Alabama Legislature has big turnover with 39 new faces

Tuesday’s election tightened Republicans’ grip on control of the Alabama Legislature.

But while the party that’s been in charge since 2010 did not change, many of the faces did.

Thirty-five Republican lawmakers are newcomers, 24 in the House and 11 in the Senate. They join a super majority the GOP has wielded since 2010.

Overall, new office-holders in both parties now occupy 42 of the 140 seats in both chambers. Not all are brand new to the process. Three of the new Republican senators were House members during the last term.

The rookie lawmakers didn’t get there by knocking off incumbents. Sen. Paul Bussman of Cullman was the only Republican incumbent to lose, and that came in the primary.

But many Republican lawmakers decided not to run or try for another office, opening up slots for newcomers.

Democratic incumbents were mostly successful, too. Only two lost. Rep. Elaine Beech of Chatom lost to Republican Brett Easterbrook in District 65 in southwest Alabama. Rep. Alvin Holmes, who was the longest serving member of the House, lost to Kirk Hatcher in the Democratic primary. Holmes had served since 1974. Hatcher won the general election over an independent and now holds the District 78 seat in Montgomery.

Overall, Republicans gained five seats in the House, giving them a 77-28 edge over the Democrats. Republicans gained one seat in the Senate and hold 27 of 35 seats.