By Mary Orndorff
The Birmingham News
Updated: Monday, January 09, 2012, 10:16 AM

WASHINGTON -- Candidate qualifying ends this week, which means we'll know soon whether state Sen. Scott Beason, R-Gardendale, will challenge U.S. Rep. Spencer Bachus, R-Vestavia Hills.


State Sen. Scott Beason

There are signs he'll jump in.


Residents of the Birmingham-area congressional district have been polled about a potential Beason vs. Bachus Republican primary. Beason has not denied the rumors he'll try to take out the veteran lawmaker who is now chairman of the House Financial Services Committee. And Bachus submitted this op-ed in Sunday's paper, addressing what has become a nagging story about whether his old hobby of being an active player on the stock market was guided by inside information.


Beason is one of the most recognizable names in Alabama politics because of his work on the immigration law and his controversial role in the bingo trial, which, by the way, will be back for an encore before the March 13 primary. Assuming Beason takes the stand again as a witness, it would be some extra free media for him as a congressional candidate.


Bachus, as always, is flush with campaign funds, which would be hard for Beason to match on such short order. But as one Alabama political player noted, Beason prefers the compacted schedule for a sprint-like campaign.


Candidate qualifying ends Friday.

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