The 1970 Alabama gubernatorial election was marked by a competitive Democratic primary battle between incumbent moderate Governor Albert Brewer and segregationist former governor and 1968 independent presidential candidateGeorge Wallace. The Alabama Constitution was amended in 1968, allowing a governor to serve two consecutive terms.
Despite Wallace's popularity, Brewer was seen as an early front-runner. Brewer, who had been elected lieutenant governor in 1966, had become governor after the death of Governor Lurleen Wallace, George's wife. A moderate, he became the first gubernatorial candidate since Reconstruction to openly court black voters.[1]
Brewer, hoping to build a broad alliance between blacks and white working class voters, unveiled a progressive platform and accused Wallace of spending too much time outside the state, saying "Alabama needs a full-time governor.".[2]
RepublicanPresidentRichard Nixon endorsed Brewer in order to break Wallace's political career and secure Deep South votes for himself in the next presidential election.[3][4] It was later discovered that Nixon had directed his reelection campaign to donate $400,000 to Brewer in secret cash payments.[5]
Wallace, whose presidential ambitions would have been destroyed with a defeat, ran a very aggressive and dirty campaign using racist rhetoric while proposing few original ideas of his own.[6] The Wallace campaign aired TV ads with slogans such as "Do you want the black block electing your governor?" and circulated an ad showing a white girl surrounded by seven black boys, with the slogan "Wake Up Alabama! Blacks vow to take over Alabama."[7] Wallace called Brewer a sissy[8] and promised not to run for president a third time.[9]
Primary results
Democratic primary first round results by county Brewer: 30-40% 40-50% 50-60% 60-70% Wallace: 30-40% 40-50% 50-60% 60-70%
At the time, the Democratic primary in Alabama was regarded as more important than the general election, as Alabama was still essentially a one-party state in non-presidential elections. The Republican Party did not field a candidate, and Wallace easily won the general election.
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