Two state senators and at least six House members lost their seats Tuesday (May 19) in a busy day of primary elections in Alabama.
Many other legislative incumbents survived primary challenges from members of their own party, setting them up to return to Montgomery for the new term in 2027.
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Senate District 2
Rudolph Valentino Drake and Alex House are headed to the Democratic runoff in Senate District 2. With more than 95% of votes counted, Drake led with 37% with House close behind at 34%.
Sen. Tom Butler, R-Madison, did not seek re-election. The winner of the runoff will face Republican John Roberts in the general election.
Senate District 4
Senate President Pro Tem Garlan Gudger easily defeated challenger J.R. Bowling to retain his North Alabama seat. Gudger earned 65% of the nearly 24,000 ballots cast.
There are no Democrats running in District 4, so Gudger has punched his ticket to return to the State House for another quadrennium.
Senate District 10
Sen. Andrew Jones, R-Centre, defeated challenger Amy Minton, winning 54% of the vote in Senate District 10, which includes Etowah, Cherokee and southern DeKalb counties.
Jones thanked supporters in a Facebook post, saying, “Huge win tonight! Thank you, thank you, thank you for making me your Republican nominee for State Senate! We were honored to win ALL THREE COUNTIES!”
Senate District 13
Republican Senator Randy Price, R-Opelika, defeated former Sen. Gerald Dial from Lineville in the Senate District 13 primary, winning 62% of the vote. Price was first elected in 2018.
Price will face Democrat Jamie Forsyth in the general election in November.
Senate District 15
Republican Scott Ortis narrowly defeated incumbent Sen. Dan Roberts, R-Mountain Brook, in the Senate District 15 primary, winning 52% of the vote. Fewer than 700 votes out of nearly 16,000 cast separated the two candidates. Roberts was first elected in 2018.
Because no Democrat qualified for the district, Ortis is expected to take the seat after November’s general election.
Senate District 16
Sen. J.T. “Jabo” Waggoner, R-Vestavia Hills, defeated challenger Nate Carlson in the Senate District 16 Republican primary, winning 54% of the vote. Waggoner has held the seat since 1990 and previously served in the Alabama House of Representatives from 1966 to 1983.
Waggoner will face Democrat Spencer Stone in November’s general election.
Senate District 22
In a surprising upset, first-time candidate Terry Waters defeated Senate General Fund Chair Greg Albritton with 52% of the vote. Albritton has held the South Alabama seat for more than a decade.
Waters will face Democrat Ashley Sharpe in the November general election.
Senate District 25
Sen. Kirk Hatcher defeated challengers KK Middleton and Phadra Carson Foster and avoided a runoff with 55% of the vote. Hatcher previously represented District 26 but switched districts to remain with his constituents amid changes to the State Senate maps.
The Democrat out of Montgomery will face Republican Russell “Ty” Taylor in the general election.
Senate District 27
Sen. Jay Hovey warded off a challenge from Lee County Commissioner Doug Cannon, defeating him with 69% of the vote.
No Democrats are running against Hovey, so he’ll be back for another four years on Goat Hill.
Senate District 29
Sen. Donnie Chesteen, R-Geneva, handily won reelection with 85% of the vote, beating out two primary challengers, Zachary Hurst and Val Glasgow Paul. Chesteen has represented the Wiregrass seat in the Legislature since 2010.
Chesteen will be up against Democrat Jimmy McCray in November.
Senate District 32
Sen. Chris Elliott, R-Josephine, defeated challenger Mike Vandenheuvel, winning 73% of the vote.
Elliott has represented Baldwin County in the Senate since 2018 and chairs the Senate County and Municipal Government Committee.
Elliot will face Democrat Janet Appleby in the general election.
Senate District 34
Republican Rusty Glover won the open seat, beating Doug Harwell with 55% of the vote.
Glover previously held the seat for 12 years before running unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor in 2018. He posted on social media, thanking his supporters, “Now the real work begins!”
No Democrat is running for the seat, so Glover will become a new state senator.
House District 1
Alabama Farmers Federation-backed Republican Maurice McCaney defeated incumbent Rep. Phillip Pettus with 59% of the vote.
McCaney is unopposed in the general election.
House District 8
Republican Patrick Jackson defeated Kevin Davenport in House District 8, winning 66% of the vote, with more than 95% of votes counted. The district includes the city of Decatur and was left open after Rep. Terri Collins chose not to run for reelection. Collins endorsed Jackson in the race.
House District 13
Republican Mike Elliott won 58% of the vote in House District 13, defeating incumbent Rep. Greg Barnes, R-Jasper. Barnes took office in December, winning the seat after Sen. Matt Woods, R-Jasper, vacated the seat.
Because no Democratic candidate qualified in the district, Elliott is expected to take the seat after the general election.
House District 17
Republican Phil Segraves’ vote total came in just under the 50% threshold and will enter a runoff with Micheal Beck for the open District 17 seat, which includes all of Marion and Lamar counties and part of Winston County in northwest Alabama.
Because no Democrat qualified for the race, the runoff winner will effectively decide the election and take the seat.
