Clay again defeats Hamlin in St. Louis district

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Six-term Congressman William Lacy Clay Jr. has won another two-year stint in Washington, defeating Republican challenger Robyn Hamlin for the second consecutive time in Missouri's 1st District.

Unofficial results Tuesday night show Clay topping Hamlin, a liberal Republican who supports gay marriage and drug law reform. Hamlin lost to Clay in 2010. Libertarian Robb E. Cunningham finished third.

Clay had to fend off fellow Rep. Russ Carnahan in an August Democratic primary after the once-a-decade redrawing of the state's political boundaries matched the two incumbents, both sons of long-time Missouri politicians.

Carnahan chose to face Clay rather than seek an open seat in the 2nd District created after Rep. Todd Akin decided to run for U.S. Senate.