Marsh wins re-election

Senator Del Marsh

The Republican leader of the Alabama Senate has beaten back a well-financed challenger to win another term in office.

 Sen. Del Marsh of Anniston clinched victory over Democrat Taylor Stewart on Tuesday. Marsh won 57 percent of the vote in the east Alabama Senate district to Stewart's 43 percent.

This will be Marsh's fifth term in the Alabama Senate. He was elected Senate president pro tem in 2010 after Republicans won their first legislative majority in more than a century.

 Marsh was the architect of a new Alabama law that gives tax credits that families in failing public schools can use to help pay for private school tuition

Marsh and Stewart both spent more than $1 million on their campaigns.