Bentley names finalists for seat

NICOLE NORRIS/THE GREENVILLE STANDARD

Six finalists have been named by Governor Robert Bentley for the U.S. Senate seat now held by U.S. Attorney General Nominee Jeff Sessions.

Bentley’s list includes: U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt of Haleyville, the pro tem of the Alabama Senate; Del Marsh of Anniston; Attorney General Luther Strange; Jim Byard, State Representative Connie Rowe of Jasper and former state legislator Perry Hooper Jr. of Montgomery.

Like Sessions, all six finalist are Republicans, Bentley will appoint one of them to the Senate seat if Sessions is confirmed as President Donald Trump’s attorney general.

Bentley has interviewed 20 people for the position. He will name an interim senator until an election can be held, which will occur in 2018. Sessions’ current term ends in January 2021.