HUNTSVILLE — Voters head to the polls Tuesday to cast their general election ballot.
While Republicans hold a solid supermajority in the Alabama Legislature, a handful of races in North Alabama are proving competitive.
In addition to the State Sen. Tom Butler-Kim Lewis showdown in the District 2 State Senate contest, the races for House District 25 and House District 10 are reportedly in a dead heat.
The District 25 seat is being vacated by House Speaker Mac McCutcheon (R-Monrovia) who chose not to seek re-election.
In District 10, long-serving Rep. Mike Ball (R-Madison) also is not seeking re-election.
The candidates looking to replace the two long-serving leaders are Republican Phillip Rigsby and Democrat Mallory Hagan for House District 25, and Republican David Cole and Democrat Marilyn Lands for House District 10.
Cole avoided a June primary when fellow Republican candidate Anson Knowles was removed from the ballot by the Alabama Republican Party Candidate Committee in March.
The two races, featuring candidates mostly unfamiliar to voters, have left the race tighter than many expected heading into Tuesday’s election.
Citing polling that has not been publicly released, a source told 256 Today the races for House District 25 and House District 10 are virtual ties, with one poll even showing Hagan in the lead over Rigsby.
Hagan, a native of a native of Opelika, ran for Alabama’s Third Congressional District in 2018 and lost to U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers. The former Miss America is a restaurant consultant with Sysco.
Rigsby is a native of Huntsville and is a pharmacist and owner of the Huntsville Compounding Pharmacy and The Medicine Shoppe pharmacy.
In the District 10 race, Cole is a decorated combat veteran who served for 22 years as an Army physician in Afghanistan and Iraq. He serves as medical director of Occupational Health Group in Huntsville.
Lands is a licensed professional counselor; she had also worked in the banking and aerospace industries.
The District 10 race will also feature Libertarian candidate Elijah Boyd on the ballot.
Leaders from the Republican and Democratic parties in Alabama are quick to sing the praises of their candidates.
House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels (D-Huntsville) said both the races are “neck and neck.” The North Alabama leader has been throwing his support behind the campaigns of Hagan and Lands.
“Mallory Hagan has used her platform to help raise millions for children’s advocacy centers nationwide,” said Daniels. “She has a powerful vision to make our neighborhoods more prosperous, safer, and healthier. We are looking forward to having her join our team in Montgomery.”
Daniels also “strongly supports” Lands for House District 10, stating she will be an innovative and powerful voice in the Legislature.
“She proposes real and practical solutions that will bring economic growth, better paying jobs, and more opportunities to our communities,” he said. “Whether it’s education, health care or finding ways to improve our infrastructure, Marilyn Lands will expand on a solid track record of success to help our lawmakers build a stronger Alabama.”
In another sign the races are close, Republicans have been circling the political wagons in recent days, highlighting Alabama’s Republican rising star and U.S. Senate candidate Katie Britt in Madison County. At a recent rally at Black Patch Distillery in Madison, Britt was joined by U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), where they urged voters to not let the county “go purple.”
Majority Leader Nathaniel Ledbetter (R-Rainsville) is also encouraging North Alabama Republican voters to show up at the polls.
“It is imperative for voters in (House) District 10 and 25 to show up on Tuesday and vote for David and Phillip,” he said. “If voters want to continue to have a seat at the table in Montgomery, electing David and Phillip is their only option.
“Phillip Rigsby is a proven community leader and will be a strong conservative voice for his constituents in Montgomery. As a true native of Madison County, Phillip understands the needs of his community and the people he represents.
“As a decorated veteran who served our country for 22 years, David Cole will always represent the best interests of (House) District 10. He’s committed to helping the people he represents, and will stand up for their conservative values in Montgomery.”
Meanwhile the Cole campaign has been fending off reports questioning the legality of his residency in District 10. Campaign manager David Driscoll provided the following statement to 256 Today:
If Cole were to win the election but run of afoul of residency requirements, he would be removed from office and a special election would be held, according to Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill.
For his part, Merrill expects smooth sailing as Alabama voters head to the polls saying the state has prepared to ensure an efficient, secure election. He also predicts between 1.65 million and 1.84 million voters will go to the polls.
“We currently have 3,689,325 registered voters in the state, so that will put us between 45 and 50% of our registered voters participate,” Merrill said. “We had 1.7 million that voted in the 2018 election which was close to 60% but we have added a number of voters since that time. The 1.7 million voters shattered the whole record by more than 500,000 voters.”
Visit the Secretary of State’s website Alabama Votes, to confirm your voter registration status and polling location.
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