Republicans just notched another decisive win on Tuesday, and this one was not even close. GOP candidate Kristen Nelson steamrolled her Democratic opponent in an Alabama special election, delivering a landslide that underscores growing Republican momentum well beyond the top of the ticket.
Nelson captured roughly 85 percent of the vote in Alabama House District 38, according to unofficial results released by the Alabama Secretary of State. Only 2,195 ballots were cast, but the margin told the real story. Democrat Hazel Floyd was left in the dust, and Republicans added yet another seat to their majority in the Alabama House of Representatives.
This victory did not happen in a vacuum. On the same day, Republicans also picked up a win in New York’s State Senate District 61, a result that should make Democrats especially nervous. When the GOP is winning big in the Deep South and flipping seats in New York, it signals something larger than local politics. It points to a national environment that is steadily shifting right, particularly in down ballot races where voters tend to be more candid about their priorities.
Nelson earned her spot in the general election by first leading a three candidate Republican primary and then winning an October runoff. She also dominated on the fundraising front, bringing in more than $125,000 during the cycle and reporting about $26,000 cash on hand in her most recent filing. In a district level race, that kind of financial edge is significant and reflects strong confidence from donors and grassroots supporters alike.
That momentum will matter quickly. Nelson is already looking ahead to the 2026 regular election, where she will again face Floyd along with Democrat Christopher Davis. Notably, Nelson was the only Republican to qualify for that race last month, suggesting the party is unified behind her while Democrats remain fragmented.
Nelson’s background and message clearly resonated with voters. A former third grade teacher, she made school safety a central theme of her campaign, calling for school resource officers in every school. At a time when parents are fed up with chaos in classrooms and excuses from education bureaucrats, that message landed. She also emphasized job creation and crime reduction, two issues that continue to dominate voter concerns nationwide.
House District 38 covers parts of Lee County and Chambers County and became vacant earlier this year when Republican Debbie Wood moved out of the district following her husband’s job relocation. Instead of wobbling, Republicans tightened their grip.
For Democrats, this was another warning sign. For Republicans, it was confirmation. Voters are responding to candidates who talk plainly about safety, jobs, and order, and they are rewarding the party that is willing to say those words out loud. If results like this keep stacking up, 2026 is shaping up to be a very long cycle for the left.
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