MONTGOMERY – Attorney General Steve Marshall defeated Democratic nominee Joseph Siegelman on Tuesday, winning his own full term after being appointed to fill the vacancy left by Luther Strange’s appointment to the United States Senate in 2017.
With 99 percent reporting, Marshall led the son of former Gov. Don Siegelman (D-AL) 997,411 votes to 695,086 votes (58.9 percent to 41.1 percent).
At his election night watch party at Moe’s Original Bar B Que in the Cloverdale area of Montgomery, Marshall was surrounded by friends and supporters, including his daughter, Faith.
.@AGSteveMarshall’s watch event has a good crowd – optimistic, cozy atmosphere at Moe’s pic.twitter.com/RQBYMkSqg3
— Sean Ross (@sean_yhn) November 7, 2018
Besides the gubernatorial contest, Marshall had been attacked by his opponent and media outlets in the state the most of all the statewide candidates, signaling the importance of the office he holds (and, now, he will continue to hold). The attorney general thanked the people who stood alongside him in his fight, while reflecting on what has been the toughest year of his life.
“My heart hurts tonight because Bridgette is not here,” Marshall emphasized, adding that his late wife’s tragic passing now acts as motivation for him to “spread the word that families can get help” for depression and other mental illnesses.
In a statement afterwards, Marshall said, “I’m proud of the campaign we’ve run and am truly honored to have the privilege to continue serving the people of Alabama as Attorney General. In the midst of personal tragedy, fighting for this job wasn’t always easy, but I believe that it will be worth it.”
“I look forward to returning to the office tomorrow— to begin a new offensive in our battles against violent crime, opioid addiction, and corruption. Our work has only just begun,” he concluded.
Sean Ross is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
