a trans software engineer just flipped a republican seat in alabama. in alabama. she'd like to talk about schools now.

The Alabama State Capitol in Montgomery, for illustration. Photo: DXR, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

via PinkNews, The Advocate and Rocket City Now

The Alabama Legislature has spent years writing laws about trans people. Starting in January, one of them will be sitting in it.

Allison Montgomery, a Democrat and a software engineer, beat Republican Rep. Phillip Rigsby in House District 25 on Tuesday, 12,456 votes to 10,929, or 53.2 percent to 46.7, in unofficial results PinkNews reported. That flips a Huntsville-area Republican seat, and it makes her the first openly transgender person elected to the Alabama Legislature, Rocket City Now and The Advocate reported.

how she won it

She was outspent by a wide margin and attacked over her gender identity during the campaign, according to PinkNews. Her platform was public schools, corruption and the healthcare crisis. And her victory post read like someone who already knows what the next morning's headlines will say.

"I know the headlines tomorrow are gonna be provocative and catchy, but let's focus on the most important part of this victory: we showed that a truly grassroots campaign that stands on its policies and its principles has a real shot in Alabama," she wrote. "We the people are tired of attempts to distract us with culture war issues, whether we're in a minority group or not."

what she says comes next

"I'm gonna take a couple weeks to rest, and then let's start talking about what I can do for you as your next lawmaker," she wrote. "I've been careful with my words throughout this campaign, because I know I'll have to deliver on them later."

Sorry, Allison. We are going to be provocative and catchy for exactly one more line: Alabama. It was part of a much bigger night, which is all in our election roundup. Then she can get some rest.