Republican Kristen Nelson is the newest member of the Alabama House of Representatives after receiving 85% of the special general election votes Tuesday, according to unofficial data from the Alabama Secretary of State.
A total of 2,195 people voted in the House District 38 contest against Democrat Hazel Floyd.
Nelson won an October GOP runoff after leading a three-person primary earlier last year.
Nelson raised more than $125,000 during the election cycle and has about $26,000 remaining, according to her latest campaign finance information.
She can use that as she must now campaign in the 2026 regular election cycle. Nelson was the only Republican to qualify for the new contest last month. Floyd and Democrat Christopher Davis also qualified with their party.
Nelson, whose professional career includes previously teaching third grade, campaigned on school safety, saying she wants to see school resource officers in every school.
Increasing job opportunities and decreasing crime were also campaign platform priorities.
The district encompasses portions of Lee and Chambers counties and was previously represented by Republican Debbie Wood, who relocated out of the area earlier this year due to her husband’s job change.