworth added, “I’m prouder still that out of the eleven candidates I publicly endorsed during the Republican primary and runoff elections, all eleven of them won and earned our party’s nomination.”

5. Senate District 27 race declared a tie

• After it was claimed that a voter was wrongly marked absent on the voter roll in Senate District 27, the race between State Senator Tom Whatley (R-Auburn) and Auburn City Councilman Jay Hovey was declared a tie. Previously, Hovey had beat Whatley by only one vote after provisional ballots were all counted. 

• It’s not been clarified how the Alabama Republican Party will choose a winner in the race. This is expected to be done via a flipped coin, but Secretary of State John Merrill said, “It could be a roll of a dice, high card or rock-paper-scissors.” A late wrinkle this morning has emerged where the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency has declared the voter that claims they were excluded never came to their facility to register to vote.

4. Majority of people don’t support Supreme Court decision

• A CBS News poll taken after the U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade shows that a majority of Americans disagree with the court’s decision. Overall, 59% of respondents disagree with the ruling.

• When separated by political party, 78% of Republicans support the decision, while 83% of Democrats disagree. There are also 67% of women who disagree with the court’s ruling.

3. Biden signs gun control bill 

• After the U.S. House of Representatives passed the gun control legislation that originated in the U.S. Senate, President Joe Biden signed the legislation into law. The “Bipartisan Safer Communities Act” passed in a 234-193 vote in the House, but 65-33 in the Senate.

• Biden said at the signing, “Time is of the essence. From Columbine to Sandy Hook to Charleston, Orlando, Las Vegas, Parkland, El Paso, Atlanta, Buffalo, Uvalde and for the shootings that happen every day in the streets. How many times have you heard that, ‘Just do something, for God’s sake just do something?’ Today, we did.”

2. Roe v. Wade overturned, protests followed

• As expected, Roe v. Wade was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court in a 6-3 decision. The three justices who voted against overturning were Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan. There are currently 13 states that have abortion bans taking effect after the ruling. With the ruling made public, the idea of Democrats packing the court has resurfaced, but the White House stated that this was not an idea that President Joe Biden supported.

• Across Alabama, rallies were held to oppose the ruling. Rallies in Birmingham took place this weekend, including one planned by the Birmingham chapter of Democratic Socialists of America. In Huntsville, reportedly, hundreds took to a public park to voice their opinions on the matter, as well.

1. Attorney General Steve Marshall puts abortion clinics on notice

• In Alabama, Attorney General Steve Marshall sent a warning to abortion clinics across the state after the U.S. Supreme Court decided to overturn Roe v. Wade. Marshall demanded that any abortion clinics still operating should stop as soon as Alabama laws take effect.

• Marshall stated, “Because neither the United States Constitution nor the Alabama Constitution provides a right to abortion, Alabama laws that prohibit abortion and that have not been enjoined by the court are in full effect. For those laws that have been halted by courts, the State will immediately file motions to dissolve those injunctions. Any abortionist or abortion clinic operating in the State of Alabama in violation of Alabama law should immediately cease and desist operations.” He went on to vow that those who violate state law would be prosecuted.

The Senate District 27 primary election saga took another twist Friday morning as State Sen. Tom Whatley (R-Auburn) announced that his legal counsel would support arguments presented by a citizen who says they were wrongly excluded from the voter roll.

Whatley’s campaign, which appears to have been dealt a one-vote loss to GOP primary challenger and Auburn City Councilman Jay Hovey, presented the case of Tallapoosa County resident Patsy Kenney.

Kenney, who recently moved to Dadeville with her husband David, went to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s (ALEA) Opelika office on April 28 to obtain a new drivers license and register to vote, according to Whatley’s campaign.

“Voting has always been important to me,” said Kenney, a lifelong Republican voter, in a release from the campaign. “I think I have missed voting in maybe one election in the past 20 years.”

Kenney and her husband left the ALEA office after an office clerk assisted them with updating their information, believing they had been registered to vote.

According to Whatley’s campaign, Kenney, along with her husband and father-in-law, went to vote at their local precinct on May 24, where she was told that her name was absent from the voter roll. She then cast her vote on a provisional ballot.

Kenney was told a week later that her vote was not counted, said the campaign.

