Roby defeats Barber in 2nd Congressional District

Published 9:10 pm Tuesday, July 13, 2010

MONTGOMERY (AP) — Mainstream Republican Martha Roby has defeated tea party activist Rick Barber in the GOP runoff for a southeast Alabama congressional seat that Republicans hope to reclaim.

With 74 percent of the vote counted Roby had 61 percent of the vote to 39 percent for Barber. Barber is a 34-year-old former Marine who operates a Montgomery pool hall that has hosted tea party meetings.

Roby will face Democratic U.S. Rep. Bobby Bright, a conservative Democrat who arrowly won the seat in 2008. It was the first time the seat hadn’t been claimed by a Republican in 44 years.

The 34-year-old Roby has served on the Montgomery City Council since 2003.