Marilyn Lands

Marilyn Lands
Member of the Alabama House of Representatives
from the 10th district
Assumed office
March 27, 2024
Preceded byDavid Cole
Personal details
Political partyDemocratic
ResidenceHuntsville
OccupationProfessional counselor

Marilyn Lands is an American politician who currently serves as a Democratic member of the Alabama House of Representatives, representing District 10 in Huntsville. She was elected in a March 2024 special election to succeed Republican David Cole, who resigned after being jailed for electoral fraud.

Alabama House of Representatives

A Democrat, she was first elected to her seat on March 26, 2024, with over 62 percent of the vote to replace David Cole, a Republican, who resigned his seat after being sentenced to 60 days in jail for electoral fraud.[1] Notably, Cole won his last election with 51 percent of the vote, resulting in over a 17-point swing in favor of the Democrats.

Lands based her campaign on reproductive rights, opposing Alabama's ban on abortion, as well as supporting in vitro fertilization (IVF) in the aftermath of LePage v. Center for Reproductive Medicine.[2] She was endorsed by Planned Parenthood in the election.[1] According to AL.com, "The race drew national interest against the backdrop of the controversial Alabama State Supreme Court ruling that frozen embryos are considered children under state law."[3]

Electoral history

2022 Alabama House of Representatives general election, 10th District[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican David Cole 7,581 51.59%
Democratic Marilyn Lands 6,608 44.96%
Libertarian Elijah Boyd 503 3.42%
Write-in 4 0.03%
Total votes 14,696 100
2024 Alabama House of Representatives special election, 10th District[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Marilyn Lands 3,715 62.3%
Republican Teddy Powell 2,236 37.5%
Write-in 11 0.2%
Total votes 5,962 100
Democratic gain from Republican

References

  1. ^ a b Crampton, Liz (March 26, 2024). "Abortion proves winning strategy for Alabama Democrat". Politico. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
  2. ^ Milman, Oliver (March 27, 2024). "Democrat wins election in conservative Alabama after focus on abortion and IVF". The Guardian. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
  3. ^ Koplowitz, Howard (March 26, 2024). "Alabama Democrat Marilyn Lands, running on IVF ruling, flips Republican House seat". AL.com.
  4. ^ "Final Canvass of Results" (PDF). Alabama SOS. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
  5. ^ "2024 House District 10 General Election". March 26, 2024. Retrieved March 27, 2024.