Democrat Kelvin Datcher wins race to replace former Alabama Rep. John Rogers

Kelvin Datcher has won the race to represent Birmingham in the Alabama State House, claiming the seat previously held by John Rogers. Datcher, a key aide to Mayor Randall Woodfin, decisively defeated Republican challenger Erskine Brown Jr.

According to unofficial results, Datcher secured 1,174 votes, while Brown received just 218. Voter turnout was notably low, with only 1,499 ballots cast out of 34,452 registered voters in District 52, accounting for less than 5% of the electorate. Provisional ballots are yet to be counted.

“It’s super exciting, it’s overwhelming, and it’s a bit of a relief,” Datcher remarked after the results came in.

District 52, a heavily Democratic area that includes parts of Birmingham, Fairfield, Homewood, and Mountain Brook, had been held by Rep. John Rogers since 1982. Rogers, a Democrat, resigned in March following his guilty plea in a federal corruption case.

Datcher celebrated his victory with supporters and fellow Democrats at Elysian Gardens in Avondale, which also hosted a vice-presidential debate watch party presented by the Jefferson County Democrats. Throughout his campaign, Datcher emphasized the importance of maintaining Democratic leadership in the district. Brown, the Republican candidate, acknowledged that his campaign was a longshot, citing the district’s Democratic leaning, and had no online campaign presence.