Money not where Mouth Is

State Representative Cam Ward has replied to my question. I reposted the question from this blog to him at Doc's Political Parlor here and you can see his response here.

Ward, in a quick reply, said he hasn't introduced legislation "yet" that would ease up ballot access restrictions, suggesting he will do so in the future.

Although it won't make or break my opinion of him, I find this unconvincing. Ward was elected in 2002 and he claims he saw the problem with ballot access when he worked for then-Secretary of State Jim Bennett in 1998. His blog post at Doc's Political Parlor emphatically states that the law needs changed.

He claims he was "just talking about some issues", but he is a legislator that saw a problem as early as 9 years ago and has indicated something should be done. However, for the record, he has chosen to not doing anything in the five legislative sessions he has under his belt.

Maybe Ward's answer to my question is indeed "neither": he hasn't introduced legislation and maybe he isn't courting the growing number of independent voters. Perhaps his third way is that he likes to talk the talk but doesn't follow up by walking the walk. He shouldn't be surprised (or feign surprise) when someone notices and asks him about it.

I love the part of his reply where he says: "Sorry no grand conspiracy!!!! " I was only asking about his actions on this issue. How can he have a conspiracy with himself?

I wish Ward the best in the next legislative session. Hopefully, he'll take up the ballot access issue next time out and will provide a serious reform bill and the leadership to get it passed.

Is the Money where His Mouth Is?

State Representative Cam Ward, over at Doc's Political Parlor, has written in support of making ballot access easier for independent and minor political parties. He even cites his short term as political appointee under then-Secretary of State Jim Bennett as proof he knows of what he speaks.

I wonder if Ward has ever introduced legislation to ease up the ballot access requirements?

Or is he just trying to court the ever-growing independent voting bloc that might view him favorably if he appears open-minded on this issue?

I'll have to do some research on ALISON, unless Ward beats me to it and provides the answer himself.

All's Fair in Campaign Finance (when legal)

Over at Between the Links, a gentleman named Tim asked Alabama Representative Cam Ward , a supporter of U.S. Senator John McCain for president, how much money McCain donated to Ward's re-election campaign last year.  Ward replied:

I did receive a contribution from McCain and other Presidential candidates in the last election. In all fairness I endorsed him BEFORE receiving a contribution. It is a fair question to ask. I just dont think a 500 or 1000 contributuon in a campaign where you raised over 130000 is going to determine who you are going to endorse or not.

I would argue that a candidate like McCain gives money to politicians in Alabama to make sure they don't give someone like Ward a reason to oppose his or her presidential candidacy.  It's not they necessarily think that the contribution will win an endorsement (although Ward apparently did endorse McCain), it's pre-emptive damage control, a kind of hush money, if you will.

 

To me, another issue is why are presidential candidates who are not from Alabama giving money to candidates for state office in Alabama? I'm sure that McCain doesn't really know whether Ward is a good representative or not (not that I have anything against Ward, I'm just saying). 

 

Of course, all is fair in campaign finance, as long as it's legal.  However, one has to ask what is McCain's interest in getting involved in an election for a state legislative office in Alabama.  Sure, maybe McCain wants to help out fellow Republicans.  But it seems that McCain's (and other presidential candidates') direct interest is ensuring he doesn't give a political leader in Alabama a reason to oppose him.