Republican Jeana Ross, who once led the Alabama’s award-winning early education department, is the newest member of the Alabama House.
Ross, of Guntersville, won Tuesday’s special House District 27 special GOP primary runoff. She defeated Arab City Council member Alan Miller with 1,611 votes, 53.31% of the total. The district covers most of Marshall County.
There is no Democrat in the special election to replace former Rep. Wes Kitchens, who is now in the state Senate. Ross’ term can start this week.
“Jeana Ross has proven herself as a steadfast advocate for conservative Republican principles and a tireless advocate for the people of Marshall County,” Alabama Republican Party Chairman John Wahl said in a statement Tuesday night.
“Her unwavering commitment to supporting parental rights, protecting children from a socialist agenda, promoting economic opportunities, and standing for fiscal responsibility embodies the core values of our Party. As the nominee for House District 27, Jeana Ross will fight for the rights, freedoms, and liberties of the people of the district. Her track record of success and dedication to our conservative values make her the ideal person to fill this position in the Legislature. We are confident that Jeana will serve with integrity, passion, and determination, and we congratulate her on her victory today.”
Ross led the Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education from 2012 until her retirement in 2020 and oversaw a push for more state funding for pre-K classrooms across the state. The number of classrooms grew from 217 when she took office to 1,250 across all 67 counties when she ended her tenure, a 470% increase, according to her campaign.