By Staff
The selection of speaker of the House will not be as volatile and contentious as the race for president pro tem of the Senate next year.
Nevertheless it will be just as crucial and pivotal. Seth Hammett will be the odds on favorite to be reelected to his third four-year reign as king of the House of Representatives.
Hammett, a conservative Democrat from Andalusia, is a 28-year veteran of the House with eight of those as speaker.
Special interests play a major role in the election of the presiding officer of both chambers. AEA likes him as well as most business groups, including the Business Council and Alfa.
Hammett has done his homework which is his cardinal and best attribute. He is extremely organized. He is meticulous when it comes to detail and organization and it shows up in the orderly way the House operates and functions.
Hammett has his ducks in a row with the powerful lobbying forces which is probably all that is needed to stay in the speaker's chair. However, he has to contend with the growing partisanship within the House. The number of Republicans has grown to 43 and they are feeling their oats. Led by Riley ally Rep. Mike Hubbard from Auburn, the GOP members would love to have one of their own, but until they get to about 55 seats that will not be possible. Currently most of the Republican House members are more loyal to their business lobby allies than they are to their party label. They will &#8220dance with those that brung them” when it comes to their vote for speaker in 2007.
In addition, there could be some ill will and fallout from an avalanche of ferocious negative ads being leveled at Hammett in his campaign for reelection to his House seat in Covington County.
The state Republican party is spending a lot of money lambasting Hammett in his district which votes heavily for GOP candidates in state and national elections. Hammett is considered a safe bet for reelection because of his personal popularity at home, although the seat will probably go Republican if and when he retires.
In the past quadrennium Hammett was able to take care of many of the white Democrats with good committee assignments. However, it is among this group that the Republicans have targeted and their numbers will continue to diminish.
Hammett had to make a tough call in January that might have miffed the Black Caucus. When Jack Venable died and left the Rules Committee Chairmanship vacant.
Hammett did not promote veteran black Mobile Rep. William Clark who was vice chairman. Instead Hammett placed the ambitious House Democratic leader Ken Guin in the powerful seat.
The black caucus currently has the pro tem position with veteran Demetrius Newton of Birmingham. They could seek no less than an African American in the second spot and probably a lot more.
Hammett will have to walk a tightrope but should remain speaker of the House regardless of who is governor.
Steve Flowers' column appears weekly in 70 Alabama newspapers. Steve served 16 years in the State Legislature. He may be reached at www.steveflowers.us.