Alabama State Board of Education incumbent unseated in GOP primary

Republican voters Tuesday unseated one member of Alabama State Board of Education and put two candidates for a second seat into a runoff. 

Marie Manning, who represents District 6, which covers Talladega, Marshall and Cherokee counties, was defeated by Cathi Bradford, a former teacher and veteran. The Alabama Secretary of State’s office reported Bradford received 35,615 votes (53.96%) to Manning’s 30,388 votes (46.04%) in unofficial returns.

Manning praised the board members for their closeness and their ability to work with Alabama State School Superintendent Eric Mackey in an interview Thursday morning.

“Dr. Mackey is a phenomenal state superintendent, and he has brought to the table many issues and ways to correct an issue, and our board has listened, and I think the fact that we have increased our academic achievement to the level that we have has a lot to say about the kind of board we have,” she said. 

Manning said the results weren’t what she’d hoped for, but that she plans to catch up on some of her hobbies and spend time with her husband when her term ends.

“My husband and I have a farm that’s near my family, and so I’ll have an opportunity to be here and enjoy the outside and do my gardening, and those are things that I just haven’t had time to do the past year,” she said.

A message seeking comment was left with Bradford Thursday. Bradford expressed gratitude for the support she received from voters in a Facebook post Wednesday morning. 

“Whether you supported me, supported another candidate, or did not vote at all, I look forward to serving every student, every parent, every educator, and every community across our district,” the post said. “I remain committed to strengthening academic excellence, supporting our teachers, respecting parents, and ensuring every student has the opportunity to succeed.”

Bradford will face Democratic candidate Angela Morgan in the general election in November.

In District 8, covering Limestone, Madison and DeKalb counties in north Alabama, candidates Emily Jones and William Matthews will face each other in a June 16 runoff for the Republican nomination.

Jones, founder and chair of the Madison County Moms of Liberty chapter, received 16,409 votes (42.73%) and Matthews got 11,731 votes (30.55%). A third candidate, Connie Spears, a former member of the Madison County School Board, received 10,259 votes (26.72%). The seat is currently held by Wayne Reynolds, who is retiring.  

Jones said in an interview Thursday morning that this is “a win for parental rights.”

“We’ve seen parental rights being attacked for years now, and parents are really starting to realize that they’ve got to push back to ensure that they maintain control and the decision making authority over their children,” she said. “And we’re seeing that mostly in the roles or the elections around school boards, because parents want their voices heard when it comes to making decisions around the education of their children, and I think that this election is very reflective of that movement.”

A message seeking comment was left with Matthews Thursday.

The winner of the runoff will face Shatika Armstrong, an executive assistant at Alabama A&M University, in the general election in November.