After bruising special election, Congressman Bradley Byrne sails without opposition in 2014

MOBILE, Alabama – After struggling to a narrow victory in a special election Republican primary runoff for a vacant congressional seat, Bradley Byrne finds himself in an enviable position barley more than three months later.

The 2014 primary qualifying deadline passed last week without a single Republican or Democrat lining up to challenge him.

It is a far cry from last year when he was one of nine Republicans jostling to fill the unexpired term of Jo. Bonner, R-Mobile, who resigned to take a job as vice chancellor in the University of Alabama System. Byrne, R-Fairhope, finished first in the initial round of voting in September and then fought back a stiff challenge from conservative activist Dean Young on Nov. 5.