GOP showdown

It stands to reason that if Alabama’s congressional districts were reworked to the point where a second district is almost certainly to vote Democratic, then you’re going to leave one Alabama Republican without a seat on Capitol Hill.

Alabama District 2 was redrawn dramatically by federal court order in an effort to give more of the state’s Black population the representative of its choice (that means it was redrawn so that a Democrat would likely win). That seat is currently held by Republican Rep. Barry Moore of Enterprise.

But that doesn’t mean Moore becomes a, well, sitting duck incumbent, because Moore now lives in the redrawn District 1, which is represented by Jerry Carl. AL.com’s John Sharp reports that last week Moore announced he’d be running for the District 1 seat, setting up a Republican primary showdown of two currently serving Congressmen.

It’s a big challenge for Moore to come into the district, at least on paper. Carl already represents Baldwin and Mobile Counties, which are the most populous parts of the new Alabama 1.

State GOP chairman and possible future boxing promoter John Wahl called it “a clash of the titans.” Wahl also said he’ll push for a debate during the campaign.

Mayor/pastor’s passing

The first Baptist Church of Phenix City held Sunday service yesterday and spent time mourning Pastor Bubba Copeland, reports AL.com’s Greg Garrison.

Copeland also was the mayor of Smiths Station. He drew attention in 2019 for representing the area after a tornado killed 23 people in Lee County.

A report was posted last week by a website called 1819 News that said Copeland had an online personality as a transsexual woman whose posts included racy content and photos of himself in women’s clothes.

Last Wednesday evening Copeland defending himself in church, telling his congregation he’d been attacked on the Internet and had nothing to be ashamed of but that he had taken some funny pictures with his wife.

On Friday 1819 News published another story, detailing erotic fiction it claimed was attributed to Copeland or his alter-ego.

On Friday afternoon, Copeland took his own life, according to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. He was 49 years old and had three kids.

Have you adjusted to the new hours?

While U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville has been in the spotlight over his blocking military officer promotions over a Justice Department abortion policy, he still wants to see more daylight in the evenings.

AL.com’s Jeremy Gray reports that Tuberville said this past weekend ought to be the last time we ever fall back. Note that, like an Alabama lottery, this topic comes up a whole bunch but hasn’t gotten done yet.

But, as the senator points out, 17 states — including Alabama — have passed legislation to stop the semiannual time changes, but the federal government has the ultimate say, according to current law.

U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers of Alabama is sponsoring a bill in the House of Representatives that would allow states to decide for themselves. And a bipartisan group of lawmakers has introduced legislation to make daylight saving time permanent in the much of the U.S.

And that’s an important point to make because a lot of people bemoan daylight saving time but say they hate the “fall back” more than the “spring forward.” To be clear, daylight saving time is what we have in the summertime, and currently we’re on standard time.

Quoting

“Since that moment where Alabama was really humiliated down the stretch against Texas, Nick Saban has coached his finest season, I think, in his entire career. It has been absolutely virtuoso. It’s been brilliant.”

ESPN’s Paul Finebaum, a day after the Crimson Tide’s 42-28 win over LSU.

More Alabama news

Born on this date

In 1941, the late Ray Perkins, Alabama and NFL player and coach.

Week in Review Quiz

You don’t want to miss the quiz this week, especially if you know your convenience stores and Atlanta Braves history.

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