A Nasty Air War In Alabama Senate Race

MOBILE, Ala. (AllPolitics, Nov. 2) -- Republicans thought they could count on picking up a seat in conservative Alabama, with three-term Democratic Sen. Howell Heflin retiring. But their candidate, state Attorney General Jeff Sessions, has run an unexpectedly lackluster campaign that has left some room for the Democratic nominee, state Sen. Roger Bedford.

Sessions in 1994 unseated a Democratic attorney general, who had been targeted by the GOP after putting Republican Gov. Guy Hunt in jail on corruption charges. This made Sessions the fair-haired boy of the Alabama GOP, which has been gathering strength rapidly but still lacks for figures of statewide stature.

His strong conservative stances on both social and fiscal issues should appeal to the Alabama electorate, but Sessions has struggled to persuade voters outside the ranks of the party faithful to support him. For the most part he has limited his personal appearances to large gatherings of Republicans, and he appears stiff on television.

By contrast, Bedford, who claims that Sessions is ducking debates, has showed up to shake hands at seemingly every barbecue festival in the state. Bedford, an indefatigable campaigner, has proved equally tireless at fund-raising and has matched Sessions in the money chase.

Bedford ran to the left of his main Democratic primary opponent, 3rd District Rep. Glen Browder, and he can count on the support of such traditional Democratic constituencies as trial lawyers, teachers and blacks. He lists funding for education as one of his top priorities.

In an effort to reach out to moderate voters, Bedford has run a TV ad boasting of his votes in support of eight balanced state budgets, even though state law mandates a balanced budget.

Sessions' campaign belittles Bedford's efforts to portray himself as a "Reagan Democrat." Sessions notes that Bedford was a convention delegate for Democratic presidential candidates in both the years Ronald Reagan was elected to the presidency.

The race has been virtually bereft of discussion of major issues, whether national concerns or traditional Alabama stumping on peanut subsidies and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). Bedford has criticized Republican efforts to revise the Medicare program, but mainly the two candidates have filled the airwaves with negative personal attacks.

Surrogates in the Sessions camp, including Montgomery Mayor Emory Folmar, have attacked Bedford for supporting a moment of silence instead of a constitutional amendment to allow prayer in public schools. Sessions won much of his early backing from social conservatives based on his support for such an amendment.

Sessions also derides Bedford for accepting donations from trial lawyers. He blames Bedford for stopping a tort overhaul bill during a special state Senate session in January.

Bedford, alternatively, has seized on some voters' unhappiness that Sessions is pursuing the Senate seat so closely on the heels of being elected as attorney general. Bedford also criticizes Sessions' handling of the office and the work he has given to outside counsel.

Sessions began the race with a wide lead, but recent polls put Bedford within striking distance.

Congressional Quarterly contributed to this report.

Related Links:

• Alabama State Profile