2006 Governors Races

Alabama CBS NEWS PROJECTS BOB RILEYWINNER Democrat Lucy Baxley vs. Republican Bob Riley (Incumbent) Riley was favored here despite a narrow victory last time around. The Birmingham News reports: "Riley has benefited from voter satisfaction with the state’s strong economy, the lack of scandal in his administration and the leadership he showed last year after the state took a pounding from Hurricane Katrina. Those assets have diminished voter dissatisfaction over a tax increase tax reform initiative that Riley pushed during his first year in office." In the primary, Baxley had been in a tight race, but she capitalized on her opponent’s (former Gov. Don Siegelman) corruption trial. Riley ran ads saying Baxley is "too liberal." Democrats argued the ad had boomeranged and highlighted Riley’s lack of ethics, but Baxley was criticized as running a vague campaign. One government professor at an Alabama university called her campaign "milquetoast" in The Birmingham News, adding, "There’s been nothing I can see that would put fire in the blood and fire in the belly of the diehard Democratic voter."