A look at key races in Alabama’s primary ballot

Alabama voters went to the polls Tuesday to cast ballots in an array of races. Aside from the governor’s campaign, here are some of the other key races:ATTORNEY GENERAL
Republican appointee Steve Marshall, a former Marshall County district attorney, will face off against former Attorney General Troy King in the runoff. Marshall has served in the job since February 2017, when then-Gov. Robert Bentley tapped him after naming Luther Strange to the U.S. Senate.
Birmingham attorney Joseph Siegelman defeated Chris Christie for the Democratic nomination. Siegelman is the son of former Gov. Don Siegelman.
The attorney general is responsible for representing the state in criminal and civil matters, and the office often is a stepping-stone to other positions. Just ask U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, a former Alabama attorney general.
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CONGRESS
U.S. Rep. Martha Roby, one of a handful of Alabama Republicans who criticized Donald Trump during his presidential campaign, has been forced into a July runoff for the GOP nomination for her seat.
Roby will face Bobby Bright in the runoff in the state’s 2nd congressional district, a conservative swath where loyalty to Trump became a central issue of the midterm primary.
Roby gained Republican critics after distancing herself from Donald Trump’s vulgar comments about women during his presidential campaign in 2016.
Republican Robert Aderholt of Haleyville won his party’s primary as he seeks his 12th term in north Alabama’s 4th District. Aderholt will face camp manager Lee Auman of Union Grove who won the Democratic nomination.
Business executive and former naval officer Robert Kennedy Jr. of Mobile has won the Democratic primary for the 1st District in southwest Alabama. Kennedy will face Republican U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne in the November general election.
Former Miss America Mallory Hagan of Opelika has won the Democratic nomination in Alabama’s 3rd District congressional race.
She defeated Adia Winfrey of Talladega and will face U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers in the fall.
U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks of Huntsville has won the GOP’s nomination in the District 5 primary, defeating Army veteran Clayton Hinchman. Brooks will face Former Huntsville city attorney Peter Joffrion.
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LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR
Alabama has been without a lieutenant governor for more than a year, and the primary is a first step toward filling the office.
Alabama Public Service Commission president Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh will face state legislator Rep. Will Ainsworth of Guntersville in a runoff after neither candidate managed to clear the 50 percent threshold necessary to avoid a runoff. The race also featured state legislator, Sen. Rusty Glover of Mobile. Cavanaugh outpaced other candidates in fundraising with nearly $1.1 million in total contributions through April.
The eventual Republican nominee will face Democratic minister Will Boyd, who lost the U.S. Senate primary against Doug Jones in the special election last year.
The office of lieutenant governor, who is president in the state Senate, has been vacant since April 2017, when Kay Ivey succeeded Robert Bentley as governor following his resignation and guilty plea amid a sex-tinged scandal.
The lieutenant governor presides over the Alabama Senate. The position is most notable because the holder becomes governor if the state’s governor resigns, dies or is impeached.
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SUPREME COURT
The Alabama Supreme Court isn’t in the news as often as it used to be without Roy Moore as chief justice, but the primary ballot includes three contested races on the nine-member, all-Republican panel.
Associate Justice Tom Parker has won the Republican primary for chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court.
Parker defeated current Alabama Chief Justice Lyn Stuart. The race pitted Parker, long-time ally of Roy Moore, against Stuart, the judge who took over his duties when Moore was suspended.
Parker will face Democrat Bob Vance in November.
Jay Mitchell of Birmingham has won the Republican nomination for the Place 4 seat on the Alabama Supreme Court.
Mitchell defeated attorney John Bahakel. He will face Democrat Donna Wesson Smalley in November.
Court appointee Brad Mendheim and Sarah Hicks Stewart of Mobile are in a runoff for the GOP nomination for Place 1 on the nine-member court.
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STATE SCHOOL BOARD
Wayne Reynolds, a retired educator and registered nurse from Athens, has won the Republican nomination for the District 8 seat on the State Board of Education. Reynolds defeated business executive and former Madison school board member Rich McAdams.
The seat is now held by Mary Scott Hunter, who is running for the Alabama Senate.
Jessica Fortune Barker is on the ballot as a Democrat in the general election.
In the District 2 GOP nominating contest, Dothan school board member Melanie Hill and Auburn City School Board President Tracie West are heading to a runoff. The winner will face Democrat Adam Jortner in November.
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SECRETARY OF STATE
First-term incumbent John Merrill has won the GOP nomination for Secretary of State.
Merrill beat Marshall County Revenue Commissioner Michael Johnson. Merrill ran on his experience, while Johnson said he wanted to use his technical and administrative experience in the job.
On the Democratic side Heather Milam, an entrepreneur and volunteer from Birmingham, has won the nomination. She defeated retired military reservist Lula Albert of Montgomery.
The secretary of state is Alabama’s top elections and record-keeping official.

(Associated Press, copyright 2018)

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