Alabama Governor's Race: Kay Ivey Declared Winner

MONTGOMERY, AL - The New York Times and Associated Press have declared Kay Ivey the winner in the Alabama gubernatorial race.

With 32 percent of precincts reporting, Ivey had increased her lead to 63 percent of the vote, or 317,689 votes, to Walt Maddox's 191,354.

Ivey has out-raised Maddox in campaign funding by a nearly 3:1 ratio, despite doing a minimal amount of actual campaigning. Ivey refused to debate any of her primary opponents, and refused to debate Maddox after she won the GOP primary handily with no run-off. Maddox has hit the campaign trail extensively, however, with the hope that he can reach some of Alabama's undecided voters.

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Maddox touted a plan for an education lottery, which has been one of his rallying points in this campaign. Alabama is one of only two states in the continental U.S. without a lottery, and polls have shown that Alabama residents are largely in favor of a statewide lottery.

Related Story: Walt Maddox Answers Questions On His Lottery Proposal

Ivey, ran in the gubernatorial race for the first time, has spent a little more than a year on the job after taking over when Gov. Robert Bentley resigned in April of 2017. The state has seen vast improvements in unemployment under Ivey's watch, and she has stressed in her few campaign statements that the jobless rate in Alabama will continue to fall if elected.

Ivey served at the State Treasurer for two terms - elected in 2002 and 2006 - and served at Lt. Governor from 2011-2017. When Bentley resigned after news of an affair with a staff member came to light, Ivey took office, becoming only the second female governor in Alabama history.

Maddox has served as mayor of Tuscaloosa since 2005, during which time he was named the 2012 Municipal Leader of the Year by American City & County magazine after his response to the 2011 tornadoes in Tuscaloosa.

Photo by Mark Wallheiser/Getty Images