Phillip Ensler’s lieutenant governor bid encouraged by Doug Jones

Phillip Ensler is running for lieutenant governor in part because Doug Jones is running for governor.

In an interview Friday, Ensler, a Democrat from Montgomery, said that the former U.S. senator strongly encouraged him to enter the race. Jones confirmed that on Friday morning, saying the first-term state representative proved himself to be an effective campaigner and legislator.

“I think he is the kind of individual that works across the aisle. He works within his own caucus to try to get some things done, and he has a great reputation across the state,” Jones said. “I’ll put his experience and his abilities and intelligence up against anybody.”

Ensler is the first Democrat to join the lieutenant governor race, joining five Republicans, who include current Secretary of State Wes Allen, Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture Rick Pate, businesswoman Nicole Wadsworth, former gubernatorial candidate Dean Odle and sheriff’s deputy Patrick Bishop.

Ensler said Friday he would try to use the relatively weak office to facilitate healthy debate in the Senate, citing his work with Republicans in the House.

“I would want to be there to help use, as they call the ‘bully pulpit’, as a voice from the position to advocate for issues that appeal to both Democrats and Republicans,” Ensler said.

There is little else to do in the position. The lieutenant governor becomes governor if the office becomes vacant; presides over the Senate and has some appointment powers.

The office once held powers equivalent to the Alabama House speaker, but Democrats who controlled the Legislature shifted those to the Senate president pro tem after a weeks-long standoff with Republican Lt. Gov. Steve Windom, a Republican, in 1999. Since then, lieutenant governors have been largely powerless.

In his first term in the Legislature, Ensler advocated for a statewide ban of Glock switches, devices that can turn semi-automatic firearms into automatic ones. A version of the bill sponsored by Sen. Will Barfoot, R-Pike Road, became law in the spring as part of Gov. Kay Ivey’s public safety package. The bill was the first firearm restriction legislation to pass the Alabama House of Representatives since 2010.

Ensler said Friday that his leadership and ability to work across the aisle — a necessity for Democrats in a chamber where Republicans hold 27 of the 35 seats — on the Glock switch ban will carry through to the lieutenant governor position.

“I approached it knowing that we weren’t going to agree on every way to address gun violence, but that there was common ground through many, many hours of conversations,” Ensler said.

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He announced this summer that he would not seek re-election for House District 74 so he could move back to his home state of New York to be closer to family. He said Friday the decision had not felt right since he made it.

“It has been harder, geographically, physically, to be away from family, because most of my family is there, and that is where I grew up. But Alabama has become a home,” Ensler said. “There had not been any Democrat that announced they were running for this race, and there was just a strong feeling that someone with a good record of service should give it a try.”

Since his summer announcement, Austin Smith and Jasmyne Crimiel, both Democrats, have filed to run for Ensler’s legislative seat. He said he did not want to disrupt that race.

Jones said that Ensler entering the race is a relief to Democrats.

“It’s getting a little bit late for folks to express interest, and I think Phil’s entry into the race is a relief for so many folks,” Jones said. “We have a really strong, experienced candidate out there that can help carry the Democratic ticket and attract votes from all ends of the state.”

The Republican nominee will likely be the favorite to win the race. No Democrat has been elected lieutenant governor since 2006, when former Gov. Jim Folsom Jr. won.

“I have no illusions about the odds of winning this race. I am undoubtedly the underdog and have enormous challenges to overcome. Yet people are tired of the status quo,” Ensler said in a statement on his website. “They are hurting from politicians focused on everything but the day-to-day issues actually impacting their lives.”

Ensler said that he would not be running against the GOP nominee, but for the people.

“Whoever emerges from that field, my attitude is not that I’m running against someone, but I’m running for something,” he said. “I’m running for access to good public schools, access to good affordable health care, access to better economic opportunities, and ensuring safer neighborhoods.”

This story is from www.alabamareflector.com.