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The new kid on the block, Robert Stewart, beat out long standing District 23 Senate seat holder, Hank Sanders, in Tuesday night’s run-off election. Stewart and Sanders were both battling for the District 23 Democratic seat, held by Hank Sanders from 1983-2018. Sanders daughter, Malika Sanders-Fortier, held the position for the last 4-year term.

“I felt hopeful,” Stewart said when asked how he felt as the votes came in. “I am just grateful for Dallas County. I knew that would be a huge win. I went in understanding (the votes coming in) could be a rollercoaster and just kept believing we would come through in the end.”

Stewart held a watch party at The Anchor while waiting and watching for the results.

“I found out about 10 p.m.,” Stewart said.

Stewart served as a former aide to U.S. Representative Terri Sewell. He received 55.6 percent of the vote securing his Senate bid. Sanders received 44 percent of the vote.

Stewart took Dallas County will an overwhelming majority of the vote, 72.6 percent of the vote. Stewart also secured Lowndes, Wilcox, and Monroe counties while Sanders secured Perry, Clark, Conecuh, and Butler counties.

Stewart will face Republican candidate Michael Nimmer who is from Greenville. Nimmer ran unopposed in the primary. Portia Shepherd, running as the Libertarian candidate, lives in Perry County and will be seeking the District 23 Senate seat as well.