“I was extremely upset, from a young age I was always taught that voting is not only a right and privilege, but a responsibility,” she said. “More importantly, when I found out there was a one vote difference in the Senate race, I had to reach out to someone, because I just knew that my vote should have counted.”

The state senator’s campaign noted that Kenney’s voter registration card was placed in the mail to be delivered to her on June 3. Whatley’s release advised that, by law, ALEA has 10 days to forward voter registration information to the county registrar.

Saturday, the Alabama Republican Party (ALGOP) candidate committee will hold closed hearings on three primary election contests, which includes Senate District 27.

Legal counsel representing Kenney and Whatley’s campaign will present arguments to ALGOP contending that Kenney was lawfully registered to vote, and that her ballot should be included in the final vote count.

RELATED: Sen. Whatley vows to ensure ‘all Republican votes are counted’ in one-vote showdown

Should ALGOP rule in favor of Kenney, the hotly contested Alabama Senate race between Whatley and Hovey will be tied at 8,373 votes for each candidate.

“I have always heard of the power of one vote” added Kenney, “I just never thought it would be my own. I was proud to vote for Senator Whatley and I will always tell the story about how my one vote could make the actual difference in who my State Senator is.”

7. Auburn professor supports the narrative that Democrats swayed Senate District 27 primary

• In the State Senate District 27 Republican primary election, State Senator Tom Whatley (R-Auburn) has claimed that Democrats crossed party lines to vote in the election and vote for his opponent, Auburn City Councilman Jay Hovey.
• This narrative has gained traction since an op-ed was published in The New York Times by Auburn University professor of creative writing Anton DiSclafani, who wrote, “I’m a left-leaning Democrat, but on May 24, I voted on the Republican ballot in Alabama’s primary election…Alabama is a deep red state, and I wanted some say in electing the officials who will represent me, because they will almost all certainly be Republican. And have a say I did: Tom Whatley, the state senator for my district, finished behind Jay Hovey by a single vote.”

6. Negative ads are becoming a serious issue

• U.S. Representative Gary Palmer (R-Hoover) has brought attention to the issue of more negative ads in elections as the primary runoff has ended. Palmer highlighted, “[I]t’s one thing for an opponent to accuse another opponent of something, but it’s totally different when you have outside groups running ads that are totally disingenuous, taking things out of context, and misrepresenting the candidate.”
• Palmer went on to say, “I think something as serious as electing the people that are going to determine, at least in the short term, the future of the country, the advertising ought to be held to a higher standard.” He added, “I do think that this is something that we need to take up at some point…I think it’s a disservice to the American people to have ads run like this.”

5. Alabama veterans could face death penalty in Russia

• Andy Tai Ngoc Huynh and Sgt. Alexander Drueke, both men from Alabama and veterans of the U.S. military, could face the death penalty after being captured by Russia in Ukraine. Russian spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the two men were “involved in illegal activities…[and] should be punished.”
• Peskov went on to say Huynh and Drueke were potentially not protected by the Geneva Convention as prisoners of war, since they were not in Ukraine’s army. Previously, two individuals from Britain in Ukraine and sentenced them to death, but Peskov said he “cannot guarantee anything.” He added, “It depends on the investigation.”

4. Another success for school choice in Maine in a win that will have an impact elsewhere

• The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of a school choice case from Maine, deciding that parents were allowed to select religious schools through the state’s program that allows parents to place their children in private schools with funds from the state.
• This decision has shown a bit of support to school choice in a broader way, since the court has decided that religious schools can be included. It’s also expected that this could encourage other states to push for more school choice.

3. There were warning signs before the shootings

• In Jefferson County, it’s been reported that the Vestavia Hills gunman, Robert Findlay Smith, who left three people dead at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church had a three-year record of 911 calls. The sheriff’s office said that they responded to 13 calls at Smith’s house, some of which were a request for patrol at his house, reports of a suspicious person, criminal mischief, medical calls and “investigate complaint.”
• In Uvalde, Texas, the gunman, Salvador Ramos, responsible for the deaths of 19 children and two adults was allegedly driven by a desire for social media fame before he attacked Robb Elementary School. Texas Department of Public Safety Col. Steve McCraw detailed that Ramos showed disturbing “abhorrent behavior,” such as carrying a bag of dead cats, but none of this behavior was ever reported. McCraw also said, “Some of the statements he made” suggested that he knew he’d have “notoriety on a worldwide basis” after the shooting.

