By Alabama Public Radio
Montgomery, AL – The winner in a Democratic legislative runoff is now asking the political party to throw out a challenge to her victory. Patricia Todd, who is both white and gay, says a powerful party leader wants a black person to win the position. Todd says party vice chairman Joe Reed personally paid for the challenge filed on behalf of her opponent, Gaynell Hendricks. Reed is the long-time chairman of the Alabama Democratic Conference, the party's black caucus. He denies that he or the A-D-C paid the contest fee.