AL-03: Josh Segall Drops Out

Via e-mail:

After much thought and careful consideration, I have decided not to pursue the office of US Representative for Alabama’s Third District. So many of you have been incredibly supportive of my run, and I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your advice, encouragement, and efforts.  I am immeasurably proud and appreciative of what we have accomplished together.

Segall had a very respectable run in 2008, holding Republican incumbent Mike Rogers to a 54-46 margin despite being outspent by 2-to-1. However, Segall’s fundraising never seemed to really get off the ground this year, resulting in his ultimate decision to keep his powder dry.

Unfortunately, the filing deadline for this race passes at 5pm tonight, leaving Alabama Democrats with barely any time to find a warm body to run in his place.

RaceTracker Wiki: AL-03

42 thoughts on “AL-03: Josh Segall Drops Out”

  1. For a future run after screwing the party like this?  How much support would he really get?  Just like Beau Biden (at least in my case), he may have lost some capital with the base.

  2. He finally understood that “his” year was 2008, not 2010. May be 2012 if Obama will be able to motivate Blacks in record numbers, as he did in 2008, but not 2010.

  3. Democrats control both houses of the Alabama state legislature.  So, even if a Republican wins the governor’s mansion, there will be a compromise map.  Considering AL-02 and AL-03 are adjacent, do you think they’d work out a deal to create a more heavily black/Democratic district and a majority white/Republican district for Rogers?  I could see Segall trying for the latter.

  4. I agree he could have given the party earlier notice so they could field a replacement candidate. I know this was not looking like a realistic pickup opportunity because of the national environment (nevermind the fact that it’s a conservative Alabama district), but it’s still a letdown to see good candidates like Segall and Chris Craft (who was facing Tom Rooney in Florida) drop out.

    I’m guessing our best pickup opportunities are the seats Mark Kirk and Mike Castle are vacating in Illinois and Delaware, respectively.

  5. The moment for left the race is not the best, but… what is the problem? We are rating last days AL-03 as Safe or Likely Republican (I too).

    I think he bid honestly, but he can not. The people believe not in his chance. I can not be critic with Segall.

  6. This is a winnable district. Maybe not with Segall, maybe not this cycle, but it’s winnable. This is a R+9, while next-door Bobby Bright’s district is R+16 and Griffith’s R+12. The incumbent is weak and not particularly popular (he underperforms most in his base county).

    While I thought Segall was a credible candidate with a decent shot at pulling off an upset, now we’ll never know what a credible candidate can do against Rogers in this cycle, will we? Huh, Josh? Jerk.

  7. I think he made a good decision. The climate is very tough in our state right now. There are a whole host of unique statewide issues. Furthermore even if he were to have won this would have gotten diced up by the all but guaranteed to be Republican Legislature during redistricting.

    I think that as much time and effort Josh put in he should be commended.

    At the end of the day it would have been tough for him to improve upon his 2008 numbers which were good.

  8. Steve Segrist.

    There were no Dems to file in AL-01, 04, and 06. Republicans filed in every district (of course, that’s not hard, since only two are Dem-held).

  9. It seems an AL state Senator switched from D to R today.  It is amazing the Ds still have control, but now for only a few more months.  I can’t imagine how right wing that place will be and I am a Republican.

  10. Josh Segall, Paula Flowers, Chris Craft, Laura Kelly, Jack McDonald, what’s-her-face running for Ohio SoS (Marilyn something?), Todd Book, and possibly others I’m forgetting…and then we’ve also had recruiting failures in AL-05 and with Roy Cooper in NC-Sen…I’m sure I’m forgetting quite a few.

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