Political pundits and observers and political players have espoused the long-held belief in the mantra “all politics is local.” I have changed my tune on this well-known adage and belief. My observation is that today it is the opposite, “all politics is national.”
Folks either vote straight Republican or straight Democratic. Most, about 90%, of all white Alabamians vote straight Republican, they may not pull the straight Republican lever, but they only mark Republican names. They would come as close to voting for a Communist as they would voting for a Democrat and most of them are of the belief that Democrats are Communists.
Most folks who vote Democratic in this state are African Americans. They vote 96% straight Democratic, and they do generally pull the straight Democratic lever. By the way, all states do not allow for pulling one lever and voting straight down the line for all Republican or all Democratic candidates.
In Alabama, this straight party voting has always existed, but it had a tinge of localism in it until the last few decades. It galvanized about the time that Barack Obama became President. Alabamians have been voting Republican for President and Congress since 1964, but they would still split their ticket and vote for their local legislator or sheriff who was still running as a Democrat.
The national political landscape had become extremely different around that time. The national Republican Party became, and still is, extremely conservative, and the national Democratic Party has become extremely liberal. That scenario has not changed. A local sheriff is painted with the same brush in voters’ minds as the President. Folks do not pick and choose. Their vote from top to bottom is, “I am a conservative Republican, and I vote for all Republicans from President to Sheriff,” or “I am a liberal Democrat, and I vote straight down the line for all Democrats.”
This nationalization of partisan voting is driven primarily by social issues, and believe you me, there is definitely a marked contrast between the conservative Republican Party’s philosophy and the liberal Democratic Party’s philosophy. George Wallace would run for President as a third party candidate and proclaim, “there’s not a dimes worth of difference between the Republican and Democratic Parties.” He certainly could not shout that demagogic diatribe with a straight face today.
This national party label trend not only crept but leapt into Alabama’s traditionally nonpartisan municipal elections this year. By law, mayoral and city council elections are nonpartisan. That now is in title only. The “all politics is local” rule has been tossed aside in even local mayoral races.
The prime example was in Mobile, the state’s second largest city. Mayor Sandy Stimpson chose to not run for a fourth term after 12 years of leading the Port City. He not only endorsed, but openly campaigned and raised money for his chosen successor, Spiro Cheriogotis, who is a former Republican elected District Judge. Cheriogotis won, very narrowly, over Democratic State Representative Barbara Drummond in a runoff. Drummond led in the first primary. Both parties made it a party battle, trumpeting national party themes.
The national and state Democratic Party leaders and donors overtly championed longtime Democratic Representative Barbara Drummond’s campaign as a Democrat versus Republican battle. She was openly endorsed by former Vice President, Kamala Harris, and Senator Raphael Warnock.
The Alabama Republican Party countered with openly partisan efforts for Cheriogotis. Alabama GOP Chair John Wahl said, “Voters deserve to know the facts about candidates and where they stand on the issues. We are not shy about fighting for strong conservative principles whether it’s in Washington, Montgomery, or at City Hall.” The Republican Party even launched a comprehensive campaign program for the Mobile runoff election that provided their chosen candidate with targeted resources, including direct mail, grassroots mobilization, and even voter contact by text message and digital advertising. Wahl continued, “Historically, the Republican Party has not been engaged in municipal elections, but that changed this election cycle. When there is a race with a clear Republican and a clear Democrat, the Alabama GOP will always stand with our Republican candidate.”
With Cheriogotis, only winning with 50.4% of the vote, it is obvious that the party label made the difference.
See you next week.
Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at [email protected].
