By William C. Singleton III
Journal contributor
Republican Gary Palmer and Democrat Mark Lester will face off in the Nov. 4 general election to determine who will replace retiring U.S. Rep. Spencer Bachus as representative of the Sixth Congressional District.
But they likely won’t be facing off before then.
A debate between Palmer and Lester seems unlikely at this point, Palmer said.
The Junior League of Birmingham tried to set up an Oct. 23 debate between Palmer and Lester. But Palmer said he hadn’t heard directly from the organization and found out about the Junior League event after reading a press release from Lester’s campaign indicating he had agreed to the debate.
Palmer said he already had a scheduled forum for that night. He doesn’t see any room in his schedule for a debate, he said.
“When you’re running a campaign, you don’t sit around and wait for someone to call you and schedule something,” Palmer said. “You’re scheduling things and staying out in front of as many people as you can. We’re booked. You don’t wait until the last four weeks (or) last 30 days to do this.”
Palmer is considered the favorite in the heavily conservative district, which encompasses suburban areas outside of Birmingham, the southwestern portions of Jefferson County, and all of Bibb, Blount, Chilton, Coosa and Shelby counties. Lester, a latecomer to the race after former Democratic nominee Avery Vise withdrew in August, has been trying to get Palmer to debate him but with little success, Lester said.
Lester acknowledged he’s had to come up to speed quickly since he entered the race. But he said he doesn’t see why a debate can’t still happen.
“I thought that’s what running for office was all about–that you debate your opponent and talk about the issues,” he said. “I’m going to keep saying I’ll debate him any time, any place. I don’t know whether he’ll ever agree.”
Palmer said he’s running as if he’s behind in the polls. He said he’s been out connecting with voters and elected officials he plans to work with as a congressman.
“I’m getting out and talking to people and making myself available to people. I don’t take anything for granted,” he said.
Palmer is the founder of the conservative think-tank Alabama Policy Institute.
He has a bachelor’s degree in Operations Management from the University of Alabama and an honorary doctorate from the University of Mobile.
He supports public policy that emphasizes limited government, free market principles, the right to life and congressional term limits and opposes the Affordable Care Act.
Palmer emerged from a seven-candidate Republican primary as the second-highest vote-getter to challenge State Rep. Paul DeMarco, R-Homewood. Palmer defeated DeMarco in the July 15 runoff.
Lester, though a political newcomer, comes to the race with a high academic and professional pedigree.
He is a Birmingham-Southern College history professor. Lester was an Assistant United States Attorney and started a law firm which specialized in commercial litigation.
Lester received his undergraduate degree at Rhodes College, a master’s degree in Middle Eastern studies from Harvard University and a law degree from the University of Virginia. He earned a doctorate in Modern British Economic History from the University of Oxford.
He describes himself as a strong proponent of healthcare reform and education programs which give all children the best chance to succeed in life.
Lester said he’s been reaching out to voters in the district, particularly moderate voters, in the days leading up to the Nov. 4 general election.
“I’ve had a lot of moderate Republicans come to me and say, ‘We appreciate you stepping into the race because you are a moderate.’ I am moderate in my views, but my opponent is a Tea Party extremist, and I think the reason I’m going to win is that I’m not the extremist candidate,” Lester said. “I’m really the centrist candidate in this race.”
Palmer said he disagrees.
“I’m not ashamed of the Tea Party supporting me. I’m not ashamed of the Business Council of Alabama supporting me. I’m not ashamed that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is supporting me,” Palmer said. “I think you look at who has gotten behind my campaign, and it’s very evident that people see me not as some extremist but as somebody with ideas and a vision and who knows what to do.” ϖ
