Allison Montgomery wins race to become Alabama’s first transgender state lawmaker

In a historic win, Democrat Allison Montgomery defeated Republican incumbent State Rep. Phillip Rigsby for a seat representing Alabama’s House District 25 on Tuesday night, becoming the state’s first transgender legislator.

According to the Associated Press, which called the race, Montgomery leads Rigsby 53 to 47 percent with over 95 percent of the estimated vote counted. Montgomery is one of three Northern Alabama seats flipped in Tuesday night’s blue wave, per local state publication AL.com.

A software engineer, Montgomery ran on a platform that prioritized affordability and divestment from corporate interests. When she was attacked by Republican lawmaker Scott Stadthagen, chair of the Alabama Republican Party, for being transgender during an October speech leading up to the midterms, Montgomery stood firmly on her convictions.

“I don’t know Stadthagen and he doesn’t know me – this is just plain prejudice... They brought up my womanhood because they have failed at governing,” she wrote in a Facebook post.

Related: Alabama Democrats hit back at GOP on affordability: ‘Did transgender people do that?’

In mid-October, mere weeks before the election, Rigsby implied Montgomery’s transness would negatively impact the way she governed and interacted with children. In return, she called out the apparent hypocrisy of saying transgender candidates are a threat to children when Republican Alabama State Rep. Brett Easterbrook was recently charged with first-degree human trafficking. The charge was later amended to attempted first-degree human trafficking.

“Republican politicians always point to vague concerns about ‘the children’ when talking about women like myself, while Republican Rep. Brett Easterbrook gets arrested for soliciting sex with a minor,” Montgomery wrote in a Facebook post.

Related: Alabama state libraries may ban books that 'positively depicts' transgender subjects

During her campaign, as Republican politicians attacked her identity, Montgomery maintained that transphobia was a distraction from the issues that matter: the price of groceries, the cost of housing, and access to healthcare.

“When I’m knocking doors and talking with voters, they don’t care that I’m trans, and that’s not what I’m focused on either,” she told AL.com.

After the election was called, Montgomery took to social media to make her victory statement.

“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,” Montgomery wrote on social media.

Related: Alabama’s new library rules target every book about transgender people

She continued, “We the people are tired of attempts to distract us with culture war issues, whether we’re in a minority group or not. We the people know corporate interests use these issues to pit us against one another while they pick our pockets.”

She concluded, “I'm going to work especially hard for those who hate me, because they deserve a better Alabama as much as anyone. And if you don't believe me– just watch :)”