Terri Sewell wins re-election to seventh term
Congresswoman Terri Sewell was re-elected to her seventh term representing Alabama’s Seventh Congressional District. Sewell cruised to victory even though the Seventh Congressional District became much more diverse after 2021’s redistricting and reapportionment by the Alabama Legislature. “To the great people of Alabama’s 7th Congressional District, thank you,” said Rep. Sewell. “Representing you in Congress is my greatest honor, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to serve another term. This victory belongs to you!” Rep. Sewell won 63.5% percent of the vote (123,060 votes). Republican challenger Beatrice Nichols received 67,353 votes (34.77%).00 Libertarian Party Chairman Gavin Goodman received 3,207 votes (1.66%). “Regardless of how you voted, I pledge to continue listening, learning, and fighting for the values we share. We as a nation face many challenges, but I am confident that working together, we can continue to deliver more resources and better opportunities for our communities. I look forward to the work that lies ahead!” Sewell campaigned tirelessly in this election, traveling all over the district, often bringing checks, emphasizing her ability to bring home money for the district. Sewell is the first Democratic woman elected to Congress from Alabama in state history. She is the only Black woman to ever serve in the Alabama Congressional delegation. Sewell ran for Congress when then-incumbent Congressman Artur Davis ran for Governor. Before her congressional service, Sewell was an attorney in Birmingham. Sewell has held several leadership positions, including Freshman Class President in the 112th Congress. This current term, she was selected by Democratic leadership to serve as a Chief Deputy Whip and sits on the prestigious Steering and Policy Committee, which sets the policy direction of the Democratic Caucus. Sewell is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, where she is Co-Chair of the Voting Rights Task Force. She is a member of the New Democrat Coalition, Co-Chair of the Congressional Voting Rights Caucus, Vice-Chair of the Congressional HBCU Caucus, and Co-Chair of the Rural Caucus. Sewell is a native of Selma, where she was the first Black valedictorian of Selma High School. She has degrees from Princeton University and Oxford University in England, as well as a law degree from Harvard Law School. Sewell is the only Democrat in the Alabama Congressional Delegation. Republican incumbents, U.S. Representatives Mike Rogers, Robert Aderholt, Jerry Carl, Barry Moore, and Gary Palmer, were re-elected by large margins. Madison County Commissioner Dale Strong, as expected, easily won the open Alabama’s Fifth Congressional District. While all of Alabama’s congressional races went as expected, that could change in the 2024 election as that 2021 redistricting is being challenged in federal court. The U.S. Supreme Court has already heard one of those suits, and a decision is expected this spring. The Court could potentially order the entire congressional redistricting may be redrawn. As of press time on Wednesday, it is still not known whether Democrats have held on to their razor-thin majorities in the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate. An expected “Red Wave” did not materialize on election day, so whichever party controls Congress will have very low majorities to work with. Sewell is a member of House leadership. The Biden Administration is saying that the better-than-unexpected results are a vindication of Joe Biden’s policies. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Judge dismisses Artur Davis’ suit against Alabama Democrats
It looks like former Democratic U.S. Rep. Artur Davis‘ dream of switching back to his old party after a flirtation with the GOP are dashed, at least for this cycle. A Mountgomery County judge dismissed Davis’ complaint against the Alabama Democratic Party, which denied his petition to re-join the party last week. A state party rule called the Radney Rule requires approval from the Executive Board of the Alabama Democratic Party for any candidate who wishes to switch back after going over to the Republican side of the aisle. Davis’ suit alleged discrimination, as several other Democrats-turned-Republicans have been welcomed back into the Democratic fold. The Harvard-educated former congressman and assistant United States Attorney is the first candidate in more than three decades to have been denied under the rule. Davis was seeking a Democratic bid for the Montgomery County Commission, but without the party’s approval, he will not have a “D” next to his name during Alabama’s March primaries. Judge Thomas Hobbs called Davis a “prodigal son” in his ruling, as said the board that denied his petition was well within its discretion to decide it was not in their best interest to allow Davis to run against more thoroughgoing Democrats. Aside from switching his party registration, Davis toyed with the idea of running as a Republican for Congress in Virginia, penned editorials for the conservative National Review, and even addressed the 2012 Republican National Convention. Davis said he would quickly file an appeal to the state’s high court. “We have always felt that the Alabama Supreme Court would have to be the court that resolved this issue,” said Davis in a statement. “Because the Democratic Party has applied a rule to me they have never applied to anyone else, there is obviously no case law that is directly applicable. It will fall on the Alabama Supreme Court to decide if a party can have one set of rules for one person and another set for everyone else.” Whether he would pursue an independent candidacy should that petition also be denied is not yet clear.
Judge holds hearing in Artur Davis lawsuit against Democrats
A judge is holding a hearing in former congressman Artur Davis‘ fight to run as a Democrat again. A Montgomery judge heard testimony Monday in Davis’ lawsuit against the Alabama Democratic Party. Davis wants to run for Montgomery County commissioner as a Democrat. Party officials refused to qualify Davis, citing his past support of Republicans. Davis was elected to Congress four times as a Democrat and ran for governor as a Democrat in 2010. However, he then announced that he had aligned himself with the GOP and spoke at the 2012 Republican National Convention. Davis’ lawsuit argues that he is being singled out and the party has welcomed back all other party-switchers, including former congressman Parker Griffith, who was the Democratic candidate for governor last year. Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
Hearing scheduled in Artur Davis’ effort to run as Democrat
A judge has scheduled a hearing on former U.S. Rep. Artur Davis‘ effort to run as a Democrat again. The judge on Tuesday said he will hear arguments Nov. 9 in Davis’ lawsuit against the Alabama Democratic Party. Davis wants to run for Montgomery County Commission as a Democrat. Party officials refused to accept Davis, citing his past support of Republicans. Davis was a Democratic congressman and ran for governor in 2010. He later announced he was aligning himself with the GOP and spoke at the 2012 Republican presidential convention. Davis had sought to force the party to accept his candidate paperwork by Friday’s deadline. James Anderson, a lawyer representing the state party, said they agreed to work with Davis on the deadline so the issue can be settled next week. Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
Artur Davis asks judge for restraining order against Alabama Democratic Party
Democrat-turned-Republican-turned-back-again Artur Davis has asked a Montgomery judge for an emergency order against the Alabama Democratic Party as he seeks to use the Democratic label in a run for local office. Davis, once a Democratic congressman and gubernatorial candidate, seeks an order forcing the state party to accept his paperwork to run for the Montgomery County Commission with a “D” next to his name. The party’s local executive board rejected his application for reinstatement in October, but Davis says the party is settling scores by unfairly singling him out for rejection. Davis left the party before the 2012 presidential primary season, helping Republicans and even speaking to the GOP national convention in Tampa that year. The former lawmaker, who represented Alabama’s 7th Congressional District from 2003 until 2011, says other Democrats who have had dalliances with the other side of the aisle have been accepted back into the party’s ranks. Beyond his legal quarrel with the Democratic Party, he also added that his newly moderate stances would find him in good stead with Alabama Democratic voters. Davis must be reinstated by the party by Friday in order to qualify for the county commission ballot. Things haven’t been going swimmingly for Davis since his second partisan change of heart. He was compelled to tell AL.com in August that he had “never been a customer of the Ashley Madison site,” referring to the online hookup site designed for married people seeking affairs. Davis’ name was included as part of the infamous leak of Ashley Madison users by GotNews.com, which he called “a fifth-rate blog that regularly smears politicians.”
