Public Service Commission: Twinkle Cavanaugh, Terry Dunn join GOP sweep

View full size(File)Jan Cook (left) and Twinkle Cavanaugh

Riding a GOP wave, Republicans Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh and Terry Dunn broke the Democratic stranglehold on the Alabama Public Service Commission tonight. 

Cavanaugh, on her third try for statewide office, denied Jan Cook a fifth term in PSC Place 1. Dunn ousted one-term member Susan Parker in PSC Place 2. 

"It does look like there’s a major trend, and it looks like we’re going to have a major change at the PSC," Cavanaugh said.

"Within 30 days we will meet with the utilities for them to present a proposal on how they will bring the rates down in this time of financial hardship," said Dunn, who thanked voters for bringing "conservative values" to the commission.

Their election would give Republicans a 2-to-1 majority on the utility regulatory body. Democrat Lucy Baxley, the PSC president, is next up for election in 2012.

Cook, 54, had run on her experience. The Dozier resident had said she was in favor of allowing the commission to regulate cable television rates. Like other candidates, she opposed efforts to cap carbon emissions by power plants, which could have forced Alabama Power Co. to buy allowances to emit carbon dioxide.

Cook raised $150,000 for the race, including $30,000 from political action committees controlled by Birmingham lobbyist Pat Lynch, $20,000 from committees controlled by Montgomery lobbyist Johnny Crawford and $20,000 from a committee controlled by Montgomery lobbyists Dewayne Freeman and Tony Moore.

Cavanaugh, a former top aide to Gov. Bob Riley and a former chair of the state Republican Party, beat Chip Beeker and Stephen Evans in the Republican primary to win the GOP nomination.

The 44-year-old Montgomery resident previously lost races for state treasurer in 2002 and Public Service Commission president in 2008. She and her family loaned her campaign $200,000. She raised almost $79,000, mainly in small contributions from individuals.

View full size(File)Terry Dunn (left) and Susan Parker

Parker also touted her experience, saying she kept utility rates low and was in line for a leadership position on a national association.

The 55-year-old Rogersville resident raised more than $320,000, including $160,000 from committees controlled by Joe Cottle, a Montgomery lobbyist for the Alabama Education Association.

Terry Dunn, a Southside businessman, beat Chip Brown in the Republican primary to claim the party’s nomination. He is a member of the Republican Party’s state executive committee.

Dunn, 51, who owns construction and rental property companies near Gadsden, had said his experience as a businessman would help him on the commission. He had said he wanted to re-examine the regulatory systems which guarantee relatively high profit margins for Alabama Power Co. and natural gas utilities.

Dunn had said he would lobby Congress, the Legislature or both to give the PSC power to regulate cable television rates.

Dunn loaned himself $150,000 and raised $3,100 from Republican party committees.