Incumbents prevail in Alabama’s legislative runoff elections

Alabama voters decided six legislative runoff races Tuesday, finalizing party nominations for several state Senate and House contests ahead of the November 3 general election.

The races were left unresolved after no candidate received a majority of the vote in the May primary. Two incumbent lawmakers successfully defended their seats in Tuesday’s legislative runoffs.

In House District 82, state Senator Pebblin W. Warren won the Democratic runoff with 81.82 percent of the vote. Warren received 369 votes, while Sidney “Doc” Brown received 82. Warren will face Republican nominee Kinsley Hammons in the general election.

Republican voters in House District 95 chose Frances Holk-Jones as their nominee following a close runoff. Holk-Jones received 52.29 percent of the vote, or 3,109 votes, defeating Joe Freeman, who received 2,837 votes. Holk-Jones will not face a Democratic challenger in November and is the presumptive winner.

In Senate District 2, Rudolph Valentino Drake won the Democratic runoff with 53.49 percent of the vote. Drake received 3,146 votes, defeating Alex House, who received 2,736 votes. Drake will face Republican nominee John Roberts in the general election.

The race was open after state Senator Tom Butler did not seek reelection. The North Alabama seat was one of the state’s more competitive Democratic primaries. Drake led the May primary with 36.57 percent of the vote, or 4,561 votes. House finished second with 33.85 percent, or 4,221 votes.

Republicans in House District 17 chose Phil Segraves as their nominee. Segraves received 64.28 percent of the vote, or 3,419 votes, defeating Micheal Beck, who received 1,900 votes. Segraves narrowly missed winning the nomination outright in the May primary, receiving 49.7 percent of the vote in a three-candidate field.

With no Democratic nominee, Segraves is the presumptive winner.

In House District 37, state Representative Bob Fincher did not run for reelection, leaving an open race. Republican voters nominated Jeff Monroe, who received 62.65 percent of the vote, or 2,751 votes. John Jacobs received 1,640 votes. Monroe will face Democrat Michelle French in the general election.

Monroe led the three-way May primary with 38.29 percent of the vote. Jacobs advanced to the runoff after finishing second with 34.73 percent, while Donna Bailey McKay was eliminated after receiving 26.98 percent.

Democrats in House District 52 selected GiGi Hayes as their nominee. Hayes received 74.89 percent of the vote, or 2,127 votes, defeating LaTanya Millhouse, who received 713 votes. With no Republican nominee, Hayes is the presumptive winner.

The runoff winners will advance to the November 3 general election. Unofficial results released Tuesday remain subject to certification by state election officials.