2. Gun legislation agreement could be coming soon

• In the U.S. Senate, legislation has been introduced with support from Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) that would encourage states to create “red flag” laws for firearms, expand background checks, provide funding for school resource officers and mental health, and create penalties for gun traffickers. The National Rifle Association opposes this deal, objecting to the red flag law funding.
• U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) are co-sponsoring the legislation and say that the legislation’s final details have been decided. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said that the legislation could be voted on within the week. There could be a hangup on an abortion provision in the bill, supporting the Hyde Amendment, but it won’t likely be the thing that derails the deal if it falls apart.

1. Runoff election results are in

• In the primary runoff election, U.S. Senate candidate Katie Britt won the Republican nominee for the general election, beating out opponent U.S. Representative Mo Brooks (R-Huntsville) 63% to 37%. Britt declared that Alabamians were tired of career politicians and she would fight for Christian conservative values. Brooks took a dig at her donors, saying the Democratic Party now had two nominees. Apparently, neither realize the election is over.
• In the fifth congressional district race, Madison County Commission chairman Dale Strong defeated former Huntsville City Schools superintendent Casey Wardynski 63.4% to 36.4%. State Auditor Jim Zeigler lost the secretary of state race to State Representative Wes Allen (R-Troy) 65.4% to 34.6%. In the state auditor race, State Representative Andrew Sorrell (R-Muscle Shoals) won against Stan Cooke 57.5% to 42.5%. Both Public Service Commission candidates, “Always Totin'” Jeremey Oden and Chip Beeker, secured primary victories, too.

Alabama Senate District 27’s Republican primary election has placed a spotlight on the issue of crossover voting, which has led to increased calls to close party primaries to voters of the opposite affiliation.

The Auburn area Senate district’s Republican primary contest, featuring State Sen. Tom Whatley (R-Auburn) and Auburn City Councilman Jay Hovey, appeared to have been decided by a single vote in the primary challenger’s favor after provisional ballots were counted.

Since then, Whatley and Hovey have engaged in a public relations battle seeking to claim the narrative over the election’s outcome.

Speculation has emerged that Hovey’s campaign benefited from crossover voting by Democrats participating in the hotly contested GOP primary election.

RELATED: State Sen. Whatley on crossover voting: ‘Democrats will do anything to steal elections’

After announcing last week that he was dropping a recount effort in favor of an election challenge that was brought forth by constituents, Whatley maintained that he was confident that he would emerge victorious by ensuring “all Republican votes are counted.”

In a statement provided to Yellowhammer News on Monday, Whatley doubled down on his calls to end the practice of crossover voting by way of legislative action.

“In 2017, I was proud to sponsor and pass the bill banning cross-over voting,” noted Whatley. “Primary Elections are about members of a political party selecting their candidate for the general, to intentionally vote in a primary for a party that you don’t support is fraud against that party.”

According to Whatley, his campaign identified multiple Democrats that partook in the 2020 Republican runoff election.

“In reviewing data from previous elections, my team discovered that more than 30 people in Lee County alone voted in the 2020 Democratic Primary Election and then were allowed to vote in the 2020 Republican run-off election,” advised the senator. “I consider it to be unacceptable for this number to be anything but zero. I have always been a champion of election integrity and it is important that the people voting tomorrow know that their elections are protected.”

Yellowhammer News will continue to monitor developments relating to the Senate District 27 primary election and provide updates accordingly.

Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL

Radio talk show host Dale Jackson and CEO of 256Today Mecca Musick take you through Alabama’s biggest political stories, including:

— Former President Donald Trump has decided to re-enter the Republican U.S. Senate primary and endorse Katie Britt. Does that seal the deal?

— As the race for U.S. House of Representatives in District 5 heats up, is this the ugliest race in the state?

— Have the members of the January 6 committee and their allies in the media found a smoking gun that proves former President Donald Trump broke the law?

The founder of The Driscoll Group, David Driscoll, joins the show to discuss how advertising has played a role in the 2022 elections in the state, accusations being flung in different campaigns, closed primaries and everything happening in Alabama politics this week.

