Lucy Baxley

Infobox_Politician
name = Lucy Baxley


caption = (Photo courtesy Office of the Lieutenant Governor)
birth_date = birth date and age | 1937|12|21
birth_place = flagicon|Alabama Houston County, Alabama, U.S.
residence = Vestavia Hills, Alabama
death_date =
death_place =
office = 28th Alabama Lieutenant Governor
term_start = 2003
term_end = 2007
predecessor = Steve Windom (R)
successor = Jim Folsom, Jr. (D)
constituency =
office2 = 37th Alabama State Treasurer
term_start2 = 1995
term_end2 = 2003
predecessor2 = George Wallace, Jr. (D)
successor2 = Kay Ivey (R)
constituency2 =
office3 =
term_start3 =
term_end3 =
predecessor3 =
successor3 =
constituency3 =
party = Democratic
religion = United Methodist
occupation =
majority =
relations =
spouse = Jim Smith
civil partner =
children = 2
website =
footnotes =

Lucy Baxley (born December 21, 1937) served as the Lieutenant Governor of Alabama, from 2003 to 2007 and was the Democratic candidate for Governor in 2006. Though Alabama has had a female governor, Baxley is the first woman to hold the state's office of lieutenant governor. [ [http://www.archives.state.al.us/conoff/lieulist.html Alabama Department of Archives and History: Alabama's Lieutenant Governors] ]

Personal

Baxley was born in 1937 near Pansey, Alabama, a small town near Dothan. ["Sounds Like Alabama," "The Birmingham News", November 5, 2006, p. 1E] Baxley attended Auburn University at Montgomery but did not graduate. She first married at 18; later, she married Bill Baxley,who was an Attorney General of Alabama for two terms from 1971 to 1979 and later Lieutenant Governor of Alabama from 1983 to 1987. Bill Baxley later became involved with another woman, in a widely publicized affair, leading to their divorce in 1987. Baxley has been married to Jim Smith since 1996. ["Confidence Regained, Baxley Aims for Top," "The Birmingham News", May 15, 2006, p. 1A]

Baxley, a licensed realtor, opened a real estate practice in suburban Birmingham after leaving office as Lieutenant Governor in 2007. [ [http://birmingham.bizjournals.com/birmingham/stories/2007/04/23/story6.html "Ex-Lt. Gov. Baxley Forms Real Estate Business," "Birmingham Business Journal", April 20, 2007] ]

Political career

In 1994, Baxley was elected Alabama State Treasurer. Her administration in that post was marked by substantial improvements in office modernization, including the first personal computers for staffers. She also worked for expansion of the Prepaid Affordable College Tuition Program. ["Office Upgrades on Ms. Baxley's Agenda," "The Birmingham News", October 3, 1998 p. 12A] In 1998, Baxley was re-elected to that post. In 2002, Baxley was elected the 29th Lieutenant Governor of Alabama, receiving more votes than either candidate for Governor. [ [http://www.sos.state.al.us/downloads/election/2002/AL-2002-General-Certification.pdf Secretary of State: Certification of General Election Results, 2002] ] She also served as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1996.

In 2005, Baxley announced plans to run for Governor of Alabama in 2006. Her main opponent in the primary was former Governor Don Siegelman. In large part because of Siegelman's indictment for bribery and racketeering, she was able to secure important endorsements from the Alabama Democratic Conference and the New South Coalition, as well as the Alabama State Employees Association. ["ADC Backs Baxley for Governor," "The Birmingham News", May 14, 2006, p. 15A] ["State Employees Group Backs Baxley," "The Birmingham News", May 13, 2006, p. 2B] Despite running a relatively low-profile campaign, she coasted to a win in the primary election on June 6 with 60% of the vote. [ [http://www.sos.state.al.us/downloads/election/2006/primary/DemocraticPrimary-OfficialCertification-06-06-2006.pdf Secretary of State: Certification of Primary Election Results, Democratic Party, 2006] ]

