Buying Time 2018– Alabama
This page features Alabama Supreme Court television advertisements from the 2018 election cycle.
Five of the nine Alabama Supreme Court justices have terms expiring in 2019, and must stand for partisan elections in 2018 to remain on the court. The partisan primary election took place on June 5th, 2018. For the position of Chief Justice, current Chief Justice Lyn Stuart lost the Republican primary to Associate Justice Tom Parker; he will face Circuit Judge Robert S. Vance, who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary, in the general election. Justice Brad Mendheim won his race against challengers Circuit Judge Debra H. Jones and Circuit Judge Sarah Stewart in the Republican primary, and will remain on the court. Justices Tommy Bryan and William Sellers are running unopposed for their seats. Justice James Allen Main chose not to run for re-election; Democratic attorney Donna Wesson Smalley, who ran unopposed in the primary, will face attorney Jay Mitchell, who advanced over attorney John Bahakel in the Republican primary, in the general election. The general election will take place on November 6th, 2018.
Kantar Media/CMAG: Estimated Total TV Spending: $2,303,140*
- Estimated spending by Tom Parker: $92,940
- Estimated spending by Lyn Stuart: $508,040
- Estimated spending by Jay Mitchell: $132,000
- Estimated spending by Sarah Stewart: $660,560
- Estimated spending by Brad Mendheim: $578,280
- Estimated spending by Bob Vance: $323,630
- Estimated spending by Donna Wesson Smalley: $7,690
*Spending figures last updated November 5, 2018
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May 1 – Christian Conservative
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This ad says Lyn Stuart is a “devout Christian and conservative,” who believes “judges should follow the law, not make law.”
Sponsor: Lyn Stuart
Estimated Spending: $203,600
May 3 – Hear the Echoes
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In this ad, Jay Mitchell says “liberal judges [are] ruling against faith, family, and freedom.”
Sponsor: Jay Mitchell
Estimated Spending: $132,000
May 15 – Follow the Law
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This ad says Lyn Stuart has a “proven record of being tough on crime.”
Sponsor: Lyn Stuart
Estimated Spending: $220,460
May 15 – Send Em
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This ad says Brad Mendheim is “fair, impartial, and will always follow the Constitution.”
Sponsor: Brad Mendheim
Estimated Spending: $184,130
May 16 – Proven Conservative
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This ad says Sarah Stewart “knows her job is to apply the law, not make it.”
Sponsor: Sarah Stewart
Estimated Spending: $20,160
May 20 – President Trump
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This ad features a clip of Trump, and says “like President Trump, Judge Sarah Stewart will protect our Second Amendment gun rights.”
Sponsor: Sarah Stewart
Estimated Spending: $640,400
May 30 – Conservative in Charge
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This ad says “to keep Alabama’s Supreme Court conservative, keep Lyn Stuart as our Supreme Court Chief Justice.”
Sponsor: Lyn Stuart
Estimated Spending: $83,980
June 1 – SPLC George Soros
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This ad says “the Soros-backed Southern Poverty Law Center tried to get Tom Parker thrown off the Supreme Court.”
Sponsor: Tom Parker
Estimated Spending: $39,160
June 1 – SPLC George Soros 2
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This ad says Parker “beat the Southern Poverty Law Center… and now, George Soros wants payback.”
Sponsor: Tom Parker
Estimated Spending: $21,030
July 8 – Send Em Rev
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This ad says Brad Mendheim is “fair, impartial, and will always follow the Constitution.”
Sponsor: Brad Mendheim
Estimated Spending: $394,150
October 24 – Grandstanding
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This ad says “together, Roy Moore and Tom Parker used Alabama Supreme Court for political grandstanding.”
Sponsor: Bob Vance
Estimated Spending: $323,630
October 25 – Principles Matter
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In this ad, Trip Smalley says “principles matter,” and says “I hope you’ll join me in voting for Donna Wesson Smalley.”
Sponsor: Donna Wesson Smalley
Estimated Spending: $4,410
October 28 – Force for Good
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This ad says “women have long been the real force for good in Alabama and the world” and calls Donna Wesson Smalley “a great woman for Alabama Supreme Court.”
Sponsor: Donna Wesson Smalley
Estimated Spending: $3,280
November 2 – Invasion
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This ad asks “what happens if they make it to Alabama?” and says “Bob Vance is a liberal social justice activist who will always side with the illegal alien lobby.”
Sponsor: Tom Parker
Estimated Spending: $16,510
November 2 – SPLC George Soros 3
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This ad asks viewers to “send the Soros gang a message on Tuesday.”
Sponsor: Tom Parker
Estimated Spending: $16,240
News
Methodology
All data on ad airings and spending on ads are calculated and prepared by Kantar Media/CMAG, which captures satellite data in the nation’s largest media markets. CMAG’s estimates do not reflect ad agency commissions or the costs of producing advertisements, nor do they reflect the cost of ad buys on local cable channels. Cost estimates are revised by Kantar Media/CMAG when it receives updated data, resulting in some fluctuations in the reported ad spending. Data on spending on ads was also compiled from ad purchase contracts posted by the FCC and from state disclosure databases when available.