Tough GOP race for Shelby seat in Alabama closes with flurry

By KIM CHANDLER
Associated Press

HUNTSVILLE. Ala. (AP) — Republican Senate hopefuls in Alabama are making last-minute pitches to primary voters in the tight race for the GOP nomination for the seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Richard Shelby. The three leading candidates in Tuesday’s primary are U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks, former Shelby aide Katie Britt and veteran Mike Durant. All concentrated their efforts in Republican strongholds in north Alabama, where they’re attempting to sway undecided primary voters and combat a flurry of negative attack ads in the race. The fractured field increases the chances the primary will go to a June 21 runoff.