Mo Brooks to return to Washington, wins re-election over Peter Joffrion
Republican Mo Brooks will return to Washington, D.C. where he’ll continue to represent Alabama’s 5th Congressional District. Brooks defeated his Democratic opponent Peter Joffrion on Tuesday, winning his fifth term in the U.S. House of Representatives. With 73 percent of the precincts reporting, the Associated Press called the race for Brooks who leads Joffrion 60 to 39 percent. The 5th District encompasses Lauderdale, Limestone, Madison, Morgan and most of Jackson counties.
Bill Holtzclaw withdraws candidacy for U.S. Congress
Madison-Republican and state Sen. Bill Holtzclaw on Thursday announced he’s ending his campaign for U.S. Congress. Holtzclaw had announced his candidacy for Alabama 5th District in the U.S. House of Representatives against incumbent Rep. Mo Brooks in August. “As someone who has worn the uniform, as someone who has been in harms way in defense of our nation, I’m here to tell you: you send me to Washington and the men and women in uniform are going to have another champion in Congress,” he said announcing his candidacy. But the District 2 State Senator, who has represented portions of Madison and Limestone counties since 2010, said he will not seek re-election to his current seat. Instead, he is “ready to return to the private sector.” “After much consideration I have decided to end my campaign for Congress in the 5th Congressional District,” Holtzclaw announced on his blog. “Two weeks ago, I began my final legislative session as the State Senator for District 2. At times it has been ‘rough and tumble,’ but in the end it has been a rewarding 8 years serving as a member of the Alabama State Senate. I’m proud to have championed legislation for small businesses, veterans’ affairs and to combat driving under the influence, along with numerous issues that constituents brought to my attention. I am proud of the passage of such bills and the positive changes they have brought to the lives of everyday Alabamians.” He continued, “Thus after serving my country for 20 years as a US Marine, my state for 8 years as the Senator for AL District 2, and my city for 2 years as a Madison City Councilman; I am ready to return to the private sector. I am thankful to have had a good run and fought the good fight over 3 decades of public service. I will continue to serve in my role as a State Senator through the end of my term in November of this year. I look forward to spending more time with my family (including my second grandchild born over the holidays), working, and volunteering in my community.”
Mo Brooks recovering well from prostatectomy
According to the office of Alabama 5th District U.S. Congressman Mo Brooks , the congressman is recovering after his prostatectomy on Friday. Last Wednesday, Brooks announced he has “high-risk” prostate cancer in an emotional speech on the floor of the House Wednesday morning. According to Brooks’ family, the procedure went well. Results from full pathology tests will be available in the coming weeks, but preliminary lab tests came back clear, indicating that all cancer was removed with the prostate. “Please remember to keep Rep. Mo Brooks in your thoughts and prayers as he undergoes surgery today. Also his wife Martha and their children,” posted Lt. Governor candidate Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh on Facebook Friday ahead of his surgery. Brooks’ colleague, Alabama 6th District U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer later posted, “Glad to hear my friend Congressman Mo Brooks’ surgery went well. Ann and I send him prayers and well wishes for a speedy recovery!” Brooks is currently scheduled to return home on Saturday to recuperate. He and his wife are very grateful for all of the texts, calls, prayers, and well wishes.
In Alabama congressional races, incumbents stay safe
Despite incessant worrying over what Donald Trump-anti-incumbent-fueled voter turnout would mean at the polls, all members of the Alabama congressional delegation managed to hold on to their seats in Tuesday’s primary election. U.S. Senate Republican Richard Shelby, who was first elected to the Senate in 1986, faced challenges from four Republican opponents. With 100 percent of precincts reporting, Shelby won by over 35 points. His closest opponent former Marine Capt. Jonathan McConnell garnered only 28 percent of the vote to Shelby’s 65 percent, with all other challengers taking only about 8 percent of the vote. On the Democratic side, business owner Shadrack McGill, who served in the state Senate from 2010 and 2014, and challengers John Martin, Marcus Bowman and Ron Crumpton faced off also in hopes of unseating Shelby, with Crumpton taking home the Democratic nomination, winning 56 percent of the vote. U.S. House of Representatives AL-01 Former state senator U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne secured his first full term in office after defeating challenger Dean Young. Byrne, first elected to Congress in a special election in 2013, took home 60 percent of the vote, with 100 percent of precincts reporting. AL-02 Former Montgomery City Council member and three-term Congresswoman, U.S. Rep. Martha Roby defeated Wetumpka Tea Party founder Becky Gerritson to represent the 2nd District, which includes much of Montgomery and southeast Alabama. Roby won slightly more than 66 percent of the vote, meanwhile Gerritson took home only 27 percent of the vote, and Bob Rogers just over 5 percent. AL-03 First elected to the House in 2003, former Calhoun County commissioner U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers defeated longtime Auburn public school administrator Larry DiChiara to represent the 3rd District, which covers east-central Alabama. Rogers won 76 percent of the vote to DiChiara 24 percent. Standing between Rogers and his eighth term in Congress is Jesse Smith. Smith, a Phenix City native, was was unchallenged for the Democratic nomination. AL-04 Congressman Robert Aderholt (AL-04) defeated opponent Phil Norris the Republican nomination for representative of Alabama’s 4th Congressional District, moving one step closer to his eleventh term in office. First elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1996, Aderholt received 102,348 votes, 81 percent, with 100 percent of precincts reporting. AL-05 Third term Congressman Rep. Mo Brooks, who represents Alabama’s 5th District — encompassing the counties of Lauderdale, Limestone, Madison, Morgan and most of Jackson — was un-opposed. AL-06 Co-founder and former longtime president of the Alabama Policy Institute, U.S. Congressman Gary Palmer, was un-opposed. Palmer is Alabama’s newest Congressman and first elected in 2014 to represent portions of Birmingham, nearly all of Jefferson County outside of Birmingham, and the entirety of Bibb, Blount, Chilton, Colbert, Coosa and Shelby counties. AL-07 Alabama’s lone Democratic representative, Terri Sewell, who assumed office in 2011 was un-opposed. Her district encompasses portions of Birmingham,Tuscaloosa and Montgomery.
