Lipscomb backs Trip Pittman
in Baldwin state Senate runoff
Veteran Baldwin County politician Albert Lipscomb has endorsed Trip Pittman in the Sept. 11 Republican runoff election to fill the Baldwin County state Senate District 32 vacancy.
Lipscomb finished a narrow fourth in the five-man GOP primary election last week, drawing 2,209 votes or 14.3 percent of the 15,431 cast.
State school board member Randy McKinney led the field with 5,562 or 37 percent of the vote with Pittman earning a spot in the runoff with a second place showing of 4,568 votes or nearly 30 percent.
Baldwin County Commissioner David Ed Bishop nipped Lipscomb by 33 votes to finish third and while county party chairman Don McGriff was the caboose with 850 votes.
McKinney and Pittman will vie Sept. 11 for the Republican nomination to face Democratic nominee A.J. Cooper in the Oct. 16 election to fill the District 32 vacancy created with former GOP state Sen. Bradley Byrne accepted Gov. Bob Riley's offer to take over as chancellor of Alabama's troubled two-year college system.
Lipscomb, who served as a member of the state senate from 1989-2002 and as a county commissioner from 2004-2006, said he believes Pittman would bring an honest and fresh perspective to Baldwin County.
"I have been close friends with Trip Pittman and his family for many years," said Lipscomb.
"The recent primary campaign for state Senate District 32, although very competitive, has only strengthened our friendship," Lipscomb continued. "I believe Trip's business experience and public service record has uniquely prepared him to serve our county and state in the Alabama State Senate."
"Trip has earned my respect and unqualified support in the Sept. 11 runoff," Lipscomb concluded.
A 47-year-old businessman, Pittman said he remained excited about his campaign and thankful to his supporters in the wake of the Aug. 7 election.
"I'm excited to have the backing of Albert Lipscomb, who is a close friend," said Pittman. "I have a lot of respect for Albert, and his endorsement along with the help of his supporters will be a tremendous benefit for me in the runoff."
Pittman called for a return to a four-year reappraisal on property taxes with limits on increases. Property taxes are a hot issue in Baldwin County right now with some property owners getting hit in recent days with increases of more than 360 percent.
Citing "quality of life" concerns, Pittman said his runoff campaign would spell out programs for managing growth, addressing immigration and insurance reform; improving infrastructure and advancing the county's public education system.
"I will take common sense and practical thinking to Montgomery," said Pittman. "We have a great deal of work ahead of us to make sure the people of Baldwin County and not special interests are represented in the state senate. I am the best man for the job."
For more information on Pittman, call his campaign headquarters at (800) 501-9604 or log on to www.trippittman.com.
To contact the McKinney campaign, visit his website.
