Editorials

The Star's recommendations

Shhh, it's a big secret.

Well, not exactly a secret, but Tuesday's little-publicized and lightly contemplated Republican primary runoff might as well be a clandestine operation, a sort of stealth democracy at work.

Two statewide races are on the ballot, GOP contests to see who will run on November's general ballot against Democratic opponents. Alabama election officials are predicting less than 1-in-10 voters will bother to go to the polls Tuesday.

However, scant attention does not mean the posts up for grabs are unimportant. The state Court of Criminal Appeals hears thousands of appeals annually, an average of 500 cases per appellate judge. With rising energy prices and the rapid consolidation of telecoms, the importance of the utility regulators on the Public Service Commission is obvious enough.

The Star's editorial board makes the following recommendations in Tuesday's election.

Public Service Commission president

Republicans Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh and Matt Chancey square off Tuesday in hopes of challenging Democrat Lucy Baxley in November for presidency of the commission. Both Republican candidates are blaming "radical environmentalists" for high gas prices, an uninformed stance that nonetheless resonates with GOP voters. Both candidates would be wise to polish up on the operations of the PSC rather than demagogue.

Northern Calhoun County voters may remember Cavanaugh's voice from a 2006 robocall when she chaired the Alabama GOP. In the homophobic recording, she attempted to link state Rep. Lea Fite with a lesbian running for the Legislature. It was a sorry episode that left a stain on Cavanaugh's reputation.

The best recommendation might be to sit out this race. After all, the primary is a party function to decide ballot spots for the election that really counts.

If a voter were determined to cast a ballot Tuesday, the wiser selection would be Cavanaugh, who despite her flaws has a more solid resume.

The Star's editorial board gives a less-than-hearty recommendation to Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh.

Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 1

Beth Kellum, a longtime appellate court staffer, and Lucie McLemore are competing to face Democratic candidate Clyde Jones on Nov. 4.

McLemore served a term on the bench of a Montgomery district court; she lost to a Democrat in '06. Her black-robed experience handling criminal cases as a judge gives her the advantage over Kellum.

The Star recommends Lucie McLemore.