The more things change, the more they stay the same, is a very succinct adage, especially when it comes to politics. Faces and places and races change in politics, but one thing that stays the same is the candidate who has the most money for campaign advertising and vote gathering, nine times out of ten wins.
Name identification is the most important factor when voters select a candidate. Money buys name identification, and name identification equates into votes. Thus, there is no truer adage in politics than money is the mother’s milk of politics. This reassurance was upheld in the recently completed GOP Primary election in June. The person who won every main race, including U.S. Senate, Governor, Lt. Governor, and Attorney General, raised and spent the most money.
The new phenomenon in American politics is the national Club for Growth. This very organized Political Action Committee (PAC) is made up of money of the wealthiest multimillionaire and billionaire conservatives in the country. They are a dark money, mega-dollar PAC that have gained control of the Republican elections in Republican states in America. They have certainly become the big boy on the block in the Heart of Dixie. They elected our next U.S. Senator, Barry Moore, as well as our next Lt. Governor, John Wahl.
Another separate right-wing, dark money group from out of state bankrolled and elected our next state Attorney General, Katherine Robertson. In addition, the Club for Growth also endorsed and supported her in her candidacy. Both Wahl and Robertson were complete unknowns, politically. Both, not only had never run for statewide office, neither had run for any office. This tells you that money can buy any office and usually does. That is a fact.
The revelation here is that the money that elected Barry Moore, John Wahl, and Katherine Robertson came from unknown sources and contributors from out of Alabama. The bottom line is that Alabama voters do not know or care where candidates’ money comes from or whether a candidate has any qualifications. Unidentified dark money, right wing organizations can buy elections.
This is probably true in other states as well, lest we cast dispersions on our own state. We are not that unique. Probably more conservative than most states, but not that unique. This revelation tells me that if a candidate comes to me and asked how to get elected to a major statewide office, my advice would be to simply raise a barrel full of money, and it does not matter where it comes from as long as you have it to spend. It could come from the drug cartel in Mexico or the mafia in New York. It does not matter. Under our lax federal and state campaign laws that do not require certain political groups to identify who contributes to their PACs. People do not care. Voters select candidates based on their appearance and rhetoric. Those dark money, mega right-wing donors from out of state will continue to dominate Republican state primaries in Republican states.
Again, lest we cast dispersions on the mega-dollar out-of-state national Club for Growth. Similar left wing dark money PACs exist and dominate in Democratic states. Although no group has as deep of pockets as the right-wing Republican Club for Growth, there are more left-wing dark money groups nationally and they have more money for left wing Democratic congressional and Presidential candidates. Lots of the left-wing Democratic money is fueled by acknowledged socialists That is why the liberal socialist candidates are emerging victoriously in our liberal urban cities and states.
The reassurance is that money is the mother’s milk of politics, always has been and always will be. If you do not have the money, do not put your name on the ballot.
The revelation is that it does not matter how you get the money, or where it comes from, whether it is out of state or clandestinely garnered. Voters do not care.
See you next week.
Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at [email protected].