The chairman of the Alabama Republican Party on Wednesday dismissed Democrats’ notion that Marilyn Lands’ win in House District 10 is a harbinger of things to come across the country in November.
“National Democrats are trying to insinuate that House District 10 is a bellwether decision, not just for Alabama but also for the entire country. What they forget to say is that this is a purple district where Democrats always had a chance,” Wahl said of the Madison County district, where Lands, a licensed professional counselor, defeated Madison City Councilman Teddy Powell, 62 percent to 38 percent.
Lands’ win, which flipped the seat from red to blue, marked the first net gain for the Democrats in either chamber of the Alabama Legislature since 2002, Alabama Reflector reported.
Among the Democrats who suggested Lands’ victory had national implications was Biden campaign chairwoman Julie Chavez Rodriguez, who credited Lands’ win with her campaign focusing on the Alabama Supreme Court’s controversial ruling determining frozen embryos are children, threatening in vitro fertilization in the state.
The election results, Chavez Rodriguez said, “should serve as a major warning sign for Trump: voters will not stand for his attacks on reproductive health care. This November will be no different.”
Not so fast, according to Wahl, who said Tuesday night’s results were hardly a signal that Republicans are in danger in Alabama or elsewhere.
“Pretending that this election reflects on the entire state of Alabama is disingenuous and shows either a lack of understanding of the political landscape or an attempt to mislead voters,” Wahl said.
Tuesday night’s contest was a special election to replace ex-Rep. David Cole, a Republican who resigned after pleading guilty to illegal voting.
Special elections, Wahl noted, typically have low turnout, and 14.5 percent of eligible House District 10 voters cast ballots.
“Low turnout special elections are hard to predict, and notorious for unexpected outcomes. Results in these types of races are about which candidate is able to excite their base,” the chairman said. “It’s important to remember that only 14.5 percent of the population voted in this special election, and that is extremely low turnout when compared to a regular general election. Democrats got lucky yesterday, and the Alabama Republican Party is committed to taking this seat back in 2026.”
Wahl said Powell adopted a “middle of the road strategy in an attempt to bring in swing voters.”
In light of the election results, Wahl said, the lesson is that Republicans should focus on conservative messaging in November.
“The Alabama Republican Party has been extremely successful in swing districts across the state in recent years. Our strategy has been highlighting bold, conservative messaging that pushes back on the national Democrat Party’s flawed policies and woke, socialist agenda,” he said. “The GOP picked up 50 seats across Alabama in 2022 with this bold messaging. We talked about parental rights in education, protecting our children from indoctrination, and the fact we can tell the difference between a man and a woman. Republicans across the country did not fare as well as Republicans here in Alabama, and the lesson is we cannot not be afraid to stand strong for conservative values. Republicans win when we talk about policy and the principles we believe in.”