Baxley was an underdog in the general election against incumbent Republican Bob Riley, trailing as much as 30% in some polls. Baxley proposed a raise in the minimum wage of $1 per hour, which generated some criticism from her opponents. ["Letter to the Editor: State Doesn't Need More Comedy," "The Montgomery Advertiser", September 13, 2006, p. A7] She was heavily outspent in the campaign by Riley, and pointed to Riley's receipt of large contributions from recipients of industrial development subsidies. ["Baxley Blasts Riley over Contributions," "The Birmingham News", July 29, 2006, p. 1B] ["Riley, Baxley Make Final Push for Office," "The Birmingham News", November 6, 2006, p. 1A] Baxley did better than expected in the election, but still lost to Riley, acquiring 42% of the vote, compared to Riley's 58%. [ [http://www.sos.state.al.us/downloads/election/2006/general/certification-statewide-offices-12-29-2006.pdf Secretary of State: Certification of General Election Results, 2006] ]

Baxley's term as Lieutenant Governor ended in 2007, and she was succeeded by fellow Democrat and former Governor Jim Folsom, Jr..

In each of her campaigns for office, Baxley has utilized media bearing the title of the iconic situation comedy starring Lucille Ball, "I Love Lucy." ["'I LOVE LUCY' Signs Won Baxley Fame," "The Birmingham News", March 8, 2000, p. 2B]

In 2008, Baxley announced that she would be running for President of the Alabama Public Service Commission, hoping to replace the retiring Jim Sullivan. ["Baxley Seeks Presidency of Public Service Commission," "The Birmingham News", December 2, 2007, p. 19A]

troke and Recovery

Baxley was admitted to UAB hospital in Birmingham, Alabama on November 23, 2006, Thanksgiving Day. She had become ill Wednesday evening, while visiting her family in Birmingham. Doctors kept her for tests and observations. A spokeswoman for UAB announced that Baxley had suffered a mild stroke, but was expected to fully recover. A statement was issued via her family that asked Alabamians to keep Baxley in their prayers. No further details of her condition were given at the time. ["Baxley Doctors Expect Baxley to Recover Fully from Stroke," "The Montgomery Advertiser", November 25, 2006, p. A1]

She was discharged from UAB on November 29 and then moved to Lakeshore Rehabilitation Center, also in Birmingham. She remained there until being released December 29. ["Lucy Baxley Released from Rehab Hospital," "Mobile Press-Register", December 30, 2006, p. B2] The cause of Baxley's stroke has not been determined. Following the advice of her neurologist, Baxley did not return to Montgomery to preside over the opening of the Senate, her last official duty as Lt. Governor. ["Baxley Skips Senate Opening Because of Stroke Recovery," "Mobile Press-Register", January 10, 2007, p. B2] According to Sen. Lowell Barron, D-Fyffe, "Lucy’s situation is serious." It was difficult for her to move her left leg and "she was unable to move her left arm." Following her discharge, she underwent outpatient rehabilitation. ["Baxley Works Hard to Adjust to Life After Stroke," "The Montgomery Advertiser", April 9, 2007, p. A1]

References

Electoral History

2006 General Election: Governor

1998 General Election: State Treasurer

* = IncumbentBold = Winner

"Note: All votes are official results from the Alabama Secretary of State website." [http://www.sos.state.al.us/ Alabama Secretary of State]

ee also

* Alabama gubernatorial election, 2006

External links

* [http://web.archive.org/web/20041124144842/http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/news/040620/baxley.shtml Article] from the Decatur Daily
* [http://lucybaxley.remax-alabama.com/remaxal/index.asp?acc=105846 RE/MAX Alabama: Lucy Baxley]

Persondata
NAME=Baxley, Lucy
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Alabama politician
DATE OF BIRTH=1937
PLACE OF BIRTH=Pansy, Alabama, United States of America
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=