Hendrix and Brinyark winners in Tuesday’s runoff elections
With no Republican opponent, Democrat Travis Hendrix is expected to take the District 55 seat after January's general election.
By Kelsey Shelton, Reflect Alabama Fellow
Travis Hendrix has won the Democratic nomination for the District 55 seat in the Alabama House of Representatives. According to unofficial results released by Jefferson County, he earned 65.12% of the vote in Tuesday’s special runoff election, defeating his opponent Sylvia Swayne. In a Facebook post, Hendrix thanked his voters.
“Massive thanks to my exceptional team, family, and all of District 55! I’m here to represent each and every one of you with passion and dedication!” he wrote.
Swyane told the Birmingham Watch she’s not disappointed by the loss.
“We got people of all backgrounds, of all ages across the district, empowered to vote. It’s not over. This is not where the conversation ends. It’s where it begins,” she said.
The district covers part of Birmingham and its western suburbs. There was no Republican candidate in the race, so Hendrix is likely to take the seat after the general election on January 9, 2024.
Another special runoff election took place Tuesday to determine the Republican candidate for House District 16. That district covers Fayette, northern Tuscaloosa, and western Jefferson counties.
Unofficial results show Bryan Brinyark received 52.75% of the vote, beating opponent Brad Cox. Alabama Republican Party Chairman John Wahl congratulated Brinyark on the victory.
“On behalf of the Alabama Republican Party, I would like to offer my congratulations to Bryan Brinyark and look forward to working with him in the future as we mount a vigorous general election campaign,” he said.
Brinyark will go on to compete against Democratic nominee John Underwood in the general election, also on January 9.
District 16 became an open seat when former Rep. Kyle South resigned to become the head of the West Alabama Chamber of Commerce. Former District 55 Rep. Fred Plump resigned earlier this year after pleading guilty in a kickback scheme involving public money.
Shootings at school and home in British Columbia, Canada, leave 10 dead
A shooting at a school in British Columbia left seven people dead, while two more were found dead at a nearby home, authorities said. A woman who police believe to be the shooter also was killed.
Trump’s EPA plans to end a key climate pollution regulation
The Environmental Protection Agency is eliminating a Clean Air Act finding from 2009 that is the basis for much of the federal government's actions to rein in climate change.
From gifting a hat to tossing them onto the rink, a history of hat tricks in sports
Hat tricks have a rich history in hockey, but it didn't start there. For NPR's Word of the Week, we trace the term's some 150-year-history and why it's particularly special on the hockey rink.
Pam Bondi to face questions from House lawmakers about her helm of the DOJ
The attorney general's appearance before the House Judiciary Committee comes one year into her tenure, a period marked by a striking departure from traditions and norms at the Justice Department.
The U.S. claims China is conducting secret nuclear tests. Here’s what that means
The allegations were leveled by U.S. officials late last week. Arms control experts worry that norms against nuclear testing are unraveling.
Ukrainian sled racer says he will wear helmet honoring slain soldiers despite Olympic ban
Vladyslav Heraskevych, a skeleton sled racer, says he will wear a helmet showing images of Ukrainian athletes killed defending his country against Russia's full-scale invasion. International Olympic Committee officials say the move would violate rules designed to keep politics out of the Olympics.
