By Alabama Public Radio
Montgomery, AL – Political newcomer Gerald Wallace appears to have narrowly beaten fellow conservative Stephen Engel in Tuesday night's light voting in the Republican runoff for the fifth congressional district nomination. With 99 percent of precincts reporting, the unofficial count showed Wallace with 53 percent of the vote, while Engel had 47 percent. But Engel says he won't consider conceding a race that close. Both candidates hoped their stands against abortion and gay marriage would attract moral conservatives from the Democratic as well as Republican parties. The winner will face seven-term Democratic Representative Bud Cramer in the fall.
Meanwhile...in a wider victory...three-term state school board member Stephanie Bell won the Republican nomination for her third district seat with an almost 15 percent margin over lobbyist John Draper. With 89 percent of the precincts reporting, Bell had 57 percent of the votes...Draper had 43 percent. Bell will face Democrat Debbie Corbett of Millbrook in the November election.