K.L. Brown and his wife Mandee celebrate his victory in the House District 40 race at the Hampton Inn in Jacksonville Tuesday night. Photo: Anita Kilgore/Jacksonville News
Brown replaces Lea Fite, a Democrat who died last October after a sudden illness.
This is a gain for the Republicans in the Democratic-controlled Alabama House of Representatives. Democrats still hold a 60-45 edge.
Brown had 3,422 votes to Democrat Ricky Whaley’s 2,575 votes or 41.9 percent. Independent candidate Carol Hagan got 156 votes or 2.5 percent. This is with 23 of 24 boxes reporting.
The campaign was hard-fought, often bitter, and laced with television and newspaper ads, plus mailouts and recorded telephone calls.
“After the results are certified, I hope to be in Montgomery Thursday,” Brown said.. “I think our district has been without representation long enough.
“I know a lot of little guys got me where I am and I am not going to forget anybody. I am going to be a representative of the whole district, not just the part that voted for us.”
Brown is the owner of funeral homes in Jacksonville and Golden Springs.
Whaley, a teacher at Jacksonville High School, was gracious in defeat.
“I want to congratulate Mr. Brown and his family. They worked hard, as did we. They got the vote out and we didn’t,” Whaley said.
“We ran a good race, and met a lot of really, really good people .A lot of good people stepped up to help us.”
Jacksonville Mayor Johnny Smith congratulated Brown.
“I think K.L. has a lot of business experience and he will take that with him to Montgomery,” Smith said. “He loves this part of the state and he has been here for a long time. I think he will be great for us.”
Post a Comment