“Rumors and Rumblings” is a new weekly feature that we will run each Wednesday. It will include short nuggets of information that we glean from conversations throughout the week. Enjoy.
1. The seeds of discontent with the GOP state party Chairman have been sown among the GOP congressional delegation. Some in the delegation feel the Chairman violated his obligation to neutrality by not-too-subtly involving himself in their primaries in favor of their challengers. The GOP delegation all became members of the Governor’s Circle during the 2010 election cycle — meaning they each donate $10,000 per year to the party. It will be interesting to see how much financial support the Chair receives moving forward from this traditionally very generous group.
2. Several GOP polls over the past few months have shown Governor Bentley continuing to be popular among both general election and primary voters. He hovers around 60% favorability among all voters in almost every poll and over 75% favorability among Republicans and Independents.
3. Immediately after the Chief Justice primary there was an intense effort in Democrat Party circles to recruit Sue Bell Cobb to run as a substitute candidate. Democrats were hoping to place at least one viable candidate on the statewide ballot this year but it looks like that’s not going to happen. The Cobb effort has fizzled out.
4. A member of the legislature will likely be vacating his seat in the near future to take a role in the Bentley administration.
5. While Rep. Craig Ford is still the Democrat insiders’ choice for Governor in 2014, we’ve heard his advisors told him after his “Too Hot for YouTube” videos hit the web that he has to be more careful and disciplined if he hopes to have a shot at the nomination.
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