Republican U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby will spend a sixth term in Washington.
Shelby easily defeated Democratic challenger Ron Crumpton. Crumpton is best known in the state as an advocate for legalizing medicinal marijuana.
The 82-year-old senator was first elected as Democrat in 1986, but switched to the GOP in 1994. He faced no significant opposition in 2004 and 2006, as right-leaning scorecards ranked him as one of the most conservative members of the U.S. Senate.
The Republican ran a more visible campaign this year — unloading a portion of a $19 million campaign war chest — during the GOP primary as challengers tried unsuccessfully to capitalize on an anti-Washington mood. However, Shelby easily won the primary.