Chad Coker or Polly Ruggles?

On July 13th, Tuscumbia attorney Chad B. Coker will face Sheffield Municipal Judge Polly Ruggles to decide who will have the greatest chance to succeed retiring District Judge George Carpenter. Even though Ruggles outspent her opponent by several thousand dollars, she came in second to Coker, who also serves as the municipal judge in Cherokee.

We do not dispute Polly Ruggles' qualifications for the judgeship. She has paid her dues, and with the exception of her Sheffield School Board membership, enjoys an unsullied reputation in Colbert County. Ruggles is also married into the family that currently owns Martin Supply and was once large shareholders in the now defunct Martin Industries; in other words, she lacks for very little in life. Monetary success is not a bad thing in itself, but it can affect the way such industrialists look at others. The farther removed from poverty one is, the harder it is to have empathy for those who struggle to put food on the table--the exact people one is more apt to meet in District Court.

We've looked at Chad Coker's life and experience, just as we have looked at Ruggles'. There's no doubt that Coker has worked for the success he enjoys. There should also be no doubt that he is the the obvious choice for the next Colbert County District Judge.


Thought for the day: Only in Alabama would a Harvard law degree be an impediment to winning the office of governor. Thank God for the Republican Party.

Shoalanda