Jackson closes the show with a “Parting Shot” directed at those who might be considering overturning the primary loss of Alabama State Senator Tom Whatley (R-Auburn) because of the precedent it could set.

Watch:

Dale Jackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 5-9AM weekdays on WVNN and on Talk 99.5 from 10AM to noon.

7. Removing big tech from politics

• The Political BIAS Emails Act would attempt to prevent big tech platforms from engaging in politically biased behavior online. U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) said of the legislation, “It is unacceptable for Big Tech to discreetly tip the scale in their direction and take advantage of consumers by altering the viewing preference for certain political emails.”

• U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) and 26 other senators have announced their support of the legislation. The bill was brought forward after a study from North Carolina State University showed that within the 2020 presidential election, 8% of Democrat campaign emails were marked as spam by Google, while 70% of Republican campaign emails were given the same treatment. The issue has been discussed, especially since the 2020 election, due to the allegations that big tech companies have exhibited bias toward Democrat candidates and campaigns.

6. Whatley is blaming loss on crossover voting

• In the Senate District 27 GOP primary election, Auburn City Councilman Jay Hovey beat State Senator Tom Whatley (R-Auburn) by only one vote. Whatley blamed potential crossover voting by Democrats in the Republican primary for his loss. 

• Whatley, who has dropped his request for a recount, said, “In 2016, I sponsored a Bill to stop Democrats from voting in Republican runoffs that was unfortunately defeated by Democrat special interest. This defeat unfortunately just inspired them to attack our primary elections instead…We need to ensure that Republican primaries are for Republicans ONLY. Closing our primary is key to securing our election integrity.” Hovey advised, “I didn’t fight a recount, I simply asked for documentation that the timeline for the request and requirements for assurance were met. All of which were known long before my certification as the Republican nominee was official.”

5. Majority of people support still sending aid to Ukraine

• With three Americans missing in Ukraine, a new unrelated poll conducted by Fox News shows that a majority of voters still believe that the United States should be sending aid to Ukraine in different forms. Fifty-nine percent of respondents said they supported sending financial support to Ukraine, while 32% oppose the idea.

• Additionally, 61% of people support sending more weapons to Ukraine, while 30% oppose it. In the same poll, respondents were asked who was more to blame for high gas prices, and 50% said President Joe Biden, 32% said Russian President Vladimir Putin and the war in Ukraine, and 13% said both were to blame.

4. Border crossings still at record levels

• According to Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the number of migrant encounters at the southern border was 239,416 for May 2022, which is a staggering increase from the 180,597 encounters in May 2021.

• Of those encountered at the border, 42% were expelled under Title 42. It’s estimated that over 800,000 migrants have crossed the border unknown since October 2020, with more than 50,000 happening in May 2022.

3. Britt continues to poll ahead

• More polls for the Alabama Republican Senate race have been released supporting previous data that shows U.S. Senate candidate Katie Britt leading U.S. Representative Mo Brooks (R-Huntsville) in the runoff election. The most recent surveys were conducted by Emerson College Polling and Auburn University Montgomery.

• In the Emerson poll, 1,000 likely voters were surveyed, and Britt received 50%, while Brooks had 34%. In the Auburn poll, 400 likely voters were surveyed, and Britt received 50.4%, while Brooks had 29.5%.

2. Biden ready to punish Alabama school children

• Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said that President Joe Biden was working to hold food “hostage” from students to push his agenda. Marshall said this in response to a decision by the United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service to include gender identity and sexual orientation within Title IX.

• Marshall asserted that if schools didn’t comply with the new discrimination definition under Title IX, there could be funding cuts under the National School Lunch Program. Marshall signed a letter with other attorney generals that says, “[T]he Guidance flouts the rule of law, relies on patently incorrect legal analysis that is currently under scrutiny in the federal courts, and was issued without giving the states the requisite opportunity to be heard…under the present circumstances we are constrained to ask that you direct Secretary Vilsack and the Department of Agriculture to rescind this Guidance.”

1. Tragic shooting in Vestavia Hills’ church during “Boomer Potluck”

• St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church was the scene of a shooting leaving two dead and one injured. While details are scarce, Vestavia Hills PD Capt. Shane Ware told al.com that a “lone suspect” entered where a small group of people were having a potluck and started shooting.

