Dick Brewbaker, a former state senator and longtime Montgomery car dealer, has advanced to a runoff for the Republican nomination in Alabama’s redrawn 2nd congressional district.

Brewbaker led the seven-candidate GOP primary field. The Associated Press declared about 10:30 p.m. that he had made the runoff. The AP said it was too soon to call who had finished second and made the other spot in the runoff.

Attorney Caroleene Dobson was in second place, followed closely by Sen. Greg Albritton, R-Atmore.

The runoff will be April 16.

The winner faces the Democratic nominee in a race where Democrats are believed to have a strong chance to flip what has been a safe Republican district and elect a second Democrat and second Black member to Alabama’s seven-member congressional delegation.

Former Justice Department official Shomari Figures of Mobile faces Alabama House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels of Huntsville in the Democratic runoff.

A federal court approved a new map in October that favors Democrats. The district stretches from the Georgia line to the Mississippi line and from Montgomery to Mobile, taking in all or part of 13 counties.

Brewbaker did not seek reelection in 2018 after completing two terms in the Alabama Senate, keeping a term-limit commitment. He had previously served one term in the Alabama House.

Dobson grew up on her family’s cattle farm in Beatrice in Monroe County, one of the rural areas of the redrawn district. She graduated from Harvard College and the Baylor Law School and practices real estate law with the Maynard Nexsen firm.

Albritton is a retired Navy officer who was elected to the Senate in 2014 and is in his third term. He is chairman of the General Fund budget committee, one of the most important positions in the Senate.

Others in the race were Montgomery attorney Hampton Harris, Bishop State Community College math instructor Stacey Shepperson, Newton City Council member Belinda Thomas, and Mobile businesswoman Karla DuPriest.

Read more: How Alabama’s 2nd congressional district plays a role in determining control of the U.S. House