Lucy Baxley socked it to Gov. Bob Riley Saturday for what she sees as his obliviousness to average citizens of Alabama.

“This election comes down to the people vs. the dollars,” Baxley said of the GOP pouring money into Riley’s campaign. “It’s not supposed to be up to the highest bidder. They’ve got the big money and you have to wonder, why would they put many, many millions into a governor’s race? They are investing in the governor’s race and they plan on cashing in.”

She made the comment during the opening of the Limestone County Democratic campaign headquarters on Washington Street in Athens. Such Democratic candidates House candidate Henry White, Senate candidate Bobby Day, attorney general candidate John Tyson and others joined her.

Baxley, who served two terms as state treasurer before being elected lieutenant governor in 2002, is running for governor. Known for being an honest public servant, Baxley gave the crowd of more than 50 Democrats a forthcoming assessment of current governor.

She waylaid Riley, who uses a state plane to campaign, for inviting Vice President Dick Cheney to the governor’s mansion and hosting a $5,000-a-couple dinner to raise money for governor’s campaign. She said the taxpayers spent $1 million to host him and Riley netted $250,000.

“Chaney got off the plane at the airport and didn’t meet one taxpayer,” she said. She asked supporters to talk to other Democrats and to Republicans who are unhappy with the current leadership.

“You’ve got to help us get out there and overcome the big money,” she said.

Baxley supports limiting spending by lobbyists or public officials to $250 a year and require officials, lobbyists and political action committee’s (PACS) to report entertainment expenses they incur or receive. She also wants to ban PAC-t o-PAC transfers, a practice used to launder political money.

‘GOP does not spell God’

Baxley said she needs the votes of Republicans who are no longer happy with Riley and GOP leadership. She noted religious values are as important to Republicans as Democrats.

“GOP does not spell God,” Baxley said. “We can’t let Republicans claim all things related to faith.”

She explained that Riley’s actions speak louder than his religious words and added Jesus’ words, “What you have done to the least of them, you have done to me.”

Specifically, she mentioned Riley’s failure to push for a $1 increase in $5.15 per hour minimum wage – something Baxley supported.

She wants to remove the state sales tax on food and over-the-counter medicines. She also wants to put more state troopers on the road, push for better veterans’ benefits and seek an expansion of alternative sentencing to reduce the pressure on overcrowded state prisons.



On being a woman governor

As for a woman being governor, Baxley reminded her audience, “We had a woman governor in 1966, when Lurleen Wallace stepped in for her husband. If they want to put it on a Biblical level, ‘40 years of wandering in the wilderness, and then a leader came,’ ” she said, referring to the Bible. “Well, it’s been 40 years, and Lucy’s the right candidate,” she said.