Ala. New South Coalition endorses Sherer
April 18, 2010
By Phillip Rawls
The Associated Press
The first predominantly black political organization to make an endorsement in Alabama’s race for governor rebuffed the black candidate Saturday and endorsed his white opponent.
The Alabama New South Coalition voted overwhelm ingly to support state Agri culture Commissioner Ron Sparks over U.S. Rep. Artur Davis in the state’s Demo cratic primary June 1.
New South President Rob ert Avery of Gadsden said Sparks’ chances “went up Tremendously” with the en dorsement because the orga nization would support him with get-out-the-vote drives and sample ballots.
Davis announced Wednes day that he would not partic ipate in the screening pro cesses of the Alabama New South Coalition and the Ala bama Democratic Confer ence, both statewide organi za tions, and the Jefferson County Citizens Coalition, which is active in the popu lous Birmingham areas. During the screenings, can didates meet with the groups, give a speech and an swer questions.
Davis said he was first elected to Congress in 2002 without the support of the three predominantly black groups and “the day has ended when these groups de cide who wins the support of black voters in this state.”
New South leaders said Davis had been the front-runner for the organiza tion’s support until he voted against the federal health care plan, but he was still in the running until Wednes day’s announcement.
“When he chose not to come, that just started an av alanche toward Sparks,” the coalition’s president emeri tus, state Sen. Hank Sand ers, D-Selma, said.
William Stewart, retired chairman of the political sci ence department at the Uni versity of Alabama, said the endorsement gives Sparks legitimacy with African-American voters, who heav ily influence the outcome of the Democratic primary.
“To be endorsed over the only sitting African-Ameri can congressman from Ala bama is a real shot in the arm,” he said.
Sparks, a supporter of the federal health care plan, spoke to the coalition Satur day morning and later criti cized Davis for not partici pating. He said that as agriculture commissioner he has spoken to environmental groups and animal rights groups that don’t share his views, but he feels communication is important.
“What makes a good gov ernor is someone willing to go into territory that may not be friendly,” he said.
After winning the en dorsement, Sparks left for Decatur to meet with mem bers of the Alabama Democratic Conference, the black wing of the state Democratic Party. Conference members meet May 15 in Montgomery to make their endorsement, and Sparks said he will at tend.
“I’m not going to turn my back on any voter,” he said.
In other races, the Alaba ma New South Coalition en dorsed Democratic Lt. Gov. Jim Folsom Jr. for re-elec tion, Democratic Public Service Commission mem bers Jan Cook and Susan Parker for re-election, Mobile attorney Michel Nicrosi for attorney general, Birmingham attorney Jeremy Sherer for state treasurer, Sparks’ assistant director of agriculture, Glen Zorn of Florala, for agriculture com missioner, and State Rep. Earl Hilliard Jr. of Birming ham for the 7th Congression al District.