The district’s current Representative, Tracy Estes, R-Winfield, did not seek re-election. Estes was first elected in 2018.
House District 20
Rep. James Lomax, R-Huntsville, won a second term in the Alabama House, beating out former Congressman Mo Brooks, who shook up the race with a last-minute entry. Lomax secured 61% of the vote compared to Brooks with 40%.
“I commend Former Congressman Brooks on a spirited campaign and wish him well,” Lomax said in a social media post. “The important work toward a stronger, safer, and more prosperous Alabama continues tomorrow. For the trust placed in me today, thank you!”
Alabama House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter had endorsed Lomax for re-election. Lomax served as Majority Whip in the Legislature.
Lomax will compete against Democrat James Linderholm in the general election.
House District 37
Republicans Jeff Monroe and John Jacobs are headed toward a runoff election for the open seat in Randolph and Chambers counties. With about 95% of the votes counted, Monroe secured 38% while Jacobs captured 35% of the vote. Donna Bailey McKay won 27% of the vote.
The winner of the runoff will face off against Democrat Michelle French in November.
House District 45
Rep. Susan DuBose, R-Hoover, decisively defeated challenger John Dawson, winning 82% of the vote in House District 45. DuBose was first elected in 2022.
DuBose will face Democrat Toni Kornegay Vaughn in the general election in November.
House District 48
Republican Lloyd Peeples defeated incumbent Rep. Jim Carns, R-Birmingham, in the House District 48 primary, winning 56% of the vote.
Because no Democratic candidate qualified in the district, Peeples is expected to take the seat after the general election.
House District 52
Gigi Hayes and LaTanya Millhouse will head to a runoff after ousting incumbent Rep. Kelvin Datcher. Hayes earned 49% of the vote, while Millhouse earned 26%. Datcher came in third place with 25%.
There are no Republicans running in District 52. The runoff winner will be unopposed.
House District 60
Democrat Alicia Escott Lumpkin defeated incumbent Rep. Juandalynn Givan to take District 60, with 53% of the vote. Givan, who was first elected in 2010, won 34% of the vote.
Lumpkin thanked supporters in a Facebook post, writing, “Now the real work begins. I’m ready to fight for safer neighborhoods, better opportunities, stronger schools, economic investment and a government that works for the people.”
House District 65
In the race for the open District 65 seat, law enforcement officer John Knapp defeated Dee Ann Campbell, winning 58% of the vote.
Rep. Brett Easterbrook’s, R-Fruitdale, state senate bid led to the seat being vacated this year. The district covers Choctaw and Washington counties, northwest Clarke County and part of northern Baldwin County.
With no qualified Democratic candidate in the race, Knapp is set to become the district’s next representative.
House District 76
Rep. Patrice “Penni” McClammy defended her Montgomery State House seat against a challenge from Terance “Watchdog” Dawson, earning 78% of votes cast.
There are no Republicans running to represent District 76, so McClammy has secured four more years in the State House.
House District 82
Rep. Pebblin Warren was forced to a runoff with challenger Sidney “Doc” Brown after earning only 48% of the vote on Tuesday. Brown won 23% of the vote.
Terrence K. Johnson and Jamie Lowe finished third and fourth in the race.
The winner of the runoff will be unopposed in the general election.
House District 85
Rep. Rick Rehm, R-Dothan, won reelection, besting challenger Henry County Commission Chairman David Money and winning 56% of the vote for the Wiregrass seat.
Money is lifelong friends with Great Southern Preserving Founder Jimmy Rane and had the backing of the Business Council of Alabama.
Rehm will compete for the seat against Democrat Aristotle Onassis Kirkland in November.
House District 95
Rep. Frances Holk-Jones, R-Foley, is headed to a runoff against challenger Joe Freeman. Jones secured 42% of the vote, followed by Freeman at 39%. Elijah Davidson came in third for the South Baldwin County seat.
The winner of the runoff will be unopposed in the general election.
House District 96
ALFA-backed challenger Danielle Duggar of Spanish Fort defeated incumbent Rep. Matt Simpson, R-Daphne, winning 51% of the vote for the southern Alabama seat.
“I will fight for our families, protect our conservative values, defend life, stand strong for the Second Amendment, and make sure Baldwin County has a voice that truly represents us in Montgomery,” Duggar said in a social media post.
Simpson conceded the race, saying on social media, he had “peace knowing that I gave all I could to serve the people.”
Duggar will face Democrat Terri Osborne in the general election.
House District 97
Rep. Adline C. Clarke, D-Mobile, defeated voting rights advocate Shalela Dowdy, winning 62% of the vote. Clarke has served in the Legislature since 2013.
Clarke is unopposed in the general election.
House District 99
Rep. Sam Jones, D-Mobile, easily won reelection for a third term, defeating two challengers, Jyl Hughes and Levi Wright Jr, winning 83% of the vote.
Jones will battle Republican Charlie Watts in the general election.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Alex Angle, Claire Harrison and Trisha Powell Crain and originally published by Alabama Daily News.
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