State Rep. Robert Bentley (R) and Ag Commis. Ron Sparks (D) "spoke" at a forum 10/14. Bentley "reiterated a pledge that he would not take a salary until the state reaches full employment, or an unemployment rate" of 5.2%. He "also talked about what he called 'the federal government's intrusion into our lives.'"

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Bentley: "With this next Legislature and a new governor, we are going to produce the strongest ethics laws of any state in this country."

Sparks "discussed" a $1.4B road program "he said would create" 38K jobs. He "also spoke about his previous position" as commis. Sparks: "Look at my record at the Department of Agriculture, with all the jobs created by traveling the world and creating trade. And the food that you eat is safer today because of the work that we have done at the Department of Agriculture" (Quillen, Talladega Daily Home, 10/15).

Everyone Say It Together: Awwww

Bentley "gets more than the typical questions about policy and platform when he shakes hands with voters on the campaign trail. The retired physician gets medical questions, too."

When a 72-year-old "started talking about" his wife's "problems with leukemia and diabetes," Bentley "quickly dropped his typical campaign banter and started asking" about his wife's condition. He then "started describing the Senior Rx program and other programs that might help" with prescription costs.

Bentley "said discussions like that have become commonplace" since he ran a TV ad saying AL "needs a doctor for its ailing economy." Bentley: "I'm going to be governor, but I will always be a doctor at heart" (Rawls, AP, 10/15).