When did a House seat last change party hands in Alabama?

a) 2006

b) 1998

c) 1996

d) 1992

Answer: c) Alabama’s U.S. House delegation has held steady at five Republicans and two Democrats since the 1996 elections, in which the Republicans picked up two open seats in the state.

Republican Bob Riley won the contest that year for the 3rd District seat left open by Democratic incumbent Glen Browder, who lost a bid for the Democratic Senate nomination. Riley held the seat for three terms, then was elected to his current position as governor in 2002 and 2006. Riley was succeeded in the 3rd District seat by Republican Mike D. Rogers, who is running this year for his fourth term.

The other seat that flipped parties in 1996 was in the 4th District, where Republican Robert B. Aderholt was elected to succeed 15-term Democrat Tom Bevill, who retired. After a close initial race, Aderholt has dominated his five re-election contests so far and is an overwhelming favorite to win again this year.

The most recent incumbent defeat in Alabama was an intraparty matter, as Artur Davis defeated Rep. Earl Hilliard in the 2002 Democratic primary. Davis is a shoo-in to win a fourth term this year.

This year, each party is planning a strong bid to take over a House seat left open by a retiring incumbent of the opposite party. The Republicans are taking a shot at the 5th District seat left open by nine-term Democrat Robert E. “Bud” Cramer, while the Democrats are going after the 2nd District seat of eight-term Republican Terry Everett. The candidate matchups for those races will be finalized in Republican primary runoffs being held Tuesday, and CQ Politics will provide live online coverage of the outcomes in those races as well as the primaries being held in Georgia.