Emily Jones will be the Republican nominee for Alabama’s District 8 seat on the State Board of Education after defeating William Matthews in Tuesday’s runoff election.

According to unofficial results from the Alabama Secretary of State’s Office, Jones received 18,629 votes, or 53.55%, while Matthews earned 16,162 votes, or 46.45%.

The District 8 seat is open because incumbent board member Wayne Reynolds did not seek reelection.

Emily Jones is the founder of the Madison County chapter of Moms for Liberty. During the campaign, she said she wants to focus on improving academic outcomes while increasing parental involvement and transparency in public schools.

The district covers Limestone, Madison, Jackson and DeKalb counties.

With the Republican nomination secured, Jones will advance to the Nov. 3 general election, where she will face Democratic nominee Shatika Armstrong.