Hide Transcript Show Transcript

WEBVTT CHOOSE A NEW GOVERNOR.KAY IVY MOVED UP THE ELECTIONALMOST A YEAR REVERSING FORMERGOVERNOR BENTLEY'S DECISION.WE GO NOW LIVE TOMONTGOMERY.MARLEI, WHY DID IVY MAKE THISDECISION?>> Reporter: GOVERNOR IVY ISON A MISSION TO REMOVE ANYCLOUD OF DOUBT OF ROBERTBENTLEY'S SPECIAL ELECTIONSPROCESS.CANDIDATES WITH THE MAJORPOLITICAL PARTIES HAVE ONEMONTH TO QUALIFY.THE PRIMARY IS SET FORAUGUST 15th.IF THERE IS A RUNOFF IT WILLBE SEPTEMBER 26th AND THEGENERAL ELECTION ISSEPTEMBER 12th.THAT'S A YEAR AHEAD OF THEPREVIOUSLY SCHEDULED ELECTIONDATE.>> IT RURPS -- IT RETURNS THEAUTHORITY TO SELECT THEREPRESENTATIVE BACK TO THEPEOPLE.ITIT IS THE PEOPLE'S DECISIONTHAT SHOULD BE HONORED ABOUTWHO WILL REPRESENT THEM.>> Reporter: RAW -- LAWMAKERSSAY THERE HAS BEEN A CLOUDINCLUDING OVER LUTHER STRANGETO TEMPORARILY 5 JEFF SESSIONSSEAT.ALL OF THIS WHILE STRANGE'SOFFICE WAS INVESTIGATINGBENTLEY.GOVERNOR IVY SAID AFTER SHESIGNED THE CLOCK --PROCLAMATION SHE TURNED ITOVER TO MERYL.>> I WILL BE READY AND THESTATE PARTY WILL BE READY ANDWE ARE EXCITED TO SELECT THENEXT UNITED STATES SENATOR.>> Reporter: IN A STATEMENTSENATOR STRANGE SAYS HE ISREADY TO RUN FOR THE SEATWHETHER IT IS NEXT MONTH ORNEXT YEAR.COMING UP AT 5:00, MOREDETAILS ON GOVERNOR IVY'SPHONE CONVERSATION WITHSENATOR STRANGE.

Advertisement Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey moves US Senate special election to this year Share Shares Copy Link Copy

Alabama's new governor has moved up the election for the Senate seat left vacant by U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions to this summer, reversing former Gov. Robert Bentley's plan to wait until 2018. Gov. Kay Ivey announced Tuesday she was calling a special election. The new schedule sets the primary Aug. 15 with a runoff Sept. 26. The general election will be Dec. 12. Ivey says the law "clearly states the people should vote for a replacement U.S. Senator as soon as possible." Bentley appointed former Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange to the seat and said the election would coincide with the 2018 scheduled elections. The state's GOP lieutenant governor, Ivey replaced Bentley who resigned April 10 after a scandal involving allegations that he had an affair with his top political adviser.—Sen. Luther Strange's statement: “As I’ve said for months, I’m a candidate and I’m ready to run whether the election is next month or next year. As the only announced candidate for this office, I will spend the next several months being the best Senator I can be, upholding Alabama values and working with President Donald Trump to drain the swamp and help make America great again. The people of Alabama deserve nothing less and ultimately it will be up to them to decide who will represent them in Washington.”Alabama House Democratic Caucus:"Governor Ivey’s announcement this morning puts us one step closer to turning the page on this ugly and shameful period in our state history. This demonstrates a departure from the backroom politics that we have seen for too long in Montgomery. The people of Alabama have the right to decide who represents our state and now they will have that opportunity."