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Yolanda Flowers wins Dem governor runoff; Wes Allen wins GOP nod for secretary of state

Yolanda Flowers is a Democratic candidate for governor.
Yolanda Flowers is a Democratic candidate for governor.

Educator Yolanda Flowers won the Democratic nomination for governor Tuesday night, defeating Sen. Malika Sanders-Fortier of Selma in a runoff.

As of 11 p.m, with about 97% of the votes in, Flowers had 32,416 votes (55.1%). Sanders-Fortier had 26,371 (44.9%). Sanders-Fortier won most of her district in the western Black Belt, Baldwin County on the coast and scattered counties in the eastern part of the state. Flowers took the rest of the state.

The educator will be the first Black Alabamian nominated for governor by a major party, though she faces an uphill battle against Republican Gov. Kay Ivey in November. Flowers said she wanted to work on improving education and the state's criminal justice system, and creating a lottery.

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Alabama runoff election 2022: 4 Republican races, 1 Democratic contest on statewide ballot

Related coverage: Here are the six Alabama Democrats seeking their party's gubernatorial nomination

Other Alabama runoff contests

Rep. Wes Allen during the legislative session in the house chamber at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Ala., on Thursday April 7, 2022.
Rep. Wes Allen during the legislative session in the house chamber at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Ala., on Thursday April 7, 2022.

Secretary of State race

Rep. Wes Allen of Troy won the Republican nomination for secretary of state Tuesday night, taking 65% of the vote. State Auditor Jim Zeigler got 35%. Allen, a former Pike County probate judge, said he would focus on election security and said he would not consider measures to make voting more convenient. Allen faces Democratic nominee Pamela Laffitte in the November election.

Rep. Andrew Sorrell in the house chamber at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Ala., on Thursday March 11, 2021.
Rep. Andrew Sorrell in the house chamber at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Ala., on Thursday March 11, 2021.

State auditor race

Rep. Andrew Sorrell of Muscle Shoals won the Republican nomination for state auditor, getting 58% of the vote to businessman Stan Cooke's 41% in unofficial returns. Sorrell, who will run unopposed in November, said he wanted to enhance the office's oversight functions and move the Department of Public Examiners under its wing, a move that would likely require legislative action.

Public Service Commission

Two Public Service Commission incumbents won re-nomination Tuesday night, though one faced a more difficult battle Jeremy Oden got 52% of the vote to challenger Brent Woodall's 48% Tuesday evening. Oden's colleague Chip Beeker had 63% to challenger Robert McCollum's 37%. Oden and Beeker will run unopposed in November.

Contact Montgomery Advertiser reporter Brian Lyman at 334-240-0185 or blyman@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: 2022 Elections: Yolanda Flowers leads Dem governor runoff