Attorney General Steve Marshall won a bitterly contested runoff for the Republican nomination for attorney general today, defeating former AG Troy King.
Marshall's victory comes just over three weeks after the shock of the suicide of his wife, Bridgette Marshall, who had battled mental illness and opioid addiction.
Marshall, who advances to face Democrat Joseph Siegelman in November, had barely led King in the primary six weeks ago but won the runoff decisively.
The Associated Press reported that Marshall received 211,652 votes, 62 percent, to King's 129,409 votes, 38 percent.
Marshall was joined by his daughter and other family members as he spoke to animated supporters who packed a Montgomery restaurant.
"Let me talk personal for a second," Marshall said. "I am wearing the suit that Bridgette and I got married in. I am wearing the tie in which I gave her eulogy. She's with us tonight. She's here tonight. And I can tell you that for all of us, the people of this state have honored us and have embraced us and have supported us and have prayed for us so much. And it has meant the world.
"And what it's done is give us the ability to be able to move forward to where we are tonight to now be able to in November, be reaffirmed as the attorney general of Alabama."
Marshall has been attorney general since his appointment by former Gov. Robert Bentley in February 2017. He had served as Marshall County district attorney since 2001.
King was appointed attorney general by former Gov. Bob Riley in 2004, won a full term in 2006 and lost to Luther Strange in 2010.
The suicide of Bridgette Marshall last month put the Marshall-King race on hold but the candidates later resumed their bruising battle.
King filed a lawsuit challenging Marshall's campaign contributions from the Republican Attorneys General Association, but it was dismissed by a Montgomery judge.
King also filed an ethics complaint concerning those contributions, saying the donations violated a state ban on transferring money between political action committees. King told WHNT after his defeat Tuesday night that he is not dropping the complaint.
"I didn't file an ethics complaint or a lawsuit as a publicity stunt," King told WHNT. "I filed it because I had been attorney general of Alabama. And as the attorney general of Alabama I have to believe that the law means something."
The Marshall campaign has said it is confident the RAGA contributions are legal.
As he leaves the stage, King says he feels confident. Hands out some cake. Tells crowd to get comfortable
Emcee says Troy will be the winner, to some applause
Marshall has raised and spent more than $3 million in the race, while King has raised and spent more than $2 million.
Marshall praised his campaign team and his staff at the attorney general's office. He thanked voters for believing in him.
"You made me understand that the hard work and the effort and in some ways the angst of the last 18 months was worth it because you believed in me," Marshall said. "And I'll never forget that. I will never, ever forget it. And now I need to be able to honor it going forward."
Marshall appeared to keep his emotions in check, even when talking about watching a video of his wife a few minutes before the victory speech. Marshall said it was a recording of Bridgette speaking at his campaign kickoff, something he said she generally shied away from doing.
Marshall said he was ready to get back to work after a celebration tonight.
"We're going to roll up the sleeves," Marshall said. "And we're going to share with the people of Alabama that a principled conservative fighter is ready to go to work and continue to go to work for the people of this state."
In the June 5 primary, Marshall edged King to finish first in a four-candidate field, but did not come close to the majority needed to avoid a runoff.
Marshall had 154,219 votes, 28.4 percent, to King's 151,364 votes, 27.8 percent.