Alabama delays March 31 GOP Senate runoff to July 14

by KIM CHANDLER Associated Press

Wednesday, March 18th 2020

Jeff Sessions talks with the media after voting in Alabama's primary election, Tuesday, March 3, 2020, in Mobile, Ala. The former Attorney General is part of a seven person field in the state's Republican Senate primary, along with former Auburn University football coach Tommy Tuberville, U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne and former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore, jockeying for the GOP nomination and the right to challenge Democratic Sen. Doug Jones in November. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — The state of Alabama is postponing its scheduled March 31 primary runoff in the Senate race between Jeff Sessions and former Auburn University football coach Tommy Tuberville.

Saying having people stand in line to vote is too risky right now, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said the runoff is being rescheduled to July 14. The winner will face U.S. Sen. Doug Jones in November.

Five other states also have postponed their primaries because of the coronavirus pandemic: Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland and Ohio.

Sessions has been forced into a tight primary runoff as he seeks to recapture the Senate seat he held for 20 years. Tuberville led in the initial round, taking 33% of the vote to Sessions' 31%.

Sessions is seeking to reclaim the Senate seat he held for 20 years before becoming President Donald Trump's first attorney general. Sessions stepped down after his relationship with Trump soured over his recusal in the investigation.

Alabama U.S. Senate candidate Tommy Tuberville speaks to his supporters at Auburn Oaks Farm in Notasulga, Ala., Monday, March 3, 2020. He is in a close battle with Jeff Sessions and Bradley Byrne. (Joe Songer/AL.com. via AP)

View This Story on Our Site