Jerry Carl wins GOP Alabama runoff to replace Rep. Bradley Byrne

Mobile County commissioner Jerry Carl won the Republican primary in Alabama’s 1st District on Tuesday to replace retiring Rep. Bradley Byrne (R), leaving him well placed to win in November in the deep red district.

Carl won with 52 perccent of the vote, with 99 percent of precincts reporting, according to the Associated Press. He beat former state Sen. Bill Hightower (R).

The seat opened up after Byrne gave up his seat to unsuccessfully run for Senate. 

The southern Alabama district has been a Republican stronghold for decades.

Carl and Hightower ran against each other after neither clinched the majority in the March 3 primary. The Republican nominee will now face Democrat James Averhart, who prevailed in his party’s runoff on Tuesday.