• The motive of the murderer is unknown as of this time, and the Vestavia Police Department is planning to provide more information this morning. Gov. Kay Ivey said in a statement, “As we are learning about the shocking and tragic loss of a life at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Vestavia, we want to offer our prayers for the victim’s family, the injured and the entire church community. I am glad to hear the shooter is in custody. This should never happen — in a church, in a store, in the city or anywhere. We continue to closely monitor the situation.”

The idea that crossover voting occurred in the Senate District 27 GOP primary election to defeat State Sen. Tom Whatley (R-Auburn) continues to gain traction.

Auburn City Councilman Jay Hovey appeared to have unseated Whatley, edging him by a single vote after the provisional vote count concluded.

As reported by 1819 News’ Jeff Poor, rumblings have circulated regarding the possibility that Hovey received a boost on Election Day from Democrats that partook in the GOP primary to oppose Whatley’s bid for a fourth term in the legislature’s upper chamber.

RELATED: ALGOP chair John Wahl calls for closed primary system in Alabama

In drawing comparisons to concerns surrounding the 2020 presidential election, Whatley alleged that Democrats had “organized and mobilized” to dilute Republican votes in the party’s primary election.

“President Trump’s election in 2020 showed us that Democrats will do anything to steal elections from good Republican candidates,” lamented Whatley in a statement to Yellowhammer News. “This year we have seen the same thing in Alabama as Democrats have organized and mobilized to vote in our Republican primaries to oppose conservative Republican candidates.”

The senator detailed his prior legislative efforts to prohibit crossover voting.

“In 2016, I sponsored a Bill to stop Democrats from voting in Republican runoffs that was unfortunately defeated by Democrat special interests,” noted Whatley. “This defeat unfortunately just inspired them to attack our primary elections instead. My record on this is clear and In the next session I will introduce legislation to require party registration for primary elections. We need to ensure that Republican primaries are for Republicans ONLY. Closing our primary is key to securing our election integrity.”

“I want to commend our Chairman of the Alabama Republican Party, John Wahl for supporting this next step. This year we have seen first hand what can happen when Democrats interfere in our Republican primaries and it’s time to take action,” concluded the senator.

Earlier this week, Whatley announced that he would forgo his prior effort to pursue a recount and will instead support a challenge brought forth by his constituents.

Whatley dropped his bid for a recount after Hovey’s legal team outlined their objections to the senator’s request.

In a statement provided to Yellowhammer News, Hovey reiterated his counsel’s grievances regarding Whatley’s recount push.

“I certainly respect the right for anyone that comes up short in an election to request a recount,” Hovey said in the statement. “But in doing so, I simply expect the request to meet the requirements laid out by the party. As long as the deadline for making an official request is met and assurance is provided to fund the recount if unsuccessful, I fully support the notion.”

“I didn’t fight a recount, I simply asked for documentation that the timeline for the request and requirements for assurance were met,” he explained. “All of which were known long before my certification as the Republican nominee was official. All parties involved were well aware of what was necessary for the recount to be legitimate.”

Hovey asserted that Whatley’s recount effort “wouldn’t have been appropriate” given the specifics of the request.

“The fact that only one box out of the entire senate district was subject to a recount seemed a little odd,” he continued. “I did request clarification that a recount of a single box was appropriate rather than the entire county. It was my desire that if a recount was to happen, only ballots that were counted on election day be counted in a recount – that’s why it’s called a recount. It wouldn’t have been appropriate in a recount to count votes that were not counted on Election Day. They only asked for one box. That hardly serves as any double check on the first count in my opinion.”

Hovey concluded, “I am honored and excited to be the Republican nominee for Alabama Senate District 27 and look forward to a quick resolution to the challenge brought forth by Senator Whatley’s father.”

Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL

7. Elon Musk votes Republican, sees red wave, supports Ron DeSantis

• Primaries were held across the country yesterday with a mixed bag of results for former President Donald Trump, but the richest man in the world, Elon Musk, may be the big winner. Musk took to social media and made a few pronouncements that grabbed the attention of the political world.

• Musk announced that he voted Republican for the first time ever, helping Mayra Flores turn a U.S. House seat from blue to red for the first time in decades, declared that he saw a red wave coming in 2022, and seemingly tossed some support behind Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) for president in 2024.

