Marilyn Lands won in a landslide Tuesday—and says that’s only the beginning for Alabama
who speaks openly about having an abortion, was a startling break from the status quo—by a whopping 25 percentage points. She could be basking in the glow of her victory or out celebrating with the family and friends who attended her watch party last night. But Lands is already looking toward the future.
“I think our state has made this about national politics,” she said. “When Alabama implemented the trigger law here, we saw that spread to other states very fast. I am now afraid that other things we've done here—the IVF ruling, contraception…” She trails off, then interrupts herself: “I don’t want this to be Alabama’s legacy.”
“I didn’t even have to make a decision when the special election was announced,” Lands said. “I knew I was gonna run.” Instead of hiding her disagreement with the political status quo in Alabama, Lands highlighted it, foregrounding reproductive rights in her speeches, campaign literature, and one-on-one conversations with voters. Earlier this month, she filmed a television ad with a young woman named Alyssa Gonzales, who was forced to drive 10 hours out of state to terminate a non-viable pregnancy that was threatening her health.
“I felt like whether I won or lost, this was too important of an issue not to stand up for,” she said. “I really have been at peace with that decision. I have not regretted it.”
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