For the first time in 22 years, Alabama Democrats have flipped a state legislature seat in Alabama from red to blue, as Marilyn Lands wallops her Republican opponent by 26% points (63-37) running on a platform of preserving abortion access and protecting in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures.
Just two years ago, Lands narrowly lost this race against former Republican state Representative David Cole, who resigned last August after pleading guilty to a voter fraud charge.
I am sure Cole’s resignation in disgrace did not help Republicans in this race, but make no mistake, Lands’ victory last night was due to Republican extremism on reproductive rights:
“Democrat Marilyn Lands won an upset victory in Alabama on Tuesday when she defeated Republican and Madison City Council member Teddy Powell in a special election for the Alabama state House that represents a 33-point swing for Democrats.
Lands won the election with 63 percent of the vote to Powell’s 37 percent with all precincts reporting in the race for House District 10. The Democrat made abortion rights and access to in vitro fertilization (IVF) major themes of her campaign.
This is the first election in Alabama since the state Supreme Court’s ruling in February that threatened access to IVF and a major win for Democrats in a deep red state.
Lands previously ran against state Representative David Cole for the same seat and lost. Coles, a Republican, won 52 percent of the vote to Lands’ 45 percent. The Democrat’s victory on Tuesday represents a 33-point swing in her favor.
Cole resigned from the state House in August 2023 after pleading guilty to a voter fraud charge.
“Today, Alabama women and families sent a clear message that will be heard in Montgomery and across the nation,” Lands said in a statement.“
You can say that again, Marilyn. I am sure Republican candidates across Alabama and the rest of the country will get a queasy feeling in their stomachs reviewing these results.
As they should.
It appears the Alabama Supreme Court overplayed a weak hand last year when they sought to restrict access to in vitro fertilization procedures which some folks must rely on to start their families.
When will Republicans learn that some decisions should only be made by patients and doctors?
President Biden’s campaign thanked the voters of Alabama’s 10th District with the following statement:
“Last month Alabamans lost access to fertility treatments because of Donald Trump. Tonight the voters in Alabama’s 10th House District elected a pro-choice champion in Marilyn Lands, Sending Trump and extreme MAGA Republicans a clear message: they know exactly who is to blame for restricting their ability to decide how and when to build their families and they’re ready to fight back,”.
Voters indeed sent a clear statement last night, it is up to Democrats to hear their concern and reflect it in this coming national campaign.
Hate to be the spoil sport but, you’ve got to bear in mind that the next REGULAR state legislative elections don’t happen until 2026.
And, really, shouldn’t a more interesting point be the fact that the previous REPUBLICAN legislator resigned due to a conviction in a *voter fraud* case? Once again, the Party that screams about “voter fraud” chose to back a candidate who participated in fraudulent activity. Kind of ironically, his primary opponent in 2022 brought it to the attention of State Republican Party officials but *he* was removed from the ballot for an association with the Libertarian Party while leaving the fraud as the GOP candidate. Not saying the IVF and abortion rights issues didn’t have something to do with Lands’ win but it wouldn’t surprise me if a lot of voters were less than happy with the GOP’s willingness to ignore allegations of voter fraud even as it continues having its candidates tout “secure voting” and “ballot integrity” as “issues” in elections.
Also, it should be noted that while we ARE having elections for the Supreme Court, and only 1 race (for Chief Justice) of the 5 is being contested by a Democrat and he’s actually running against a GOPer who’s currently on the court and sided with the anti-IVF majority. So, even if the Democrat wins, he’s still going to be pretty much a lone voice in the wilderness (as, currently, all members of the Alabama Supreme Court are GOPers).
BOY HOWDY, this seems to be a AWESOME sign of what’s coming……! Looks like MOST of us, were paying ATTENTION! Hooray & carry on, lovers of Democracy! 🥰
Abort the GOP!