6. Vote with one vote margin of victory isn’t over yet

• The one vote that separates State Senator Tom Whatley (R-Auburn) and his apparent vanquisher Jay Hovey is still being discussed as talks of a recount or ALGOP steering committee challenge loom. Whatley alleged that Democrats crossed over to cost him the election, with some citing social media posts as evidence. 

• The ALGOP agreed to hear the challenge and could name Whatley the winner of the contest. The ALGOP venue appears to be the preferred choice for Whatley, who said, “Rather than spending extensive time arguing with the Hovey campaign and its legal counsel, Senator Whatley and his team instead choose to move forward with the challenge brought by his constituents to ensure that all Republican votes are counted in the race.”

5. Some races get debates

• The race for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives (AL-5) heated up significantly as Madison County Commission chairman Dale Strong and former Huntsville City Schools superintendent Casey Wardynski traded insults and policy positions on WHNT’s alternate channel last night. Wardynski cited his experience at the Pentagon, and Strong cited his experience working with economic development as a member of the Madison County Commission. Stong alleged Wardynski had inappropriate sexual relationships with people who held contracts with the system, and Wardynski said Strong illegally removed a Confederate monument.

• In the Alabama Secretary of State Republican runoff election, State Auditor Jim Zeigler and State Representative Wes Allen (R-Troy) debated in a public forum in Birmingham. Zeigler proposed the “Don’t vote, don’t complain plan.” Allen stated, though, that the job of the secretary of state was “to protect our elections,” not “increase turnout.” Zeigler later said, “Right now, we have more questions about our elections and our vote count than we have ever had before in my lifetime.” Allen declared, “We need someone who will be ready to protect our elections on day one.”

4. January 6 committee delays meeting because the staff is overwhelmed 

• While the media and their Democrats tell you that things are going wonderfully with the public hearing being held by the group looking into the riot at the U.S. Capitol, it appears maybe all is not so well. Reports of the cancellation of the next meeting added to the issues around the committee, and there are also conflicting reports about criminal referrals. Even U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-Utah) seems to think this is old news.

• The cancellation of the next hearing, scheduled for this morning, was met with glee by former President Donald Trump. U.S. Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) blamed the “staff putting together all the videos, you know, doing 1, 2, 3 — it was overwhelming,” which most found was lacking considering the time elapsed since the events and their vaunted public hearings — not to mention the talk of how important these are supposed to be.

3. Pro-Life organizations have been attacked since leaked opinion

• Since the leaked opinion signaling that the U.S. Supreme Court will likely overturn Roe v. Wade, there have been vandalizations and attacks at 23 different pro-life organizations across the country. Some of the attacks have included vague threats like, “If abortions aren’t safe then you aren’t either” at the Wisconsin Family Action facility.

• Attacks have taken place in Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, New York, Wisconsin, Iowa, Texas, California, Oregon and Washington. This is far from over. One of the groups taking credit for some of these attacks has declared that the 30-day warning period they gave to the pro-life movement has passed and now the “leash is off” with promises of measures that will “not come in the form of something so easily cleaned up as fire and graffiti.”

2. Legislation to protect Supreme Court justices’ families passes

• In the U.S. House of Representatives, the legislation meant to protect the families of U.S. Supreme Court justices passed in a 396-27 vote. The legislation was previously passed by all members of the U.S. Senate.

• The legislation provides 24-hour security protection for the immediate family of justices. The idea for more security for staff has been discussed, but Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) advised, “The security issue is related to Supreme Court justices, not nameless staff that no one knows.”

1. ALGOP chair could bring closed primaries to Alabama

• Alabama GOP chairman John Wahl has given his support for closed primary elections in the state, responding specifically to claims that U.S. Senate candidate Katie Britt was “helpful” in electing former U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-Mountain Brook), according to Alabama Democratic Party executive director Wade Perry.

• Wahl stated his concern for how Democrats could be trying to influence elections, saying, “[N]ext legislative cycle, I’m going to encourage closing the primary and having a registered party system where we know only registered Republicans will be voting in the Republican primary.” He added, “For me this is one of my number one targets for the next legislative cycle.”

