Alabama's Love considers Bright rematch

Alabama state Rep. Jay Love (R), who narrowly lost to Rep. Bobby Bright (D-Ala.) last year, is considering challenging the congressman next year.

After eight-term Rep. Terry Everett (R) retired, Love and Bright faced off in one of the closest contests of last year’s election. Bright eventually won the seat by fewer than 1,800 votes.

… Before running for Congress, Bright had served as the mayor of Montgomery since 1999. The mayor’s office in Alabama is nonpartisan, and until his run Bright had never identified with either political party. Bright was courted by both parties to run for Everett’s seat. Bright chose to run as a Democrat, saying at the time that he was promised he would be given more independence by the Democratic Party.

The decision clearly worked out for Bright, but he has already become a target for Republicans because of the conservative bent of the district. Before McCain carried the district last year, President George W. Bush in 2004 won the district with 67 percent.

Bright has joined the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s Frontline Program, which is designed to help vulnerable Democrats’ fundraising and district outreach programs to dissuade potential GOP challengers from running.

Lewis Lowe, a spokesman for Bright, said that the Democrat will be ready for a challenge when the time comes.

“There will be a time and place for politics, and when that time comes Congressman Bright welcomes a healthy debate with any challengers,” he said. “But right now, Congressman Bright is focused on representing his constituents in the 2nd district of Alabama to the best of his ability and working across party lines to find ways to get the economy moving in the right direction.”

National Republicans said they were impressed by Love’s performance last year but noted that the isn’t the only contender eyeing the race.

“Jay Love is an excellent candidate who ran a close race despite a challenging political environment,” said Paul Lindsay, a spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee. “Bobby Bright will not have the same advantage of circumstances in 2010.”…

… Republicans also said George Wallace Jr., the son of the former governor and a former Democrat, may be looking at the race. The former Alabama state treasurer was the Democratic nominee for the seat when it was open 1992. Everett beat Wallace that year.
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