The former Representative (D then R) has joined the battle in the (D) primary election to win a seat (D) in the Alabama State Senate. Back in 2003, Ford (D) won a House seat and then switched parties (D to R). Then he decided he didn't like life in that rather large diluted legislative body, so he resigned his (R) House seat to go back to run for and win his old position as Mayor (NP) of Tuskegee. Then he lost a reelection bid for that office last year.
The State Senate District 28 seat is held by Myron Penn (D, always D), who's only in his second term and is being cagey for some reason about whether he wants to run for reelection. He says it will depend on whether there are candidates (presumably D) in the race he can support..."not just an opportunist who wants to take advantage of an open election." Penn didn't actually say the name of (D then R now D again) Johnny Ford, but who else could be be referring to?
Where this leaves The Alabama Republican Party I don't know. When Ford switched ( D to R) in 2003, Governor (R, always R) Riley predicted big things, that Ford's switch to the GOP would convince other black lawmakers to follow him: "This is the first step," he said, hugging Ford on the Statehouse steps. Half a dozen years later not only did the parade not form behind (R) Ford, but now Ford (D to R to D) wants to join the (D, slim D) majority in the State Senate.
Scorecards, we need scorecards.
My head is spinning.
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