Alabama AG named to Jeff Sessions’ former Senate seat

By KIM CHANDLER
Associated Press

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) – Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange has been named to the U.S. Senate seat left empty by Jeff Sessions.

Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley announced Thursday the interim appointment of Strange, a 63-year-old lawyer and former Washington lobbyist.

The seat opened up after Sessions’ appointment to become U.S. attorney general under President Donald Trump was confirmed Wednesday.

Strange has been Alabama’s attorney general since 2011 and is a Republican like Sessions and Bentley. He announced last year that he planned to run for the Senate seat regardless of whether he got the interim appointment.

Strange will serve until an election is held to fill the seat for the remainder of Sessions’ term. Bentley has said that election will be held next year.

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