anthony daniels

State Rep. Anthony Daniels, the minority leader in the House of Representatives. (AL.com file photo)

Alabama Democrats fired repeated shots at the dysfunction of Republicans on Monday following the resignation of Gov. Robert Bentley.

Bentley became the third high-ranking Republican in the past year to be booted from office because of his conduct as an elected official, preceded by former Speaker of the House Mike Hubbard and Chief Justice of the state Supreme Court Roy Moore.

"'Three strikes and you're out' applies to baseball and to corrupt Republican politics in Alabama, with today's resignation of Gov. Robert Bentley," Nancy Worley, chair of the state Democratic Party, said in a statement. "The Republican heads of all three branches of our state government have either been convicted, ousted, or resigned within a year."

Indeed, the disgraced trio of Bentley, Hubbard and Moore was a common theme among Democrats on Monday.

"First, it was the former Speaker, then the former Chief Justice of our Supreme Court and now the former Governor -- all of whom have fallen short of the standards of service in the public interest and adherence to the law," said state Rep. Anthony Daniels of Huntsville, the House minority leader.

Craig Ford. (AL.com file photo)

And from state Rep. Craig Ford, the minority leader during Bentley's tenure until this year.

"It is a sad state of affairs that the leadership of all three branches of our state government has - in only one year's time - either been removed from office, or resigned because they were going to be removed from office for corruption," Ford said.

As scandals have engulfed leaders in Montgomery, Republicans hold supermajorities in both chambers of the legislature as well as in the governor's mansion with the ascension of Gov. Kay Ivey from lieutenant governor.

Republicans also hold every statewide office, both U.S. Senate seats and six of the seven seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Nancy Worley (AL.com file photo)

"Republican corruption has spread like kudzu throughout our state," Worley said. "To get elected, Republicans told Alabamians they were the party of integrity and family values, yet they govern by fattening their own pockets, having love affairs, and disrespecting the founding principles of our government."

"These politicians recklessly put themselves, their bank accounts, and their egos before their duty -- working on behalf of the people of Alabama," Daniels said. "This abuse of power has consumed our state government for far too long and wasted money that could have been used for any number of vital state needs. We must turn the page on this ugly and shameful chapter in our state history."

Ford urged Alabama voters to consider the candidate on the ballot when they return to the polls next year, not the party that candidate represents.

"Now more than ever, we need a strong, two-party system so we can break this chain of absolute power becoming absolute corruption," he said. "I hope the people of Alabama will take this to heart and vote for the person rather than voting for the party."