Duggar Wins Alabama House District 96 Seat
Republican Danielle Duggar defeated Democrat Terri Osborne in the Baldwin County-based District 96 race, according to unofficial tallies.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Legislative Policy
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Republican Danielle Duggar won the Alabama Legislature District 96 House seat, defeating Terri Osborne with 68.4% of the vote to Osborne's 31.4%, based on more than 73 percent of the vote counted Tuesday night. The district includes Daphne, Spanish Fort and surrounding communities in Baldwin County.
Why it matters
The race drew attention after Republican Party leadership called Osborne, a transgender woman, and another transgender Democratic candidate 'men who have mental disorders,' prompting a complaint and a county school board member's departure from the GOP. The outcome determines who represents this Baldwin County district in the state House.
The unofficial count reported by the Baldwin County Probate Judge's Office showed Duggar at 68.4% and Osborne at 31.4% with more than 73 percent of ballots tallied. The extraction does not confirm whether the remaining ballots would change the outcome.
The players
Danielle Duggar
Republican who won the Alabama House District 96 seat after previously losing a 2022 primary to Rep. Matt Simpson.
Terri Osborne
Transgender Democratic candidate and geologist who has lived in the Daphne area for about 30 years and lost the District 96 race.
Matt Simpson
Alabama state representative who sought a third legislative term and lost the Republican primary to Duggar.
Scott Stadthagen
Chairman of the Alabama Republican Party whose October remarks about Osborne and another transgender candidate drew criticism.
The details
Duggar, who had lost the 2022 GOP primary to Simpson, won the Republican primary against him this cycle, and Simpson had sent a cease and desist letter to Alabama Values PAC, which supported Duggar. In October, Lindsey, a Baldwin County Board of Education member, commented on an Osborne Facebook post urging her to defeat Duggar, then left the Baldwin County Republican Party on Oct. 30, and a complaint was filed over that comment.
Timeline
2022: Duggar lost the GOP primary to Simpson.
October 2026: Alabama Republican Party Chairman Scott Stadthagen called Osborne and another transgender Democratic candidate 'men who have mental disorders.'
Oct. 29, 2026: Andrea Lindsey urged Osborne to defeat Duggar on Facebook.
Oct. 30, 2026: Lindsey notified Baldwin County GOP leaders she was leaving the party.
Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026: Duggar won the District 96 general election.
Political Context
Duggar's win reverses her 2022 loss to Simpson in the same Baldwin County district, when she was defeated in the Republican primary. The opposition to Osborne's candidacy and the party-level response to her transgender identity reflect the same tensions seen in the district's recent GOP primary contests.
Baldwin County voters in District 96 now have Duggar as their state representative, and the result shapes which candidate will speak for Daphne and Spanish Fort in the Alabama House. The race also showed how party complaints and public statements about candidates can affect local political contests.
The takeaway
The District 96 result shows that a candidate who lost a primary two years earlier can return and win, and that public remarks by party officials about a candidate's identity can become a central issue in a local race. Voters tracking Alabama House contests should watch for the certified count, which will confirm the final margin.
Further reading
For more on how state lawmakers are chosen and what the House does next, see Legislative Policy coverage from Alabama.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Al.
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