Steve Flowers Column

Inside the Statehouse: Alabama is a big front porch

This is the final version of a three week series of stories that illustrate that Alabama is a “big front porch.”
James E. “Big Jim” Folsom was one of our few two-term governors. In the old days, governors could not succeed themselves. Therefore, Big Jim was first governor in 1946-1950. He waited out four years and came back and won a second term in 1954, and stayed through 1958.

Inside the Statehouse: Incumbency prevails in secondary constitutional offices

Incumbency is a potent, powerful, inherent advantage in politics. That fact is playing out to the nines in this year’s Alabama secondary constitutional and down ballot races.
Several of the constitutional office incumbents do not have Republican or Democratic opposition. Of course, having a Democratic opponent is the same as not having an opponent in a statewide race in Alabama. A Democrat cannot win in a statewide contest in the Heart of Dixie.  

Inside the Statehouse: The 2022 senate race will be most expensive in state history

The marquee race in this big 2022 election year is for our open U.S. Senate seat.  It is beginning to percolate.
The race has been raging for over a year already, and we are getting poised to begin the final full court press to the finish line. The GOP Primary is three months away on May 24, with a monumental runoff on June 21. The winner on that day will be Shelby’s successor.

Huntsville is state’s largest city

Huntsville has rocketed past Birmingham as Alabama’s largest city.  It is not named the Rocket City for nothing.  The Census Bureau had been predicting this amazing boom in population in the Madison (Huntsville)/ Limestone area, but the actual figures recently released reveal a bigger growth than expected.  Huntsville grew by 20% or 35,000 people and is now a little over 215,000.  

Huntsville is state’s largest city

Huntsville has rocketed past Birmingham as Alabama’s largest city.  It is not named the Rocket City for nothing.  The Census Bureau had been predicting this amazing boom in population in the Madison (Huntsville)/ Limestone area, but the actual figures recently released reveal a bigger growth than expected.  Huntsville grew by 20% or 35,000 people and is now a little over 215,000.  

Census results are revealing

Well folks, the final Census figures are in from last year’s 2020 nose count.  The census is taken every 10 years to determine the lines and boundaries of congressional and legislative districts. However, the census reveals a lot more information about us as a state and nation than just how many of us there are.  It paints a picture of who we are as people and what we look like.

Census results are revealing

Well folks, the final Census figures are in from last year’s 2020 nose count.  The census is taken every 10 years to determine the lines and boundaries of congressional and legislative districts. However, the census reveals a lot more information about us as a state and nation than just how many of us there are.  It paints a picture of who we are as people and what we look like.

20th Anniversary of 9/11 Terrorist Attacks

This week marks the 20th Anniversary of the infamous 9/11 terrorist attacks on our nation.
It was a day in your life where you remember where you were and what you were doing when you first heard of the attacks on the New York World Trade Center and Pentagon. It changed our world.
Like most people, I thought the first plane that flew into the towering Trade Center, was an accident.
However, when the second plane hit you knew it was not pilot error.
It was traumatic and terrifying.
I asked several of our state leaders their memories of that fateful day.

20th Anniversary of 9/11 Terrorist Attacks

This week marks the 20th Anniversary of the infamous 9/11 terrorist attacks on our nation.
It was a day in your life where you remember where you were and what you were doing when you first heard of the attacks on the New York World Trade Center and Pentagon. It changed our world.
Like most people, I thought the first plane that flew into the towering Trade Center, was an accident.
However, when the second plane hit you knew it was not pilot error.
It was traumatic and terrifying.
I asked several of our state leaders their memories of that fateful day.