Alabama House Minority Leader Mike Hubbard (R-Auburn) warmed up the jovial crowd before introducing Riley.

He described the day’s earlier events in Montgomery as a “firefight.”

“We got bowled over a couple of times, but we’re going to live to fight another day,” Hubbard said, emphasizing that his name is H-U-B-B-A-R-D, not to be confused with H-U-B-B-E-R-T—as in Paul, the Alabama Education Association official widely regarded as the most powerful lobbyist in Alabama—and Hubbard’s archenemy.

Hubbard said that as far as Hubbert and state Democrats are concerned, “It’s all about the Legislature, because as long as they can control policies and the budget, they are going to be in charge.”

In addition, Hubbard A-R-D said Hubbert E-R-T and Alabama Democrats enjoy a tremendous financial advantage as a result of the $270,000 per month the AEA collects in addition to teachers’ union dues. After years of depending on the business community to keep GOP legislative candidates competitive, Hubbard said party officials decided to take matters into their own hands.

The result: “Campaign 2010,” which Hubbard called “the most comprehensive, ambitious and aggressive fundraising initiative the Republican Party has ever put together.” Its goal: Raise $4 million for use in legislative campaigns in hopes of wresting control of the Legislature away from Democrats in 2010.

The program offers four levels, from a Capitol Club membership available for $180 annually, to the Governor’s Circle, which involves a $40,000 commitment to be met prior to the 2010 elections.

Hubbard said the party set out to recruit 100 members to the Governor’s Circle; as of Thursday night, there were 87, including eight in attendance last night.

According to Campaign 2010 fliers available to attendees, money raised in the campaign will be used “to fund media buys, quality candidate recruitment, field staffing for candidates, grassroots efforts, get-out-the-vote phone banks, events for candidates and ballot security initiatives, among others.”

It’s safe to say some of the money will go to help the re-election campaign of Rep. DuWayne Bridges (R-Valley), who made news recently for casting a vote in the House Chamber from China.

Bridges was in attendance Thursday night.

“Lee County is what put (Bridges) over the top” when he was elected, Hubbard said. “We have to stand firm and make sure that he remains a part of the Alabama Legislature.

“We cannot go on if we don’t have him representing us,” he said.

“Alabama has an enormous number of elected officials, but the hardest nut to crack is the Legislature,” Hubbard said. “The Alabama GOP is going to be a constant counter to the Democrat Party.”