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NEW: Indicted Member of Congress Loses Re-Election Bid

Corrine Brown
Posted at 10:33 PM, Aug 30, 2016
and last updated 2016-08-30 18:45:48-04

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown has lost her battle to remain in office amid a criminal indictment and a revamped district that includes thousands of new voters.

The Jacksonville politician was defeated in the Democratic primary by former State Sen. Al Lawson from Tallahassee.

The 69-year-old Brown was one of the first African-Americans elected to Congress from Florida since reconstruction. Her motto "Corrine Delivers" was a testament of her ability during her two decades in office to bring federal dollars back to her district.

But in early July, Brown and her chief of staff pleaded not guilty to multiple fraud charges that alleged she participated in a scheme to use a phony charity as a personal slush fund. Brown's district was also reshaped as part of court battle over congressional districts.

Lawson will face Republican Glo Smith in November.