Several Alabama legislators lose to primary challengers

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — At least six members of the Alabama Legislature lost to primary challengers on Tuesday, according to unofficial returns, and several races are yet to be decided.

In one of the tightest races, Republican Sen. Tom Whatley of Auburn is trailing challenger Jay Hovey by four votes, according to unofficial returns. Provisional ballots will be counted next week. Hovey is a member of the Auburn City Council.

In the House of Representatives, Rep. Will Dismukes of Prattville lost to challenger Jerry Starnes. His defeat came after a series of political and legal troubles. Dismukes had faced calls for his resignation in 2020 after participating in a celebration marking the birthday of Nathan Bedford Forrest — the Confederate general who was also an early Ku Klux Klan leader. He also faced a theft charge related to a dispute with a former employer.

Other incumbent defeats, according to unofficial returns, included:

› Republican Rep. Joe Faust of Fairhope, a 20-year veteran of the House, defeated by Jennifer Fidler

› Republican Rep. Dickie Drake of Leeds defeated by Susan DuBose

› Republican Rep. Tommy Hanes of Bryant defeated by to Mike Kirkland

› Republican Rep. Proncey Robertson of Mount Hope defeated by Ernie Yarbrough

› Democratic Rep. Ralph Howard of Greensboro defeated by Curtis Travis.

Republican Rep. Gill Isbell of Gadsden is trailing challenger Mack Butler, who previously served in the Legislature. But the race is caught in a mix-up where some voters got ballots with the wrong House district. Secretary of State John Merrill said they did not know how many voters were affected.

Democratic Rep. Rod Scott of Fairfield was forced into a runoff with a challenger.

In another notable contest, House Rules Chair Mike Jones, one of the most influential members in the House of Representatives, appears to have lost to Coffee County Commissioner Josh Carnley in his bid to join the Alabama Senate. Unofficial returns showed Carnley avoiding a runoff with Jones by a margin of about 50 votes. The two are seeking the GOP nomination for the state Senate seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Jimmy Holley.

Former longtime state Sen. Hank Sanders of Selma will go to a runoff with Robert L. Stewart for the Democratic nomination for District 23. Sanders represented the district from 1982 to 2018. His daughter, Sen. Malika Sanders-Fortier, won the seat in 2018 but is leaving the state Senate to run for governor.