In a significant development in Alabama politics, the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) has officially announced its endorsement of Marilyn Lands as one of its spotlight candidates. Lands, a certified counselor, is running for the Alabama House of Representatives to represent Madison and southwestern Madison County in a special election scheduled for March 26th.
“DLCC is thrilled to announce Marilyn Lands as our newest featured candidate,” said DLCC President Heather Williams. “This race is one of the biggest chances to flip seats in the Alabama House of Representatives, where Republicans have tremendous influence due to extreme gerrymandering. They have enacted laws, violated voting rights, and attacked LGBTQ+ rights,” she continued. “Their extreme MAGA policies are out of touch with the needs of Madison and southwestern Madison County. Marilyn has lived in the community for 30 years and has deep ties to the community as a counselor. This is the candidate who will win. Special elections provide an important opportunity to build Democratic strength in each state one seat at a time, and DLCC stands ready to support Marilyn.”
The Lands campaign focuses specifically on improving medical and mental health resources for children. This resonates in a close race in 2022, where Lands narrowly missed out on victory with 45% of the vote to Republican David Cole's 51%. This close margin highlights the highly competitive nature of the district. The margin of victory between Lands and Cole was less than his 1,000 votes.
This year, Lands returns with a strategy focused on direct contact with voters, which could prove to be a decisive tactic. She aims to use insights from previous campaigns to secure victory.
The election follows the resignation of former Rep. Cole, who resigned in August 2023 after taking a plea deal related to voting fraud. An APR investigation had previously raised questions about Cole's residency claims, which led to the charges and conviction.
Mr. Lands heads into the election in a strong position, with his experience and focus on key issues such as health care gaining momentum and support for the DLCC. The special election for Alabama's 10th Congressional District is shaping up to be a pivotal event.
As the official Democratic committee in the state Legislature, the DLCC emphasizes its role in winning Congress and building the state's infrastructure. Over the past decade, they have focused on helping win new legislative majorities and bringing attention and investment to state-level politics. They emphasize the importance of state legislatures in American democracy and the impact they have on daily life, from protecting freedoms and voting rights to supporting the middle class.
