Former Alabama Gov. Jim Folsom made waves earlier this week when he filed paperwork with the Alabama Secretary of State creating a “principle campaign committee,” which seemed to indicate that he would be running for political office again this year. However, sources close to Folsom said it was simply a legal requirement that he file the new paperwork because he had money leftover in his campaign account from his previous races. They also said it was not an indication that he was planning to run again in 2014.
“We just had about $2,000 leftover from the 2010 race,” one of the sources told Yellowhammer. “We have to keep reporting until something is done with that money. It doesn’t really have anything to do with Gov. Folsom’s plans for 2014.”
However, the buzz on Friday was that Folsom was indeed seriously considering taking on Republican Lt. Gov. Kay Ivey as a Democrat.
But in the end, the former Alabama governor and 3-term lt. governor decided not to run.
The Alabama Education Association (AEA) and gambling interests were said to be actively searching for someone to anchor the Democratic ticket, and hoped Folsom could be the guy, an indication of just how thin the state Democratic Party’s bench has become.
All of the polling data that Yellowhammer has seen suggests it is nearly unthinkable that any Alabama Democrat could beat a Republican in a statewide race at this point. And Ivey is a popular incumbent who is well positioned to win re-election.
But historically left-leaning special interests groups were hoping that the presence of a well known Democrat near the top of the ticket will help them with turnout in races down the ballot. Folsom just decided he couldn’t be their guy.
Follow Cliff on Twitter @Cliff_Sims
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