Rex Reynolds wins special election to fill Jim Patterson's seat

Updated Mar 27, 10:25 PM; Posted Mar 27, 9:14 PM

By Paul Gattis pgattis@al.com

Republican Rex Reynolds, a former Huntsville police chief and city administrator, is now the Rocket City's newest state lawmaker. ... At least for now.

Reynolds narrowly defeated Democrat Terry Jones in a special election Tuesday to win the District 21 seat in the state House of Representatives formally held by Jim Patterson, who died suddenly following a heart attack Oct. 2, 2017.

Reynolds' election comes just as the 2018 legislative session is expected to end on Wednesday. ... Reynolds took the oath of office, administered by Madison County District Judge Linda Coats, at 8:23 p.m. -- just over an hour after polls closed.

Filling out the remainder of Patterson's term will be brief, too. Reynolds won the election less than eight months before he will face Jones on the ballot again in November as part of the regular legislative election cycle.