The Alabama Education Association (AEA), the state teacher’s union, is understandably giddy about Robert Bentley’s defeat of Bradley Byrne in the Republican primary runoff last week. They should proceed with caution. While Byrne’s candidacy floundered, the education reform movement is very much on the march.

Byrne’s fatal mistake was making the AEA, rather than the failing policies it defends, the subject of his campaign. Sure, the AEA has fostered a culture of corruption in Montgomery.  Yes, the AEA did sabotage Byrne’s campaign through a network of shady PACs that ran attack ads.

Byrne, however, never explained how the union is holding Alabama back. He never gave a reason for his animosity towards the group. He never articulated a clear contrast between the policies he supports and the laws the AEA defends.

Alabama voters saw a candidate angry with the teacher’s union, and were left wondering why. Byrne came across as bitter, out-of-touch and self-absorbed. He allowed himself to be painted as anti-teacher and, worse, anti-education. Byrne never established himself as a reformer promising a better future for Alabama’s kids.

Which is unfortunate, because Bradley Byrne had better ideas for improving Alabama schools than any other candidate in the race. If only he had run on them, we could have had a real campaign about how to build Alabama schools for the future.

We could have had a conversation about why, after only three years, teachers receive tenure and effectively get job security for a lifetime and about why Charlene Schmitz, a teacher in Washington County, received taxpayer paid benefits of $164,000 after she went to prison in 2008 for enticing a 14 year old for sex.

Alabama could have had a discussion about the virtues of charter schools and clearer systems for measuring school performance. For the first time, the state could have had a legitimate debate about altering the dynamics of failing school systems in rural and underserved areas that trap generations of students in poverty.

Instead, Bradley Byrne got personal. His campaign disintegrated into a brawl with AEA union boss Paul Hubbert, and Hubbert won.

In an interview with the Mobile Press-Register, published Tuesday, Byrne said he wanted to remain engaged in state politics. He then proclaimed that he had no regrets about his campaign, and thought his ads were effective in communicating with voters.

Byrne blamed his loss squarely on a two-pronged attack by AEA.

If Bradley Byrne wants to return to state politics in any meaningful capacity, he needs to reevaluate that premise. Byrne entered the campaign as the frontrunner, had the full backing of the state Republican establishment, got financial support from the business community, and had the endorsement of several senior political figures and newspapers (including this one). He lost to a little-known doctor from Tuscaloosa. His defeat was a direct result of his campaign, and he needs to recognize that if he wants to be a viable candidate for office in the future.

The one thing Byrne has going for him is the enduring power of his ideas. Charter schools are growing nationwide, and even have the support of the Obama administration. Obama’s Race to the Top program is spending billions of dollars to support states with the most ambitious education reform programs. Unfortunately, Alabama is not a viable competitor in the process to secure Race to the Top grants because of the legislature’s resistance to challenge the status quo.

In Washington, D.C., schools chancellor Michelle Rhee earlier this summer secured a new contract with the local teacher’s union, overhauling the way teachers are compensated and giving administrators more flexibility to fire bad teachers. In Florida, the legislature passed a major education reform bill earlier this year. While Governor Charlie Crist vetoed the law, it will probably be reintroduced next year after a likely Republican victory in the Sunshine State’s gubernatorial contest.

In New Orleans, a majority of students attend charter schools, which played a major role in rebuilding the Big Easy’s school system after Hurricane Katrina.

Alabama will not forever remain an island among states, clinging to outdated education policies. Given that we frequently rank near the bottom in national education rankings, hopefully state leaders will decide to make upgrades sooner rather than later. We just need political candidates who will campaign on their positive ideas, rather than personal vendettas.