A longtime Alabama political columnist and former state legislator predicts Coffee County’s potential for being a political launching pad in the future is strong.
“Coffee County, especially Enterprise, is the breeding ground for and emerging political capital of the South,” former state legislator Steve Flowers told those attending a retirement celebration for former State Sen. Jimmy Holley hosted by the Coffee County Republican Club last weekend.
Flowers, State Sen. Josh Carnley, State Rep. Rhett Marques and U.S. Rep Barry Moore were among those who paid tribute to Holley for his 44 years in public service.
“In years past, Barbour County has been the home of governors and Cullman County in recent years, but now you look at Alabama and we see U.S. Sen. Katie Boyd Britt from Enterprise, U.S. Rep. Barry Moore from Enterprise, State Sen. John Carnley from Coffee County and State Rep. Rhett Marques from Enterprise,” Flowers said. “I want to commend the Coffee County Republican Party.”
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Flowers called Holley “an integral part of making the Wiregrass delegation unified,” and called him “the most capable legislator I’ve ever seen in my years of following Alabama politics.”
Holley was first elected to the Alabama House of Representatives in 1974 where he served through 1994. In 1998, Holley was elected to represent District 31 in the Alabama Senate and served six terms before deciding to retire. He began his political career as a Democrat before converting to the Republican Party in 2007
Holley served as chairman of the Governmental Affairs Committee, president of the Legislative Council and served on the Leadership Committee. Holley was a member of the Rules Committee, Finance and Taxation General Fund Committee, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee and the Youth and Human Services Committee.
In July 2022, the Coffee County Commission voted to name the Coffee County Government Building in New Brockton after Holley.
Flowers, who served with Holley 15 years in the State House of Representatives, said he watched him diligently over the years.
“Unbeknownst to some of y’all, every legislator does not read every bill in detail. They read synopsis,” Flowers said. “This guy read every single bill.
“One time when we were sitting together in the House, we had a long calendar from the Rules Committee and afterwards when everyone was out elsewhere, Holley went back to his hotel room and read all the bills He studied the rules so much he knew all the rules,” Flowers said. “When I asked him about a particular bill later, Holley told me every detail and nuance of that bill. He not only knew everything about the bill, but he also told me how to vote.
“Jimmy Holley has been a good leader, good role model for other legislators, and a powerhouse in the senate,” Flowers said. “Jimmy Holley is the greatest statesmen this state has ever seen.”
