Rep. Martha Roby, a four-term Republican who criticized President Donald Trump in 2016, swept her primary runoff in Alabama’s second congressional district on Tuesday, defeating Democrat-turned-Republican Bobby Bright.
Trump critic Martha Roby wins her runoff
She ended up sweeping competitor Bobby Bright.
Zac Freeland/Vox
Li Zhou is a former politics reporter at Vox, where she covers Congress and elections. Previously, she was a tech policy reporter at Politico and an editorial fellow at the Atlantic.
During the primary in June, Roby received 39 percent of the vote, while Bright received about 28 percent. Since neither of them met the 50-percent threshold needed to secure the nomination, both were sent to a runoff.
Following the primary, Roby seemed on shaky ground after Bright repeatedly hammered comments she made in 2016 slamming Trump as an “unacceptable” candidate for president in the wake of the infamous Access Hollywood tape.
After some reported cajoling from House Republican leaders Kevin McCarthy and Paul Ryan, Trump ultimately endorsed Roby despite her past snub. Many Alabama Republicans saw his support as important for her victory. (She maintains that she has “no regrets” about her critiques of Trump, however.)
On Tuesday, Roby coasted to a win with over 60 percent of the vote. She’ll face off against Democrat Tabitha Isner in November. The race was called around 9 pm Eastern time.
Live results, powered by Decision Desk, are below.
See More:
