Early primary draws attention to state

MONTGOMERY - Just shifting the Alabama presidential primaries from June to Feb. 5 may have pulled the state up from the rear of the presidential selection game.

Lauderdale County Democratic Party Chairman John C. Harris said Monday he believes the candidates are interested in Alabama's impact.

"I've seen three ads on local television for Obama, and I can't recall ever seeing any presidential candidate spending money on TV ads in Alabama (this early)," Harris said.

Colbert County Republican Party Chairman Tommy Barnes said because there's no heir apparent to the White House "it's wide open."

"For that reason, it makes us a player," Barnes said.

On Sunday, Barack Obama, a Democratic U.S. senator from Illinois fresh from his South Carolina primary win, wowed potential voters in Birmingham. The day before, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who won the Iowa Republican caucus, packed his Republican faithful in at Birmingham.

Former U.S. Sen. John Edwards, a Democratic candidate and the 2004 vice presidential nominee, has canceled plans to be in Huntsville on Wednesday afternoon. Instead, he may attend a public event in Birmingham on Saturday, his campaign said.

Republicans Rudy Giuliani and U.S. Sen. John McCain have been to Alabama as has former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who has been to four private events since late 2006.

Democratic U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton has been to private events as well as the Selma-to-Montgomery Voting Rights March re-enactment in 2007. Her husband, former President Bill Clinton, and Ohio Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones have campaigned here on her behalf.

Alabama's presidential primaries usually include candidates for local and state offices, but major presidential candidates usually have sewn up their nominations by June.

The state Legislature moved the primary to June, but more populous states joined in and Alabama is now one of 24 states with primaries set next week. Among those are California and New York.

At a cost of $3 million, political experts said the standalone primary is a gamble whether Alabama will play a role or whether the state would have been better off saving taxpayer money.

House Majority Leader Ken Guin, D-Carbon Hill, was involved in the effort to change the date.

"If Alabama wanted to play a meaningful role, we had to move our primary up," Guin said Monday. "It has required candidates on both tickets to address issues that are important to southern voters."

There are different thoughts about the early primary.

"If anything, by putting us on the same day as other states it may have diminished our visibility and frankly, we might have gotten much more publicity a week after," said Athens State University government professor Jess Brown. He advocates a split caucus-primary.

University of Alabama political science professor William Stewart said the packed Huckabee and Obama rallies altered his earlier skepticism.

"Based on early primary results, there isn't a real clear front runner and races in both parties are highly competitive, and that generates more interest," Stewart said Monday.

With no incumbent running for president, a demographic group that isn't normally interested in politics seems to be interested this time, said Stewart, who was referring to young voters.

"I detect more interest in my students; the primaries are serving more interest," Stewart said.

Dana Beyerle can be reached at (334) 264-6605 or dtb123@aol.com.