Tthe Alabama Republican Party announced Monday a five-week bus tour that will take the party's five statewide candidates to all 67 Alabama counties.
The trip continues its kick-off, communications director Philip Bryan said in a statement, with stops in West Alabama's Black Belt on Tuesday.
Participating candidates include Supreme Court candidate Judge Greg Shaw, Court of Civil Appeals candidate Judge Bill Thompson, Court of Criminal Appeals candidates Beth Kellum and Mary Windom and Public Service Commission president hopeful Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh.
The trip, which the ALGOP has named "Hometown Connection," will involve 106 stops, with 29 coming in the first week.
“This tour revisits the days of true grassroots campaigning before television ads, direct mail and other modern tactics dominated the political landscape,” Alabama Republican Party Chairman Mike Hubbard said. “In our opinion, commercials can’t replace the value of a firm handshake and looking someone in the eye to ask for their vote. We plan to do a lot of that before this bus tour is over.”
Well, an old-fashioned bus tour reminiscent of the whistle-stop campaigns of yore may be "grassroots campaigning." But it's also efficient, and that's why it's being done this way.
It costs a whole lot less to pack all the candidates together, ride them around the state and hold joint events for them than it would to support separate staffs and arrange separate events for each.
About one-fifth as much, in this case.
Think about it this way: Where is the Republicans' toughest race this year? Alabama's 2nd Congressional District, where the Democratic Party would pick up a seat if Montgomery Mayor Bobby Bright defeats State Rep. Jay Love to succeed retiring U.S. Rep. Terry Everett. But there are plenty of "modern tactics" -- TV ads and direct mail among them -- at work in CD 2. Surely the Republican Party doesn't think that commercials can "replace the value of a firm handshake and looking someone in the eye to ask for their vote."
No, presumably they don't. But Love has raised a lot more money than the Greyhound Five will, so his supporters would tell you that Love is taking an all-of-the-above approach.
Anyway, if you're in West Alabama and you'd like to shake the hand or ask a question of one of the Republican statewide candidates, here's where you can find them Tuesday:
One word of advice: If you're truly interesting in meeting up with the candidates tomorrow, you'll want to catch them in Camden or Monroeville. Considering travel time between destinations, the group plans to be at Fort Deposit for about 22 minutes, Camden for about an hour and eight minutes, Monroeville for about an hour and 13 minutes, Excel for about 19 minutes and Frisco City for about 25 minutes.
There was no indication as to the planned length of the Uriah meeting.
So, if you're headed out to the "Hometown Connections" tour, don't blink when those candidates look you in the eye. You might miss it when they ask you for your vote.
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