An inside look at Alabama House leadership

Mike Hubbard, Speaker of the House

Hubbard has become one of the most imposing figures Alabama state politics has seen in recent years. While he has been universally praised for his leadership leading up to the Republican takeover in 2010, he’s been the focal point of attacks since taking the reins as Speaker — especially from the the AEA, the school employees’ union. Sniping from across the political spectrum is what makes Speaker of the House the most challenging and controversial political office in the state.

But the Hubbard-led House is also one of the most popular legislative bodies in the country. While Congress’s approval rating hovers in the low teens, even sometimes dropping into the single-digits, the Republican majority in the Alabama legislature frequently garners the support of a majority of Alabamians who believe the state is headed in the right direction.

Over the last week I interviewed numerous members of the legislature, staffers and Montgomery insiders to put together an inside look at the Alabama House of Representatives under the leadership of Speaker Hubbard and his team.

Here are the key players and what you need to know:

Victor Gaston, Speaker Pro Tem

As the longest serving Republican member of the House, Gaston takes on the role of elder statesman. To put it simply, Gaston can say things to the Speaker that no other person can. And his contributions behind-the-scenes are more significant than even a lot of State House insiders realize.

Gaston has a great capacity to understand the politics and personalities involved in each issue. He sees the whole field and offers advice accordingly. He picks his spots carefully, and it really matters to the Speaker when Gaston chooses to insert himself into an issue.

Bill Poole, Chairman, Education Budget Committee

Outgoing Education Budget Chairman Jay Love has been, without question, Speaker Hubbard’s closest confidant since Republicans took over the majority in 2010. With Love’s impending resignation to pursue opportunities in the private sector, his successor will have some big shoes to fill. Insiders believe Poole, in spite of being a freshman, is up to the task.

Poole distinguished himself quickly among his colleagues after being elected in 2010. He has an extremely high aptitude as a legislator, and has been a sounding board for Love on the Education Budget Committee during the last couple of sessions. He has really dug into the details of the budgeting process since joining the committee in 2011.

He’ll have to stand tough against a lot of competing interests fighting over the largest pot of money in state government. But his biggest challenge will be filling Love’s role behind-the-scenes. Love has been a trusted voice during the day-to-day storms of running the government. It’s Poole’s turn to play that role now.

Mac McCutcheon, Chairman, Rules Committee

McCutcheon is seen as even handed and fair by members of both Parties, which is essential in his position as Chairman of the agenda-setting Rules Committee. He’s likable and easy to deal with, but he also adept at handling the Montgomery special interests that are hounding him daily to get their bills on the House calendar. “He’s got a serious backbone,” one staffer told Yellowhammer. “When he digs in, he’s not backing down.”

McCutcheon, Poole and Gaston are probably the three strongest voices in the current power structure House Speaker Mike Hubbard has put in place.

Steve Clouse, Chairman, General Fund Budget Committee

Clouse was elected in 1994 and has been an ally to Hubbard’s since long before Republicans took over the majority. Once General Fund Budget Co-Chairman Jim Barton decided to run for the State Senate earlier this year, Clouse fully took over the General Fund budget responsibilities, even though his title didn’t fully reflect it.

Clouse is seen as a hard worker. He meets with everyone and listens to every side before making his final decisions on the general fund. “He works well with state agencies trying to make the best of a crappy situation,” one executive branch staffer told Yellowhammer. “He’s an honest broker.”

Rep. Ed Henry

Henry may seem out of place on this list, since he isn’t a committee chairman and does not have an official capacity within the House leadership structure, but anyone who was really paying attention last sessions saw Henry really make a name for himself during debate over the Omnibus Gun Bill.

Henry is perceived by some as a loose cannon. You never know what he’s going to tweet next or what he’s going to say on talk radio. But he showed with the gun bill that he’s a savvy legislator with an ability to put disparate groups in a room and find some common ground.

Henry was also one of the only freshmen invited to join committee chairmen meetings last year. He’s become a trusted voice in the Speaker’s office.

Micky Hammon, Majority Leader

Hammon handles the House GOP caucus’s business and makes sure the trains are running on time. When groups are looking to make their pitch on an issue to the entire caucus at their weekly lunch, Hammon is the gatekeeper. The Speaker chose Hammon to head up his Commission on Alabama Values and States Rights, which played a significant role in formulating the House’s legislative agenda last session. He’s been in the House for over a decade so he’s a veteran of battles fought both in the minority and majority.

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