When people ask me about the classic Alabama governor’s races, the first that comes to mind is the 1970 Titanic clash between Albert Brewer and George Wallace.
Albert Brewer was smart and articulate with a charming smile and winning personality. He had lots of friends in the legislature having been a speaker and Lt. Governor. All that gave him a good grasp of state politics. He smoothly took the reigns of state government upon the death of Lurleen Wallace
People throughout the state took notice of Brewer’s effectiveness as governor. He showed signs of being the progressive New South Governor that editorialists in the state wanted. Wallace’s race baiting had given Alabama an image problem and other southern states were attracting the new technology industries. Other southern states had elected governors who talked less about race and more about economic and educational programs. Brewer fit that mold.
Soon after Lurleen’s death in 1968, Wallace spent most of his time running for President.
Wallace and Brewer had been allies. Brewer was Wallace’s choice for Speaker of the House in 1962 and Lt. Governor in 1966 and they appeared to still be on good terms. Wallace and Brewer met in late 1969 to discuss the upcoming Governor’s race. Brewer left the meeting saying that Wallace had given his word that he was not interested in running for governor. Nobody but Wallace and Brewer will know for sure what was said or promised that day. Soon after their meeting, Brewer committed to the Governor’s race and began running a serious campaign while Wallace appeared to sit on the sideline. It was not until early 1970 that Wallace decided to run for Governor as well. And that started the epic battle many political observers point to as the greatest governor’s race of this century.
Brewer hit Wallace with what I think was one of the best messages ever used. It went “Alabama needs a full-time governor.” Most Alabamians agreed with Wallace’s anti-government segregationist appeal but they also knew he hadn’t much governing. That’s because he was away from the state campaigning all the time. Brewer’s full-time governor billboards were all over the state. Brewer built a coalition never put together since. It was made up of higher income whites and black voters.
Brewer rode this coalition to finish first in the primary. Wallace was a close second but Dothan businessman Charles Woods came in third and that prompted a runoff. The extra campaigning became fierce and legendary. Wallace’s political life was on the line so he pulled out all the stops. Wallace worked at a feverish pace, making eighteen to twenty speeches a day begging Alabamians to put him back in the Governor’s office saying, “You elect me governor and I will be a full-time governor.” He knew Brewer had hurt him on that issue so he promised never to run for president again. Then he played the race card in the most openly racist ads ever shown on television. The ads showed results of boxes in Black Belt towns like Tuskegee and Selma where Brewer received four hundred votes to Wallace’s ten.
It worked for Wallace. People came to the polls like never before. He came from behind and pulled out a victory over Brewer. Wallace’s political life had been revived. He was on a plane to Wisconsin the next day running for president.