Voters in heavily Republican Alabama couldn’t settle on a candidate to replace longtime U.S. Senator Richard Shelby. Alabama's GOP primary for U.S. Senate is going to a June runoff between Katie Britt and Congressman Mo Brooks. The Republicans are seeking the nomination for the Senate seat now held by U.S. Senator Richard Shelby who is retiring. Britt is Shelby's former chief of staff and the former leader of the Business Council of Alabama. Brooks overcame a feud with former President Donald Trump to secure a runoff spot. He remains under subpoena by the bi-partisan January 6th committee in the U.S. House. The panel wants his to testify on his alleged involvement in trying to obstruct proceedings to confirm Joe Biden as the winner of the 2020 race for the White House. Trump initially endorsed Brooks in the race but withdrew that endorsement in March. The two edged out businessman Mike Durant, who is best known as the helicopter pilot held captive in the events chronicled in "Black Hawk Down." Will Boyd won the Democratic nomination and will face either Britt or Brooks in November.
Governor Kay Ivey managed to turn back a runoff of her own, by turning back eight primary challengers to win the GOP gubernatorial nomination. Ivey easily outdistanced her two closest challengers, Lindy Blanchard and Tim James. Ivey will now face the winner of a Democratic primary runoff between educator Yolanda Flowers of Birmingham and state Senator Malika Sanders-Fortier of Selma.
