Graddick Quits Alabama Race for Governor

Atty. Gen. Charles Graddick, with a verbal blast at fellow Democrats, dropped his write-in campaign for governor Thursday, boosting the chances that Alabama will elect its first Republican governor in 112 years.

But Graddick, who last June seemed assured of being the successor to Democratic Gov. George C. Wallace, issued no formal endorsement of Republican nominee Guy Hunt.

And he promised a comeback at a news conference that marked the latest episode in what has been a bizarre campaign year in Alabama.

“Alabama politics and public service has not seen the last of me,” the two-term attorney general from Mobile said.

Hunt Seems to Gain

Graddick’s withdrawal appeared to enhance Hunt’s chances in his race against the Democratic nominee, Lt. Gov. Bill Baxley, who waged political war with Graddick for much of the summer before wresting the nomination from him.

Although Baxley led in the crowded Democratic primary on June 3, Graddick overtook him in their June 24 runoff, finishing with 470,051 votes to Baxley’s 461,295.

But Baxley challenged that result, contending that Graddick, a former Republican, solicited and got enough illegal Republican crossover votes to distort the outcome.

Acting on Baxley’s challenge, a five-man Democratic Party subcommittee declared Baxley the nominee, ruling that Graddick’s lead was built only with illegal GOP votes. Graddick launched his write-in campaign when the courts refused to alter the Democratic Party’s action.

Graddick Lost Support

Recent polls showed Baxley either ahead or running even with Hunt in a three-man race, but the surveys gave Hunt a better chance of winning in a two-man match - up. Graddick’s support, however, had eroded in recent months and it was not clear if his dropout would be pivotal in favor of Hunt.

Graddick, reading from a prepared text Thursday, specifically targeted Baxley, calling him the candidate of “greedy . . . ruthless” political organizations.

The attorney general said it became clear recently that his write-in campaign might split the conservative or anti-Baxley vote and boost the Democratic nominee into the governor’s office.