Democratic voters went to the polls on Tuesday in the House District 55 special Democratic primary, and Travis Hendrix received the most votes. Sylvia Swayne narrowly beat out Phyllis E. Holden-Jones for second place and a spot in the special Democratic primary runoff on October 24.
This vacancy in the Alabama House of Representatives was due to the resignation of Rep. Fred Plump (D-Fairfield) after he entered a plea deal in a federal corruption probe that has rocked the Alabama Legislature.
Travis Hendrix received 670 votes (27.91%) in this crowded Democratic primary field. Sylvia Swayne had 515 votes (21.45%), earning her a spot in the runoff by just 30 votes.
Oden-Jones received 485 votes (20.20%) in her third-place finish.
Cara McClure received 364 votes (15.16%).
Ves Marable received 180 votes (7.50%).
Former Tarrant Mayor Kenneth Coachman received 106 votes (4.41%).
Antwon Bernard Womack received 81 votes (3.37%).
These are the preliminary vote counts available from the Secretary of State’s office when Alabama Today went to print and are subject to change. The provisional ballots still have to be considered, so the vote totals could change.
Hendrix is a former school resource officer. He has the endorsements of Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels (D-Huntsville), the Alabama Forestry Association, and more groups.
“I was born and raised in Ensley’s Tuxedo Court Public Housing Community,” Hendrix said on his website. “Today, Tuxedo Terrace housing community stands in place of the old Tuxedo Court, affectionately known as “the Brickyard.” Growing up in this area exposed me to the harsh realities faced by many residents, but it also instilled in me the values of service, sacrifice, and the power of prayer, thanks to the strong influence of my grandmother.”
“I pursued my education at Ensley High School and later completed a GED program,” Hendrix continued. “I then attended Miles College and went on to earn my bachelor’s degree. I then furthered my education, and I obtained a master’s degree from Oakland City University. Alongside my educational journey, I take immense pride in being a devoted father, an active member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., and a law enforcement officer. I have served as a school resource officer and on a task force dedicated to the public housing community. I take public safety seriously. Throughout my life, I have consistently pushed beyond established standards and exceeded expectations. I firmly believe that District 55 deserves a leader who possesses both the capabilities and the unwavering determination to advocate for change. I am committed to tirelessly fighting until our shared vision for the community is realized.”
Swayne was the only white candidate in the crowded primary field and, if elected, would be the only openly trans person to ever be elected in the state of Alabama. Swayne has the support of the LGBTQ+ community, including former State Rep. Patricia Todd. Swayne is extremely popular on TikTok. Swayne is a 2019 graduate of the University of Alabama.
“Part of the reason I’m running is this idea that trans people and drag queens and other members of the LGBT community are this threat to society, and that is purely artificially injected into the conversation,” Swayne told Teen Vogue. “Whether or not people support us as trans people is not my concern. My concern is while they’re using the trans community, and the LGBT community at large, to distract all of us, they’re leaving the rest of Alabama behind. We all lose when we engage in divisive politics and pointing fingers at one group while disenfranchising another.”
The October 24 Democratic primary runoff will likely decide this race.
There was no special Republican primary in HD55, and there was no Republican candidate in the general election.
Jefferson County Republican Party Chairman Chris Brown said on Tuesday night at the Jefferson County GOP meeting in Homewood, “We tried to recruit a candidate” and couldn’t.
Brown and Republican Minority GOP Chairman Phillip Brown said Tuesday night that they met with a prospective candidate they tried to recruit but failed to convince him to run in the heavily Democratic majority-minority district.
They told executive committee members that they are actively looking for a candidate in neighboring House District 52, where the incumbent is John Rogers (D-Birmingham) is 83 years old and “tied up in the same corruption scandal as Plump.”
Plump has admitted receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars in community improvement grants for a rec league that he ran from Rogers. Plump admitted then paying roughly half of that money to Rogers’ longtime legislative assistant, Varrie Johnson Kindall, with whom he claims was romantically involved. Ms. Kindall is facing 21 federal indictments for her role in this alleged corruption conspiracy.
“We don’t know that there is going to be an opening (in HD52), but we want to be ready if there is,” Chris Brown said.
At this point, Rep. Rogers has not been indicted and has denied any wrongdoing.
The eventual winner in HD55 will serve for the remainder of Plump’s term and will have to face the voters in 2026 like the rest of the Alabama Legislature.
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