Democrat who ran on abortion rights wins Alabama district [Video]

Marilyn Lands, who campaigned on abortion rights in deeply conservative Alabama, won a special election to the Alabama Legislature, in a victory that Democrats say illustrates voter backlash to extreme reproductive restrictions imposed by Republicans.

Lands, a Democrat, on Tuesday decisively defeated Republican Teddy Powell to win the open House of Representatives seat in a suburban district that — while increasingly politically moderate — had long been held by the GOP. Her victory was celebrated by Democrats who said it underscores the importance of reproductive rights as an issue across the country ahead of the 2024 elections.

Marilyn Lands, a Democrat who ran a campaign centred on reproductive rights, is photographed on March 26, 2024 (Marilyn Lands via AP)

“Voters want something different, and I think they are tired of women’s freedoms and reproductive health care not being addressed,” Lands told The Associated Press in a telephone interview.

Alabama bans …