As the new year begins and we enter the 2006 statewide election cycle, Republicans across the state are excited about our opportunity to elect conservative GOP candidates who truly reflect the morals and values of the average Alabama citizen. Our party continues to experience explosive growth, and 2006 may just be the year that Republicans dominate every election from the courthouse to the statehouse.

With a strong national and state economy and a Republican president that continues to draw great admiration from Alabamians despite the liberal national media&8217;s best attempts to bring him down, the atmosphere is perfect for our party to build on its already strong showing in recent elections.

The retirement of Alabama State Supreme Court Justice Douglas Johnstone, who had been the only remaining Democrat serving on our highest appeals court, set the stage for Republicans to completely take over the court during the last round of judicial elections. An impressive group of Republican primary candidates running for the Chief Justice and Associate Justice slots gives us confidence that this trend will continue.

It is hard to believe that just over 10 years ago, liberal Democrat justices who were largely considered puppets of the personal injury trial lawyers dominated our state judiciary. Republican Perry Hooper&8217;s successful election as chief justice in 1994 put a hole in that dam and started the GOP judicial tidal wave. As a result, Republicans now hold nine out of nine seats on the high court.

Republicans have continued to make great gains in the legislature over the years and it appears this may be the year that one or both houses falls into GOP hands for the first time in more than 140 years. Every House and Senate candidate with whom I have spoken plans to campaign aggressively and point out the many failures that the Democrat-controlled legislature has produced. Picking up only a handful of seats in both houses would swing the pendulum.

2006 could truly be a turning point in Alabama history. It could mark the year the Republicans gain, for the first time in over a century, control of the executive, judicial and legislative branches of government. Under Republican leadership, Alabamians will finally see an end to the &8220;good ol&8217; boy&8221; system of government that has dominated the state for too many years