Democrat wins Alabama special election in early test for IVF as a campaign issue

Democratic candidate Marilyn Lands on Tuesday won a special election for a state House seat in Alabama after making in vitro fertilization and abortion rights central to her campaign.

Lands, a licensed professional counselor, defeated Madison City Council member Teddy Powell, a Republican who once worked as a Defense Department budget analyst. The state's 10th district in the Huntsville area seat was previously held by a GOP legislator.

"Alabama women have spoken—thank you District 10!!" Lands said Tuesday night in a post on X.

Lands had 63% of the vote to Powell's 37% with all precincts reporting.

“The voters have spoken and I’m honored to have been considered for this office," Powell said in a statement to Alabama Daily News. "I wish Mrs. Lands the absolute best as she goes on to serve the people of District 10 in the House of Representatives.”

Powell's campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

While campaigning, Lands focused on IVF and access to abortions, telling voters that she supports repealing the state’s near-total ban on abortions that went into effect after the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade in 2022.

Her campaign website notes endorsements from groups such as Planned Parenthood, Alabama AFL-CIO and the gun control advocacy group Everytown for Gun Safety.

Lands' victory comes weeks after Republican Gov. Kay Ivey signed a GOP-backed bill to protect IVF after widespread backlash to a ruling by the state Supreme Court in February that threatened the procedure. Tuesday's contest was seen as an early test for Democrats campaigning on IVF after the high court's ruling.

The special election was called after David Cole, a Republican who defeated Lands in 2022 by 7 percentage points, pleaded