Incumbents hold on to seats; Tillman wins House seat
Incumbents had a good night in the over-the-mountain area, with several winning re-election, while Democrat Ontario Tillman has won a state House seat.
In House District 56, Tillman captured 8,987 votes (90%), compared to 868 votes (9%) for Libertarian Carson Lester.
House District 56 includes Ross Bridge and part of the Lake Cyrus community in Hoover, part of Homewood and most of Bessemer, Brighton, Lipscomb and the Oxmoor Valley and Shannon communities. Democrat Louise Alexander previously held the seat before running unsuccessfully for state Senate earlier this year.
“The people — they spoke again,” Tillman said. “They raised their voices to be heard and said I’m their choice, and I’m excited.”
At the same time, Tillman said he’s humbled and looks forward to serving the residents of the district.
He believes his focus on economic development, community development, eliminating the sales tax on groceries and raising pay for current and retired teachers resonated with people in District 56.
Tillman said his first move as a legislator will be to listen, learn and understand the process so he can be the most effective representative for the people.
Also in Montgomery, incumbent Dan Roberts will have another term representing State Senate District 15, winning 86% of the vote in his matchup against Libertarian Michael Crump, a self-described anarchist who wanted to give voters another option and decrease the size of the government.
“[I am] grateful to the voters of Senate District 15 for choosing me to serve them again for another four years,” Roberts said. “It is an honor and privilege to represent Jefferson and Shelby counties in the Alabama Legislature. I look forward to working diligently to move Alabama forward in the coming years.”
Congressman Gary Palmer won re-election in Alabama’s Sixth Congressional District, defeating Libertarian challenger Andria Chieffo. Palmer won 84% of the vote. Palmer was first elected in 2014 and said he wanted to work on workforce development and helping students catch up academically following the COVID-19 pandemic. Chieffo is one of many Libertarians who appeared on this election’s ballot.
In U.S. House District 7, incumbent Terri Sewell, a Democrat, defeated challenges from Republican Beatrice Nichols and Libertarian Gavin Goodman. Sewell won 64% of the vote, with Nichols winning 35% of the vote. That district now includes parts of Hoover and Homewood following redistricting.
Incumbent state Rep. David Faulkner and state Sen. Jabo Waggoner, both Republicans, won new terms after running unopposed.