MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Republican establishment put its money and its clout behind Bradley Byrne and came out a winner in Alabama’s 1st Congressional District.
With 100 percent of the precincts reporting Tuesday night, Byrne won the Republican runoff with 52.5 percent of the vote while tea party supporter Dean Young drew 47.5 percent.
Young said he had a strong grassroots campaign, but he couldn’t overcome the money the GOP establishment put behind Byrne. “It gives the Republican establishment a notch on their belt because they did what they said they would do,” Young said.
Byrne said the voters were more interested in performance than labels. “The voters were looking for the person who would be the most conservative advocate in Washington,” he said.
Byrne advances to the general election Dec. 17 against Mobile real estate agent Burton Leflore. He has raised 1 percent as much money as Byrne has in a district that has elected Republicans to Congress since 1964.