Liberal media outlets continue to push the theory that State Rep. Marilyn Lands' (D-Madison) recent victory in House District 10 could prove a winning strategy for Democrats elsewhere by emphasizing abortion issues and in vitro fertilization.
On Monday, The New York Times published a story featuring Lands titled "How Abortion, and I.V.F., flipped an Alabama State House Seat."
"Marilyn Lands's victory in a special election provided an early blueprint for Democrats who are eager to make reproductive rights central to their campaigns," the story claimed.
Lands told The New York Times, "I've heard it said that there are these arcs in history and these places are where the pendulum swings, and so I hope that's where we're at — that it's beginning to tilt. Not necessarily so much in the other direction, but just back toward balance."
However, Alabama GOP Chair John Wahl's approach to the Republican loss was seen as more realistic by those who spoke to 1819 News. He discussed how turnout in small special elections is hard to predict and that while Lands played to her base, Powell took a more moderate approach, which could have turned off hard-line conservatives.
SEE ALSO: CNN attempts to use abortion, IVF to boost HD10 Democrat Marilyn Lands in special election
"National Democrats are trying to insinuate that House District 10 is a bellwether decision, not just for Alabama but also for the entire country," he said. "What they forget to say is that this is a purple district where Democrats always had a chance. Pretending that this election reflects on the entire state of Alabama is disingenuous and shows either a lack of understanding of the political landscape or an attempt to mislead voters."
He added, "It's important to remember that only 14.5% of the population voted in this special election, and that is an extremely low turnout when compared to a regular general election. Democrats got lucky yesterday, and the Alabama Republican Party is committed to taking this seat back in 2026."
SEE ALSO: Democrat Marilyn Lands announces launch of PAC on heels of election win during MSNBC appearance
Political consultants now worry about how the national Democrats will utilize this going forward, more specifically, from a financial standpoint, in the upcoming battle for Alabama's second congressional district. That run-off is next Tuesday.
Once the nominees are decided, both national Democratic and Republican funds will likely begin flowing, as that seat could be a deciding factor in who controls the next Congress. However, with Democrats emboldened, it may force Republicans to bring out their checkbooks more than initially expected.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email Bradley.cox@1819news.com or on Twitter @BradleyCoxAL.
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