Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — The state of Alabama is postponing its scheduled March 31 primary runoff in the Senate race between Jeff Sessions and former Auburn University football coach Tommy Tuberville.

Saying having people stand in line to vote is too risky right now, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said the runoff is being rescheduled to July 14. The winner will face U.S. Sen. Doug Jones in November.

Five other states also have postponed their primaries because of the coronavirus pandemic: Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland and Ohio.

Sessions has been forced into a tight primary runoff as he seeks to recapture the Senate seat he held for 20 years. Tuberville led in the initial round, taking 33 percent of the vote to Sessions' 31 percent.

Sessions is seeking to reclaim the Senate seat he held for 20 years before becoming President Donald Trump’s first attorney general. Sessions stepped down after his relationship with Trump soured over his recusal in the investigation.