Republican Gov. Kay Ivey easily won her first full term as governor Tuesday night, sailing past her Democratic challenger Walt Maddox, mayor of Tuscaloosa.
As of 10:30 p.m., incomplete, unofficial election results showed Ivey with 60 percent of the vote to Maddox's 40 percent, with 86 percent of precincts reporting.
"Together, we've done it," Ivey said at her victory party. "The people of Alabama have spoken today loud and clear, and we want to keep Alabama on the right track and keep Alabama working."
Ivey is the first Republican woman ever elected governor of Alabama. The only other woman elected governor was Democrat Lurleen Wallace, who served from 1967 to 1968.
"Tonight, today, together, we have made history," Ivey said.
Ivey ascended to the governor's office when former Gov. Robert Bentley resigned after a spiraling sex scandal in April 2017. When she took office, she promised to "steady the ship of state"—a promise she has told voters she kept.
"And this is the first time in our history where a lieutenant governor became governor, who went forward and won the election as governor of Alabama," Ivey said.
In the year and a half since she took office, she has touted both job growth under her leadership and Alabama's low unemployment rate. The unemployment rate, though higher than most of Alabama's neighbors, is one of the lowest in Alabama's history.
The state hit its lowest unemployment rate in September 2017.
The governor fought off several serious primary challengers without a runoff, beating Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, Birmingham evangelist Scott Dawson and several others.
Throughout the primary and general election, Ivey's health remained a subdued part of the conversation surrounding her re-election. Her primary opponents released their health records in an attempt to get Ivey, 74, to release her own, and in recent weeks, a 2015 hospitalization in Colorado became an issue.
"The odds were against me," Ivey said. "Some folks said I'd never make it across the finish line. Others claimed I was on my last breath. But nothing could be further than the truth. Not only did I finish, but we finished strong."
Ivey said she is just getting started.
Although running in a deeply red state, Maddox attempted to win over Republicans who were wanting change. He walked a moderate line, often telling crowds that he was pro-life and pro-gun.
Most of all, Maddox pushed hard on Medicaid expansion and for an education lottery, saying both would benefit Alabamians.
"Although we did not win the race, it's important that we continue to keep the faith," Maddox said. "And even at this moment, it's important that we continue to believe in Alabama."
Maddox congratulated Ivey, saying she earned the responsibility. He struck a conciliatory tone in his concession speech.
"Clearly the governor and I have policy differences, but one fact supersedes them all. We are all Alabamians," Maddox said. "The governor and her team are going to face difficult challenges, and they deserve our prayers, and they also deserve our full support."
Maddox said he would support Ivey because her success means success for the state.
"Now, it's more important than ever that we continue to charge forward with our values, with our ideas, and our experiences," Maddox said. "Now is when we need unity more than division. Now is when we have to find common ground instead of things that consistently divide us."
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Chip Brownlee, senior in journalism and political science, is the editor-in-chief of The Auburn Plainsman.
