Republican Kristen Nelson cruised to victory Tuesday in an Alabama special election, underscoring GOP momentum that stretched from the Deep South to New York.
Nelson captured about 85% of the vote in the House District 38 special general election, according to unofficial results released by the Alabama Secretary of State. A total of 2,195 ballots were cast, with Democrat Hazel Floyd trailing far behind.
The lopsided win adds another Republican seat to the Alabama House of Representatives, and comes as Republicans also posted a victory in New York’s State Senate District 61, reinforcing a broader national trend favoring the GOP in down-ballot races.
Nelson advanced to the general election after winning an October Republican runoff, having led a three-candidate GOP primary earlier in the year. She significantly outraised her opponents, raising more than $125,000 during the cycle and reporting roughly $26,000 in cash on hand in her most recent campaign finance filing.
That financial cushion will help as she shifts quickly into campaign mode for the 2026 regular election. Nelson was the only Republican to qualify for that race last month, while Democrats Hazel Floyd and Christopher Davis also filed to run.
A former third-grade teacher, Nelson made school safety a centerpiece of her campaign, calling for school resource officers in every school. She also emphasized job creation and crime reduction as top priorities.
House District 38 includes parts of Lee County and Chambers County. The seat was previously held by Republican Debbie Wood, who moved out of the district earlier this year following her husband’s job relocation.
