2006 Alabama gubernatorial election

For related races, see 2006 United States gubernatorial elections.

The 2006 Alabama gubernatorial election occurred on November 7, 2006. Incumbent Republican Governor Bob Riley defeated Democratic Lieutenant Governor Lucy Baxley. Riley garnered 21% of African Americans' votes.

2006 Alabama gubernatorial election

← 2002 November 7, 2006 2010 →

Nominee Bob Riley Lucy Baxley Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 718,327 519,827 Percentage 57.45% 41.57%

County results Riley:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Baxley:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

Governor before election Bob Riley Republican Elected Governor Bob Riley Republican

Riley was the first Republican to carry the counties Bibb, Cherokee, Etowah, Jackson, and Lauderdale since Reconstruction. This is the last time gubernatorial nominee and a lieutenant gubernatorial nominee of different political parties were elected in Alabama.

Primary elections

Republican Party

• Bob Riley, incumbent Governor of Alabama
• Roy Moore, former Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court

Polling

Source	Date	Bob Riley	Roy Moore
Survey USA[1]	June 5, 2006	64%	33%
Survey USA[2]	May 25, 2006	64%	33%
Press-Register/University of South Alabama Poll[3]	May 24, 2006	69%	20%
Survey USA[4]	May 2, 2006	66%	30%

Results

Republican primary results by county

  Riley

•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%
•   80–90%

  Moore

•   50-60%
•   60-70%

Republican primary results^[5]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Bob Riley (incumbent)	306,665	66.66%
	Republican	Roy Moore	153,354	33.34%
Total votes			460,019	100.00%

Democratic Party

• Lucy Baxley, Lieutenant Governor
• Don Siegelman, former Governor
• Joe Copeland, teacher
• Nathan Mathis, former State Representative
• Katherine Mack, minister
• James Potts, financial advisor
• Harry Lyon, perennial candidate

Polling

Source	Date	Don Siegelman	Lucy Baxley
Survey USA[6]	June 5, 2006	41%	46%
Press-Register/University of South Alabama Poll[7]	May 28, 2006	27%	45%
Survey USA[8]	May 25, 2006	43%	43%
Survey USA[9]	May 2, 2006	47%	39%

Results

Democratic primary results by county

  Baxley

•   40–50%
•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%

  Siegelman

•   50–60%
•   60–70%

Democratic primary results^[10]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Lucy Baxley	279,165	59.84%
	Democratic	Don Siegelman	170,016	36.44%
	Democratic	Joe Copeland	4,141	0.89%
	Democratic	Nathan Mathis	4,000	0.86%
	Democratic	Katherine Mack	3,392	0.73%
	Democratic	James Potts	3,333	0.71%
	Democratic	Harry Lyon	2,490	0.53%
Total votes			466,537	100.00%

General election

Candidates

• Bob Riley (Republican), incumbent Governor of Alabama
• Lucy Baxley (Democratic), Lieutenant Governor of Alabama, former Alabama State Treasurer
• Loretta Nall (Libertarian; write-in), founder of the United States Marijuana Party
• Nathan Mathis (write-in), former State Representative
• Michael A. Polemeni (write-in), Huntsville/Madison County Chapter President of Alabama Family Rights Association

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
The Cook Political Report[11]	Solid R	November 6, 2006
Sabato's Crystal Ball[12]	Safe R	November 6, 2006
Rothenberg Political Report[13]	Safe R	November 2, 2006
Real Clear Politics[14]	Safe R	November 6, 2006

Polling

Source	Date	Lucy Baxley (D)	Bob Riley (R)
Survey USA[15]	November 1, 2006	39%	54%
Survey USA[16]	October 18, 2006	36%	57%
Survey USA[17]	September 28, 2006	38%	54%
Rasmussen[18]	August 8, 2006	35%	55%
Survey USA[19]	July 26, 2006	38%	52%
Rasmussen[20]	June 22, 2006	40%	54%
Survey USA[21]	June 20, 2006	40%	51%
Press-Register/University of South Alabama poll[22]	June 18, 2006	25%	53%
Rasmussen[23]	May 9, 2006	37%	49%
Rasmussen[24]	April 17, 2006	40%	47%
Rasmussen[25]	February 27, 2006	37%	53%
Rasmussen[26]	February 8, 2006	40%	47%

Endorsements

Lucy Baxley (D)

Individuals

• Wesley Clark, General, 2004 democratic presidential candidate^[27]

Results

2006 Alabama gubernatorial election^[28]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Bob Riley (incumbent)	718,327	57.45%	+8.27%
	Democratic	Lucy Baxley	519,827	41.57%	−7.37%
	Write-in		12,247	0.98%	N/A
Total votes			1,250,401	100.00%	N/A
	Republican hold

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

• Cherokee (Largest city: Centre)
• Etowah (Largest city: Gadsden)
• Pickens (Largest city: Aliceville)
• Washington (Largest city: Chatom)
• Tuscaloosa (largest city: Tuscaloosa)
• Jackson (Largest city: Scottsboro)
• Jefferson (largest city: Birmingham)
• Montgomery (Largest city: Montgomery)
• Calhoun (largest city: Oxford)
• Lauderdale (Largest city: Florence)
• Bibb (largest city: Brent)
• Fayette (Largest city: Fayette)

See also

• 2006 United States gubernatorial elections
• State of Alabama
• Governors of Alabama