In one of the closest elections in Alabama history, State Sen. Tom Whatley (R-Auburn) is moving forward with plans to challenge the results of the May 24 GOP primary election for Senate District 27.

On Election Day, Whatley, who chairs the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee, trailed Auburn City Councilman Jay Hovey by just four votes. After provisional ballots were tallied a week later, Whatley trimmed his deficit to a single vote.

The East Alabama district includes Russell, Lee and Tallapoosa Counties.

According to local reporting, Whatley edged Hovey six votes to four when provisional ballots were tallied in Lee County. In Tallapoosa County, three votes went to Whatley’s column while two went to Hovey. No provisional ballots cast in Russell County applied to the race.

Shortly after the provisional ballots were counted, Whatley’s campaign issued a statement to Yellowhammer News indicating that the senator would pursue an avenue to scrutinize the election results.

In the days that followed, the Whatley campaign submitted a request for a recount. In a letter sent to county probate judges and Republican Party officials on June 3, Hovey’s legal representation outlined their arguments against Whatley’s pursued recount.

The Hovey campaign’s letter reads as follows:

Last week, the Alabama Republican Party (ALGOP) announced that its candidate committee would hear Senate District 27’s election contest.

In a statement released Tuesday by counsel representing Whatley’s campaign, the senator’s legal team advised that they had withdrawn their request for a recount and will instead work to ensure that “all Republican votes” were tallied.

Whatley’s allies have reportedly raised concerns regarding the possibility that Democratic voters crossed over to participate in the Senate district’s Republican primary election.

“In a primary election, there is no statutory provision for a recount, and one must be requested and paid for by one of the parties,” Whatley’s legal team noted in the statement. “Our team had a short time period to request a recount and did so to preserve our right. Unfortunately, Jay Hovey and his legal team sent an extensive letter objecting to all aspects of the recount, including objecting to its timing, objecting to the manner in which the recount would be conducted, and even objecting to what ballots would be recounted.”

According to his legal representation, Whatley remains “confident” that he will emerge as the eventual Republican nominee and earn the district’s nod for a fourth term of service in the legislature’s upper chamber.

“Rather than spending extensive time arguing with the Hovey campaign and its legal counsel, Senator Whatley and his team instead choose to move forward with the challenge brought by his constituents to ensure that all Republican votes are counted in the race,” the lawyers added. “Senator Whatley remains confident that he will be named the Republican nominee for Senate District 27 and will continue to serve the people of the district.”

The eventual winner of the hotly contested GOP primary will face Democratic nominee and U.S. Army veteran Sherri Reece in the November 8 general election.

Yellowhammer News will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates accordingly.

Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL

Even as the provisional ballot count has concluded, the GOP primary contest between State Sen. Tom Whatley (R-Auburn) and Auburn City Councilman Jay Hovey has not yet concluded, according to a statement from the senator’s campaign.

The ending results on Election Day showed Whatley trailing Hovey by just four votes.

When provisional ballots were counted Tuesday afternoon in Senate District 27’s Russell, Lee and Tallapoosa Counties, Hovey led the three-term senator by one vote.

In a statement provided to Yellowhammer News, the Whatley campaign expressed confidence that the incumbent senator would emerge victorious in the hotly contested race.

“Our campaign is following the law, as set forth by the legislature for just such occasions,” Whatley’s campaign advised. “In one of the closest races in Alabama history, we are confident that after all Republican ballots are examined, Sen. Tom Whatley will be rightfully declared as the Republican nominee for Senate District 27.”

Whatley’s campaign noted that he would offer no further comment until the process was resolved.

While the campaign’s statement did not mention the possibility of a recount, the Alabama Republican Party (ALGOP) was notified that the election had been contested.

According to WRBL News 3, Whatley edged Hovey six votes to four when provisional ballots were tallied in Lee County. In Tallapoosa County, three votes went to Whatley’s column while two went to Hovey. No provisional ballots cast in Russell County applied to the race, according to election officials.

Whatley outspent Hovey in the Auburn area primary contest $1,251,359 to $94,674, which is more than a 13:1 margin.

The eventual winner of the hotly contested GOP primary will face Democratic nominee and U.S. Army veteran Sherri Reece in the November 8 general election.

Yellowhammer News will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates accordingly.

Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL