The Alabama Education Association (AEA), the state public school teachers' union, made a $10,000 contribution to Garrett Dixon in the special election for State House District 38.
Their contribution is their first since a $100,000 donation to State Rep. Barbara Drummond's (D-Mobile) failed campaign for Mobile mayor. The group, which has vehemently opposed school choice in the past, claimed credit for killing charter school expansion and education savings accounts, offered the campaign donation despite Dixon's stance on the issue.
"I support giving parents and students more school choice options, and look forward to expanding the CHOOSE Act while ensuring rural schools and students with fewer existing education options are adequately funded throughout the process," Dixon said to 1819 News through a written statement when asked about his position on school choice.
He declined to comment on why the AEA invested so heavily in his race.
The Alabama Policy Institute posted images of a candidate survey it conducted through Alabama Policy Action. According to its post, only two of the three candidates responded. Kristin Nelson did not answer.
In that survey, Dixon left blank the answer to the following question: "If I am elected, I will support and vote for fully funding universal school choice programs for all K-12 students in Alabama. (Agree or Disagree)."
In a written statement, however, his campaign affirmed that he agreed with the statement.
Dixon is facing Michah Messer and Kristin Nelson. Messer answered yes to the question of whether he supports school choice, and Nelson, a former teacher and homeschool mother, addresses the issue on her campaign website.
"Kristin believes that every child deserves a high-quality education, no matter where they live. She'll fight to fully fund public schools, raise teacher pay, and ensure that classrooms are equipped to meet the needs of today's students. At the same time, she respects the rights of parents and supports school choice options for families pursuing alternative paths. Her goal is simple: to give every child the tools to succeed – whether that's in a public, private, or home school setting," according to her campaign.
According to data from the Alabama Secretary of State's (SOS) Office, Alabama Voice for Teachers for Education contributed $10,000 of the $50,450 that Dixon has raised to date, giving him a significant fundraising advantage over his two opponents.
According to the SOS website, with the AEA contribution, Dixon has outraised his opponents by more than double.
The AEA has contributed to several special elections this year with mixed results. They gave $15,000 to Mike Elliott, who was forced to withdraw in the House District 13 race after missing the deadline for his statement of economic interest. He has pledged to run again in the regular cycle. They also gave $7,500 to Cindy Myrex, who won the Republican nomination for House District 12. Myrex will face Democratic candidate Matt Glover in the general election on October 28.
The amount given to Dixon is the same amount the organization gave to Labarron Mack, an AEA UniServe District Representative.
House District 38 includes portions of Chambers and Lee Counties. This seat was previously held by State Rep. Debbie Wood (R-Valley), who announced earlier this year she was resigning her House seat to move to Florida.
The primary election will be held later this month on October 21. The special primary runoff, if necessary, will be held on Tuesday, November 18. The special general election will be held on February 3, 2026.
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