Alabama Democratic Party

The Bitter Fruit Of Failing To Challenge Richard Shelby

October 16, 2011 by Left in Alabama

Sen. Richard Shelby's PAC gave $25,000 to help Republicans in Wisconsin recalls

For many years the Alabama Democratic Party had no interest in recruiting or helping a strong challenger to one-time Democrat turned Republican, Richard Shelby.  In fact, it often appeared they actively discouraged Democrats from running against Shelby, as seemed to happen with Bill Barnes last year.

Here is the fruit of that wrong-headed policy:

Shelby's PAC gave $25K to fund Wisconsin Republicans in the recall elections:

"I was pleased to contribute to that victory because I viewed it as a critical battlefront for defending Republican principles."

Democrats won 5 out of the 9 Wisconsin recall elections last summer, picking up 2 Republican seats.  They were within a few thousand votes of gaining a third GOP seat and a majority in the Wisconsin Senate.  Republican PACs like Richard Shelby's Defend America poured millions into Wisconsin to help Republicans hang on to a bare majority.