United States House of Representatives elections in Alabama, 2010

The 2010 congressional elections in Alabama were held on November 2, 2010, to determine will represent the state of Alabama in the United States House of Representatives. Alabama has seven seats in the House, apportioned according to the 2000 United States Census. Representatives are elected for two-year terms; those elected will serve in the 112th Congress from January 3, 2011 until January 3, 2013. The primary elections were held June 1, with the runoff on July 13.

Districts 1, 3, 4, 6 and 7 were considered safe seats for the incumbent party (the Democratic Party for District 7 and the Republican Party for the other districts), according to the Cook Political Report and CQ Politics, and as predicted the incumbent party held those seats. Meanwhile, Districts 2 (a Democrat-held seat) and 5 (a Republican-held seat, though the incumbent was a Democrat who switched parties in 2009) were considered up for grabs. The Republican Party gained District 2 and held District 5.

Overview

The table below shows the total number and percentage of votes, as well as the number of seats gained and lost by each political party in the election for the United States House of Representatives in Alabama. In addition, the voter turnout and the number of votes not valid will be listed below.

United States House of Representatives elections in Alabama, 2010[1]
Party Votes Percentage Seats +/–
Republican 540,173 54.8% 6 +2
Democratic 417,491 42.2% 1 -2
Others 26,265 3.0% 0 +/-0
Valid votes
Invalid or blank votes
Totals 983,929 100% 7 —
Voter turnout

District 1

Alabama's 1st district

Republican incumbent Jo Bonner ran for reelection. In the primary, Bonner won against Orange Beach real estate developer Peter Gounares and Clint Moser.[2][3]

The Democrats did not field a candidate for this seat. Bonner was challenged in the general election by David M. Walter, nominee of the Constitution Party (campaign site, PVS).

Alabama's 1st congressional district election, 2010[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jo Bonner (incumbent) 128,802 83.1
Constitution David M. Walter 26,294 16.9
Total votes 155,096 100
Republican hold

District 2

Alabama's 2nd district

Democratic incumbent Bobby Bright ran for reelection, and had no primary opponent.

The Republicans ran two candidates in their primary: Montgomery City Councilwoman Martha Roby and Tea Party activist Rick Barber. Roby was endorsed by Sarah Palin and Newt Gingrich, and won the primary.[4][5]

Roby took the general election unseating Bright.

Polling

Poll Source Dates Administered Bobby Bright (D) Martha Roby (R)
Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research October 9–12, 2010 51% 39%
Public Opinion Strategies October 3–4, 2010 43% 45%
Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research September 26–28, 2010 52% 43%
Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research August 23–26, 2010 52% 43%
Anzalone-Liszt Research† February 8–11, 2010 54% 30%

†Internal poll commissioned by Bobby Bright

Alabama's 2nd congressional district election, 2010[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Martha Roby 111,332 51.1
Democratic Bobby Bright (incumbent) 106,465 48.9
Total votes 217,797 100
Republican gain from Democratic

District 3

Alabama's 3rd district

Republican incumbent Michael Rogers ran for reelection, and defeated Democratic nominee Steve Segrest (PVS) to hold the seat for the Republicans.

Alabama's 3rd congressional district election, 2010[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mike Rogers (incumbent) 117,439 59.5
Democratic Steve Segrest 79,990 40.5
Total votes 197,429 100
Republican hold

District 4

Alabama's 4th district

Republican incumbent Robert Aderholt ran unopposed for reelection in both the primary and general elections.

Alabama's 4th congressional district election, 2010[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Robert Aderholt (incumbent) 167,709 100
Total votes 167,709 100
Republican hold

District 5

Alabama's 5th congressional district

This district was an open seat in the general election, as incumbent Parker Griffith (who changed parties from Democratic to Republican on December 22, 2009), was defeated in the Republican primary by lawyer and county commissioner Mo Brooks.

Democratic nominee small business owner and political consultant Steve Raby ran against Brooks in the general election, but Brooks won to hold the seat for the Republicans.

Polling

Poll Source Dates Administered Mo Brooks (R) Steve Raby (D)
Public Opinion Strategies August 22–23, 2010 48% 37%
Public Opinion Strategies June 2010 48% 40%
Alabama's 5th congressional district election, 2010[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mo Brooks 130,927 57.9
Democratic Steve Raby 95,078 42.1
Total votes 226,005 100
Republican hold

District 6

Alabama's 6th district

This district is represented by Republican Spencer Bachus, who ran unopposed for reelection in both the primary and general elections.

Alabama's 6th congressional district election, 2010[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Spencer Bachus (incumbent) 205,288 100
Total votes 205,288 100
Republican hold

District 7

Alabama's 7th congressional district

This was an open seat as, in 2009, Democratic incumbent Artur Davis announced his retirement to run for Governor of Alabama.[6] Following his defeat in the 2010 primary, Davis announced he was through with politics and would return to private life at the conclusion of his current term.[7]

In the Republican primary, Don Chamberlain, a businessman, proceeded to a runoff against Chris Salter, a mortgage banker, after both placed ahead of Michele Waller, a retired microbiology technologist, and Carol Hendrickson, a retired nurse. Chamberlain defeated Salter in the runoff to become the nominee.

In the Democratic primary, Terri Sewell (an attorney) won against Patricia Evans Mokolo, an Air Force veteran and Obama field organizer; State Representatives Earl Hilliard, Jr., the son of the district's former representative, Earl Hilliard; Jefferson County Commissioner Shelia Smoot; Martha Bozeman, an attorney; and Eddison Walters, a small business owner from Tuscaloosa.[8]

The district, which includes Birmingham, is more than 60% African American and is heavily Democratic; John Kerry won 64% here in 2004.

Democratic Primary polling

Poll Source Dates Administered Shelia Smoot Earl Hilliard, Jr. Terri Sewell Martha Bozeman Undecided
Anzalone Liszt Research June 13–16, 2010 33% - 53% - 14%
Anzalone Liszt Research May 13–16, 2010 22% 20% 22% 7% -
Smoot internal poll April, 2010 33% 28% 13% - -
Anzalone Liszt Research January, 2010 29% 25% 9% - -
Alabama's 7th congressional district election, 2010[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Terri Sewell 135,958 72.1
Republican Don Chamberlain 52,672 27.9
Total votes 188,630 100
Democratic hold

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "New York Times Election Results 2010". The New York Times.
  2. ↑
  3. ↑ Archived August 1, 2009, at the Wayback Machine.
  4. ↑ News
  5. ↑ Tea party favorite falls in Alabama GOP race, Bob Johnson, MSNBC, July 14, 2010
  6. ↑ Charles J. Dean (2009-02-01). "Alabama U.S. Rep. Artur Davis set to launch run for governor". The Birmingham News. Retrieved 2009-02-02.
  7. ↑ "Ala. Rep. Davis through with politics after loss". Washingtonpost.com. Retrieved 2010-06-06.
  8. ↑ "Bozeman running for Congress - Breaking News from The Birmingham News - al.com". Blog.al.com. 2009-07-07. Retrieved 2009-07-28.
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