AEA money could not buy seats

By Staff
The AEA's executive secretary, Paul Hubbert, was handed a stinging defeat in Tuesday's Republican Primary. The AEA had pumped $500,000 into the districts 1 and 3 races, and their candidates lost. He had funded candidates who claimed to be Republicans in an effort to unseat the Republican incumbents whom he does not control.
The targeted candidates were Randy McKinney in SBOE district 1, and Stephanie Bell in SBOE district 3. They have been instrumental in cleaning up corruption that has held our state back for so long. McKinney received 73% of the votes in his district and Bell received 68% of the votes in her district.
Philip Bryan, Communications Director of the Alabama Republican Party said, "Tonight, in what can only be characterized as a crushing defeat to the Vice Chairman of the Democratic Party and Union Boss Paul Hubbert, Republicans Stephanie Bell and Randy McKinney soundly defeated their Hubbert-recruited opponents and sent a message to the Democrats and AEA that their stranglehold on Alabama has diminished. Voters overwhelmingly turned out in Districts 1 &3 to show that the State Board of Education can not be bought, and reform won out over corruption."
Representative Mike Hubbard, Chairman of the Alabama Republican party said, "Today is a true victory for the Republican Party and shows that we have a strong, loyal base that will stand up to those special interests who are trying to buy Alabama."
"Paul Hubbert waltzed in with $500,000 and thought he could buy the State Board of Education, but he was met and overcome by a tremendous Republican grassroots effort. Unfortunately, Hubbert wasted half a million dollars that could have gone to the teachers and the children," Hubbard stated.
The Republican voters in our School Board District 7 elected Gary Warren of Haleyville to be our candidate in the November general election.
Jerry Fancher is Chairman of the Franklin County Republican Executive Committee. He can be reached via email at jfanchergop@yahoo.com.