Bobby Bright

Bobby Bright
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Alabama's 2nd district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2009
Preceded by	Terry Everett
56th Mayor of Montgomery, Alabama
In office November 9, 1999 – January 3, 2009
Preceded by	Emory Folmar
Succeeded by	Todd Strange
Personal details
Political party	Independent (1999–2008) Democratic (since 2008)
Spouse	Judge Lynn Clardy Bright
Residence	Montgomery, Alabama
Alma mater	Auburn University, Troy State University Jones School of Law
Profession	Attorney

Bobby Neal Bright, Sr. (born July 21, 1952) is an American politician from the state of Alabama. He has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 2009, representing Alabama's 2nd congressional district. The district includes just over half of the state capital, Montgomery, as well as most of the Wiregrass Region in the southeastern part of the state. The Mayor of Montgomery from 1999 to 2009, Bright is the first mayor of Montgomery to be elected to the United States Congress.

Early life

Bright was born in Midland City, Alabama and grew up on one of the cotton farms that were typical of the Wiregrass Region. After spending his youth working on the farm and graduating from high school, he took a job in metalworking to save up money for college. He later attended Auburn University, earned a degree in political science, and took up work as an auditor. Bright also is an alumnus of Troy University, from which he received a degree in criminal justice, and used to embark on a career as a corrections officer. While working in the prison system, he was deeply affected by the many young people he saw entering the penitentiaries and decided to enter into law to as a result.

Bright is a graduate of Thomas Goode Jones School of Law of Faulkner University. He practiced law for fifteen years before entering into politics. Bright is married to retired District Judge Lynn Clardy Bright. They have three children: Bobby Neal Jr., Lisa Lynn, and Katherine Clardy.

Tenure as Mayor

Bright was first elected in 1999, defeating longtime incumbent Republican Emory Folmar. He was re-elected in a landslide against challenger Scott Simmons in 2003.

During Bright's tenure he revitalized Montgomery's downtown and riverfront including the Renaissance Montgomery complex and Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium. He helped bring new jobs to the area, and saved existing jobs. He was also named the state's "Tourism Advocate of the Year" by the Governor for his work in building that industry. On the financial side, he balanced the City's budget every year and created a $30 million rainy day fund, secured millions in federal grants for important projects, maintained the city's "AA" credit rating (best in state) by holding spending and debt in check, and saved money by implementing an international prescription drug buying program.

2008 U.S. Congressional campaign

Main article: United States House of Representatives elections in Alabama, 2008 § District 2

Bright had never previously claimed affiliation with any party, but in 2008 he announced that he was running as a Democrat for the open seat in the 2nd District. The district's eight-term incumbent, Republican Terry Everett, was not running for reelection.

Bright said that he eventually chose to run as a Democrat because he felt that it would give him the most opportunity to be an independent thinker. He also stated his belief that Republican policies had shortchanged poor districts on federal dollars. Like many Alabama Democrats, he opposes abortion and gun control. However, he favors "a strong, honorable plan" to end the Iraq War.

Bright was considered the strongest Democrat to run in a district that had been in Republican hands since 1965. With the strong support of the state and national Democratic establishment, Bright easily won the Democratic nomination against two minor challengers. He faced Republican State Representative Jay Love in the November election. Both Bright and Love are deacons at First Baptist Church in Montgomery. Bright received the endorsement of bitter Republican primary loser State Senator Harri Anne Smith, whom Love had defeated by six points in the primary.

Just before the election, CQ Politics, The Cook Political Report and The Rothenberg Political Report rated the race a toss-up, with neither candidate a clear favorite over the other. In the November election, Bright received 143,997 votes to Love's 142,231 votes—a margin of 1,766 votes, or just over 0.6 percentage points. While the two candidates each won eight of the district's 16 counties, Bright won the district's share of Montgomery County by 30 points. Love had the option of requesting a recount since the margin of victory was less than a point, but opted not to do so and conceded the seat to Bright. Bright's victory, and that of Parker Griffith in the 5th District, gave Alabama two white Democratic congressmen for the first time since Tom Bevill and Glen Browder left the House in 1997. He also represents the fourth most Republican district in the nation to be represented by a Democrat; it has a Cook Partisan Voting Index of R+16, and gave John McCain 63 percent of the vote in 2008.

The 2nd traditionally gives its congressmen very long tenures in Washington; Bright is only the seventh person to represent it in over a century, and the fifth since 1921. Bright's 2008 campaign was endorsed by Democrats for Life of America.

Tenure as U.S. Congressman

Votes

Bright is a member of the Blue Dog Coalition. He has voted with his Democratic colleagues over 70% of the time. Bright twice voted no on President Obama's stimulus plan, officially known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, one of only 7 Democrats voting against the final version. In February 2009, Bright voted in favor of the 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act, which increased government spending by 8.4%. In June 2009, Bright voted in favor of the Cash for Clunkers bill. In July 2009, Bright voted against establishing spending caps through fiscal year 2014. In November 2009, Bright voted against the Affordable Health Care for America Act.

After the defection of fellow Alabama Democrat Parker Griffith to the Republican Party in December 2009, political analyst and statistician Nate Silver suggested that Bright could follow, naming "60/40" odds that he would eventually join the Republican caucus as well. The day after Griffith's party switch, Bright told media that he had no intention of switching parties and would remain a Democrat.

The National Journal named Bright the most conservative Democrat during the first session of the 111th United States Congress.

Bright was one of four Democrats to vote against the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010, joining 155 of 159 Republicans, blocking the vote (which needed a 2/3 majority to pass, as it was brought to vote under a motion to suspend rules.)

Committees

• Committee on Agriculture
  • Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Energy, and Research
  • Subcommittee on Specialty Crops, Rural Development and Foreign Agriculture
• Committee on Armed Services
  • Subcommittee on Readiness
  • Subcommittee on Air and Land Forces
  • Subcommittee on Terrorism and Unconventional Threats
• Committee on Small Business
  • Subcommittee on Regulations, Healthcare and Trade
  • Subcommittee on Rural and Urban Entrepreneurship

External links

• Congressman Bobby Bright official U.S. House website
• Bobby Bright for Congress official campaign website

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
• Profile at Vote Smart
• Collected news and commentary from Politico