June 30, 2010 CCA 
After the recount, Christians Need to Be United in the Runoff.

In one of the most improbable election years in recent history, it seems the Republican Party is finally learning and listening to the grassroots. At least, most self identified Republicans. After deserting middle class America after the landslide victory of President George W Bush in 2004, Republicans are beginning to embrace the folks that are essential to bringing them back to power. In communities and state primaries across the country, incumbents and the establishment elites of the party are being cast aside for new, upstart candidates, unbridled to the lobbyists and business powerhouses that have typically funded the republican political machinery. Tea party activists, gun owners, doctors, nurses, health care workers, fishermen, and blue collar workers of various trades and crafts, have bonded in to a united front to take back their country from both the big government liberals and the big business power mongrels that seek to control both sides of the political spectrum in order to maintain their stranglehold on power at the expense of the hard working middle class taxpayers.

Here in Alabama, it has been the under funded, but passionate campaign of Dr Robert Bentley that has resonated among the voters of this state. Defying traditional stereotypes of political pundits, Bentley was able to craft a message of solutions; similar to the diagnosis and treatment of diseases we physicians treat everyday. Benefiting from the voter backlash of negative campaigns, Bentley squeezed out a runoff slot by the narrowest of margins, to take on Bradley Byrne in the upcoming republican runoff. The stakes for the Republican Party could not be higher, with fresh memories of the last brutal republican runoff fight between Fob James and Wynton Blount in 1998 that seriously wounded James to the point that Don Siegleman was able to defeat him in the general election. The parallels are strikingly similar with Blount clearly the favorite of the establishment elite carrying the metro areas of the state while James clearly carried the rural blue collar areas of the state, with James ultimately prevailing. This time it is Byrne who is the anointed of the establishment with the upstart Bentley clearly embraced by the rural voters.

The election has even a more bizarre twist in the storyline as several of the self described profamily groups have begun a whisper campaign to support Bradley Byrne’s election. These groups have interjected themselves into this political campaign, not to educate voters on the policies of the two men, but clearly to influence a race that they see as an opportunity to further their own political ambitions and agenda. The schism seems more obvious to the casual political observer since the campaign leadership of both Roy Moore and Tim James, both supported by evangelicals in large numbers based on previous polling, have publicly endorsed Dr Bentley for Governor. This private split became even more apparent over the weekend when Governor Riley publicly allied himself with Bradley Byrne at the state party meeting, challenging republicans to not allow the AEA to nominate the Republican Party candidate, a clear shot at the Bentley campaign. Outraged party officials privately and in some cases, publicly denounced such declarations, particularly since Dr Bentley had been a previous platform committee member to the RNC and Huckabee delegate, while Mr. Byrne had been a Democratic Party candidate and activist.


Christian Coalition of Alabama has been extremely disappointed in the tone and rhetoric that has become the staple of this republican debate. As we surveyed our membership, it is clear that the over 1 million households that receive our monthly updates are tired of political gamesmanship and character attacks that have dominated the debate. Alabama is in serious economic and ecological danger, both due to the ongoing economic downturn and the recent events in the Gulf. People are looking for leaders with solutions and the character and convictions to seek what is best for the people of Alabama, not the privileged few.

Christians in particular, should be united in their support for the candidate that best exemplifies the value of character, trust, and intellect to solve the problems that face our great state, not political destructive banter that serves no public service and further diminishes discussion regarding the qualities or abilities these men could put to use to serve our state.

I believe this will be an election where Christian values and their implementation will be readily apparent to the faithful in our state and they will be united in their vote.

Randy Brinson, MD
Chair, Christian Coalition of Alabama