By Steve Flowers
Steve is a former legislator and is now the state’s leading political columnist.

This week we will conclude our analysis of the potential horses in the 2018 Alabama Gubernatorial Derby.

Our Number 3 horse is Tim James. James could have easily won the 2010 governor’s race. In fact, if the primary had been two weeks earlier polling reveals he would have won. However, the last ten days leading up to the primary unveiled a volley of negative ads hurled between Tim James and Bradley Byrne, which propelled Bentley into the runoff and ultimate victory. Being within an eyelash of victory has got to stick in James’ craw. He may have the itch to run again. He is young and has some personal money to get the ball rolling again. Having run a successful get acquainted race makes him a viable candidate. That is why I have Tim James at number 3.

The Number 2 horse may be the best known horse in the Alabama political stable. Chief Justice Roy Moore is by far the best known potential horse out of the 18 predicted to make the 2018 Alabama Gubernatorial Derby. You cannot run for a judgeship in Alabama after age 70. Moore will be 72 in 2018, so he has nowhere else to go but governor.

Moore is in vibrant health and looks young. He is not ready to go back to Etowah County and ride his horses. Therefore, he will run for governor and he will be a major player. Moore will be the religious right evangelical candidate. In a large field this guarantees him a spot in the runoff. However, my opinion is that whoever has the other spot in the June 2018 GOP Primary runoff beats him. Folks in Alabama seem to think of Moore as a judge, not a governor. In Alabama State Supreme Court races Moore is 3-0. In governor’s races he is 0-3.

The Number 1 horse is a phantom darkhorse. This candidate is not on the scene today but they are already the favorite. Alabama political history reveals that an unknown candidate who has never been elected statewide almost always wins the governor’s race. The list of past darkhorse candidates is long and it includes Big Jim Folsom, George Wallace, Guy Hunt, Bob Riley, Robert Bentley and Fob James.

The Fob James like candidate, a successful businessman who sells their business for millions and decides to buy the governor’s office as a pastime, is the favorite.

That “Mr. Unknown” is my favorite to win the 2018 Gubernatorial Derby.

As I mentioned at the onset of my series on potential horses, in what I have dubbed the 2018 Alabama Derby, it is early in the game. In fact, it is only the second quarter. A handful of these horses have already made the decision to pull the trigger but a good many of the names I have dropped are probably not interested in running.

We Alabamians love a good governor’s race and it will be a good one because the office is wide open. Stay tuned.