From The Birmingham News (AL.com)
Political groups endorse council candidates
By Joseph D. Bryant

Political groups associated with Birmingham Mayor Bernard Kincaid and former Mayor Richard Arrington Thursday announced endorsements for candidates in the Oct. 11 City Council races.

Jefferson County Progressive Democratic Council endorsements include: District 1, Chris Cummings; District 2, Carol Reynolds; District 3, Valerie Abbott; District 4, Maxine Herring Parker; District 5, No endorsement; District 6, Carole Smitherman; District 7, Miriam Witherspoon; District 8, Gerri Robinson; District 9, David Merrida Jr.

Emory Anthony Jr., president of Progressive Democrats, said the endorsements were made after candidates completed questionnaires and answered questions in interviews.

"We spent a lot of time going over questionnaires," Anthony said. "We always say this endorsement is a recommendation."

The group endorsed just three of seven incumbents, Smitherman, Reynolds and Abbott, but made no endorsement in the District 5 race where Councilman Elias Hendricks faces a challenge from former longtime councilman William Bell and T.C. Cannon.

Anthony said his organization decided not to endorse anyone in the District 5 race because Bell and Hendricks both have equally positive and negative records.

"The candidates were so close," Anthony said. "There were some pros and cons for both of them."

Hendricks is criticized for losing touch with parts of his district while Bell's final council term is remembered for his role in the city giving up control of assets of the Birmingham Water Works Board.

But Hendricks was part of the council that appointed current water board members who approved a rate increase for customers, Anthony said.

"What we're saying to District 5 is, you know what is best for your district," he said.

Voter News Network:

The Voter News Network Political Action Committee endorsed multiple candidates in the nine-district race. They include:

District 1, Cummings and Johnny Johnson Jr.; District 2, Frank Matthews; District 3, no endorsement; District 4, Parker; District 5, Bell and Hendricks; District 6, Smitherman; District 7, Sandra F. Little-Brown and Witherspoon; District 8, Steven W. Hoyt and Robinson; District 9, Merrida and Royal.

Smitherman was the only incumbent endorsed exclusively in a race. The other endorsed incumbent was Hendricks who shared a recommendation with Bell on the VNN list.

Former Mayor Richard Arrington, a member of the VNN committee, said the multiple endorsements were the result of conversations he had with Kincaid. In some cases when the groups preferred different candidates Arrington said VNN added candidates to its list as a compromise.

"That means we think both candidates are qualified for that position and we will hopefully support one on the runoff," Arrington said. "There's no real scientific art to what we did. We just had our own prescription about what these people were like."

Candidates endorsed by VNN received $3,000 to $5,000, Arrington said.

"We are basically interested in helping candidates get their message out to the voters," Arrington said. "We in some instances allowed candidates to use the PAC committee account to do some printing and help pay for work through our PAC committee public relations agency to pay some radio spots."

Arrington said VNN's contributions have been conservative so far but more money for endorsed candidates would come during runoff elections.


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