A firefighter from Auburn, Alabama is the frontrunner for the empty seat in the state House of Representatives vacated after former speaker Mike Hubbard was removed from office.
Unofficial returns from last night’s balloting show Joe Lovvorn led a field of four Republican primary candidates with 51 percent of the vote. WSFA-TV reports Lovvorn will move on to face Libertarian candidate Gage Fenwick in the general election in November. No Democrats are running for the House seat.
Lovvorn says his 20 years of experience with the Auburn Fire Department have prepared him to serve in the state legislature. He also owns a local moving company.
The seat in House District 79 was last held by former speaker Mike Hubbard, who was convicted of multiple felony ethics violations and removed from office earlier this year. He is in the process of appealing his conviction.