Black Congresswoman Corrine Brown, a 12-term incumbent, Loses Primary

Politico 

Democratic Rep. Corrine Brown, a 12-term incumbent who faced both redistricting and a federal indictment, lost her primary Tuesday in Florida’s 5th District, becoming the fifth House member to lose renomination this year. Al Lawson, a former state legislator, had 47 percent of the vote to Brown’s 39 percent when the Associated Press called the race with 96 percent of precincts reporting. The heavily Democratic district is all but certain to elect Lawson in November. Brown’s district, which used to stretch from Jacksonville south to Orlando, instead extended east to Tallahassee — Lawson’s home base — under a new congressional map drawn this cycle, after the old one was ruled unconstitutional in state court. Brown was also indicted on federal fraud charges in July, including allegations that she and her top adviser personally profited from a charity. Lawson unsuccessfully challenged then-Rep. Allen Boyd in a 2010 primary in the old 2nd District. He ran again and lost to former GOP Rep. Steve Southerland in the general election in 2012. Former Democratic Rep. Chaka Fattah, who has since resigned, also lost his primary earlier this year following an indictment, while Virginia Republican Rep. Randy Forbes and North Carolina Republican Rep. Renee Ellmers lost after being displaced by redistricting. GOP Rep. Tim Huelskamp of Kansas was also defeated in a heavily ideological primary earlier this month.