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.
"Our legislature must repeal Alabama's no-exceptions abortion ban, fully restore access to IVF, and protect the right to contraception. To my campaign team and volunteers, both in this run and in my last one, I want you to know how much your support means to me," the statement went on.
"I could not have done this alone and have been so incredibly blessed by the people around me. I look forward to representing everyone in District 10 and building a brighter future for Alabama. The campaign might have ended, but our work is just beginning," Lands said.
Powell issued a statement on Tuesday conceding the race and wishing Lands "the absolute best as she goes on to serve the people of District 10 in the House of Representatives."
He also thanked his supporters and said he was "proud of the campaign we ran."
"Our state has much to offer and I believe if we come together, we can accomplish great things," Powell said.
Newsweek has reached out to the Powell campaign via email outside of business hours for comment.
Lands is a licensed professional counselor. Her opponent, Madison City Council member Powell, is a former budget analyst for the U.S. Department of Defense.
President Joe Biden's campaign also issued a statement celebrating Lands' victory.
"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," the statement said.
The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) also celebrated Lands' win in a statement shared with Newsweek on Wednesday morning. Lands is one of the DLCC's "spotlight" candidates.
DLCC President Heather Williams called Lands' victory "a political earthquake in Alabama."
"This special election is a harbinger of things to come. Republicans across the country have been put on notice that there are consequences to attacks on IVF – from the bluest blue state to the reddest red, voters are choosing to fight for their fundamental freedoms by electing Democrats across the country," Williams went on.
"From Alabama to Florida to New Hampshire to Pennsylvania, the DLCC's impressive winning streak continues. 2024 is the year of the states. This is the most important year in state legislative campaign history, and we're only just getting started," the statement said.
In February, the state Supreme Court issued a ruling that frozen embryos are considered children under Alabama state law—a decision that was widely seen as threatening access to IVF in the state and led some clinics to stop IVF treatment.
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey, a Republican, signed a law protecting access to IVF in March following the state Supreme Court's ruling. The bill passed both chambers of Alabama's GOP-controlled legislature.
Ivey issued a statement at the time saying that IVF was "a complex issue, no doubt" and that there would be more work to do.
"But right now, I am confident that this legislation will provide the assurances our IVF clinics need and will lead them to resume services immediately," the governor said.
Update 03/27/24 08:36 a.m. E.T.: This article was updated to include statements from Teddy Powell and the DLCC.
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About the writer
Darragh Roche is a U.S. News Reporter based in Limerick, Ireland. His focus is reporting on U.S. politics. He has ... Read more
