Last year was an unusual year for the legislative branch given the expanded role of government in our lives due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Last week, the American Conservative Union Foundation’s Center for Legislative Accountability released its 2020 scorecard, which judged legislative branches at both the state and federal levels of government on how they performed in the midst of the coronavirus crisis.
Among the categories that legislators were judged included Second Amendment, education, elections, environment, federalism, foreign policy, free speech, government transparency, health care, monetary policy, regulations and taxation.
U.S. House rankings:
Former U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne (R-Fairhope) led the way as the most conservative of the Alabama federal delegation, edging out U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Huntsville) by two points. Byrne did not run for reelection in 2020 as he made a bid for the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate last year. Following Brooks were Palmer, Rogers, Aderholt, Roby and Sewell.
Byrne came in 29th overall nationally with Brooks and Palmer cracking the top 50 at 36th and 42nd respectively.
U.S. Senate rankings:
It probably is not much of a surprise that U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Tuscaloosa) beat out then-U.S. Sen. Doug Jones (D-Mountain Brook) to lead the way as Alabama’s most conservative U.S. Senator in 2020 according to the tabulations. Jones was defeated by Tommy Tuberville in the 2020 general election. Shelby announced earlier this year he would not seek reelection.
Overall, Shelby was the 23rd-most conservative senator according to ACU in 2020. Jones was 56th overall but third among Democrats, following U.S. Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.).
State House rankings:
State Rep. Andrew Sorrell (R-Muscle Shoals), currently a candidate for the 2022 state auditor’s race, led the way in the State House of Representatives by a 16-point margin over his closest competitors, State Reps. Arnold Mooney (R-Indian Springs) and Tommy Hanes (R-Bryant).
Rounding out the top 10 according to ACU were State Reps. Corey Harbison (R-Good Hope), David Wheeler (R-Vestavia Hills), Jim Carns (R-Vestavia Hills), Mike Holmes (R-Wetumpka), Craig Lipscomb (R-Gadsden), Danny Garrett (R-Trussville) and Tim Wadsworth (R-Arley).
State Senate rankings:
As it usually goes when these rankings are tabulated, Sen. Shay Shelnutt (R-Trussville) emerged as the most conservative in the Alabama State Senate, according to the rankings. However, he statistically tied State Senate President Pro-Tem Greg Reed (R-Jasper), who served as the body’s majority leader in 2020 and State Sen. David Sessions (R-Grand Bay).
Not far behind that trio was State Sen. Del Marsh (R-Anniston), who at the time of the scoring was the president pro-tem of the Senate. Rounding out the top 10 were State Sens. Gerald Allen (R-Tuscaloosa), Will Barfoot (R-Pike Road), Tom Butler (R-Madison), Clyde Chambliss (R-Prattville), Donnie Chesteen (R-Geneva) and Chris Elliott (R-Daphne).
@Jeff_Poor is a graduate of Auburn University and the University of South Alabama, the editor of Breitbart TV, a columnist for Mobile’s Lagniappe Weekly, and host of Mobile’s “The Jeff Poor Show” from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. on FM Talk 106.5.
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