Riley's "coattails" may extend further than we thought

It looks like a major power shift may be under way in the Alabama Senate. Six Senate Democrats have expressed interest in joining with the 12 Republicans to form a new governing coalition in that 35-member house. This is great news for Governor Riley, and if it pans out, it will all but negate Democrat Jim Folsom, Jr.'s win in the Lt. Governor's race.

More from the Birmingham News:

MONTGOMERY - Six Democratic state senators on Wednesday invited other senators, including the 12 Republicans, to join them to form a majority that could seize control of the chamber from an all-Democratic coalition Sen. Lowell Barron has led since 1999.

"The six of us standing here today pledge to the citizens of Alabama to organize the Senate in a cooperative and bipartisan manner," Sen. E.B. McClain, D-Midfield, said at a press conference at the State House.

Sen. Larry Means, D-Attalla, said a Senate run over the next four years by the six Democrats plus whoever joins them could give Republican Gov. Bob Riley's agenda a more favorable hearing than it's had the past four years.

The six Democratic senators are McClain, Means, Tom Butler of Madison, Jimmy Holley of Elba, Phil Poole of Moundville and Jim Preuitt of Talladega.

If those six joined with the 12 Republican senators elected Tuesday, they would form a coalition of 18 senators, a majority of the 35-member Senate that in January could write the Senate's operating rules and appoint its leaders for the next four years.

Sen. Jabo Waggoner, R-Vestavia Hillssaid he saw no reason the 12 Republican senators wouldn't accept the offer to form a governing coalition with the six.

Sen. Roger Bedford (D.-Porkville) is already in full hissy-fit mode.

Sen. Roger Bedford, D-Russellville, a Barron ally, blasted the six Democratic senators for not waiting to talk with fellow Democratic senators and Democratic Lt. Gov.-elect Jim Folsom Jr. about organizing the Senate.

"They clearly want to organize with the Republicans," Bedford said. "Their districts elected them to be a Democratic state senator, to organize with a Democratic lieutenant governor. ... They clearly want to get in bed with Bob Riley and not follow the wishes of their districts."

Well, what exactly were the "wishes of their districts," Sen. Bedford? How many voters in each of those six districts voted for Gov. Riley over Lt. Gov. Baxley? I don't know the answer to that question - Alabama's Senate districts are way too gerrymandered to figure that out quickly - but I certainly have my suspicions.

Check out the Senate district map for yourself. Here's a little more info on the six defecting Democrats.

Sen. McClain represents District 19 (central Jefferson County)

Sen. Butler represents District 2 (western Madison County and most of Limestone County)

Sen. Means represents District 10 (Etowah County and western Cherokee County)

Sen. Holley represents District 31 (Coffee County, Covington County, northern Dale County, and a sliver of Houston County)

Sen. Poole represents District 21 (Pickens County, a big part of Tuscaloosa County, and northern Hale County)

Sen. Preuitt represents District 11 (Talladega County, Coosa County, eastern Elmore County, and part of Calhoun County, including most of Oxford.)