Montgomery Defeats Rigsby in Alabama House Race

Democrat Allison Montgomery wins House District 25, unseating Republican incumbent Phillip Rigsby on Tuesday evening.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Elections

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a legislative dome silhouette above a pine forest horizon, in deep red, cream, and navy.
Democrat Allison Montgomery defeated Republican incumbent Phillip Rigsby in Alabama's House District 25 on Tuesday, winning 53.2% of the vote and becoming the state's first transgender lawmaker. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Do you think local elections should focus more on policy than culture war issues?

Democratic nominee Allison Montgomery defeated Republican incumbent Phillip Rigsby in Alabama House District 25 on Tuesday evening, receiving 12,456 votes, or 53.2%, to Rigsby's 10,929 votes, or 46.7%. Montgomery will be the first transgender legislator in Alabama's history upon being sworn in.

Why it matters

The result changes the composition of Alabama's House of Representatives by replacing an incumbent Republican with a Democrat who will be the state's first transgender lawmaker. The race was decided by a narrow margin of roughly 1,500 votes, showing a competitive contest in the district.

Montgomery won with 12,456 votes (53.2%) to Rigsby's 10,929 (46.7%), a margin of about 1,527 votes out of roughly 23,385 cast in House District 25. The source does not report turnout rates or prior-cycle margins for the district.

The players

Allison Montgomery

Allison Montgomery is the Democratic nominee who won Alabama House District 25 and will become the first transgender member of the Alabama Legislature.

Phillip Rigsby

Phillip Rigsby is a Republican state representative from Huntsville who lost his bid for re-election in House District 25.

The details

Montgomery, a Democrat who ran a grassroots campaign, unseated Republican state representative Phillip Rigsby, who represents Huntsville, in the district race. The contest was decided by vote tally on Tuesday evening.

Timeline

  1. Tuesday evening, November 3, 2026: Election in House District 25 decided.

  2. Upon being sworn in: Montgomery becomes Alabama's first transgender legislator.

Political Context

Montgomery's victory places Alabama among states where transgender candidates have won legislative seats, a trend that has drawn sharp partisan debate over the scope of state laws affecting transgender residents. Opposing Republican lawmakers have frequently argued for restrictions on such policies, making this seat a notable shift in the state's legislative debates.

Montgomery's seat gives Alabama voters in House District 25 a Democratic voice in the state House starting when she is sworn in. The outcome shifts the partisan balance of the district's representation for the next legislative term.

The takeaway

Local legislative races can turn on relatively small vote margins, so residents who want to follow how their district is represented should watch each session's results closely. Checking official canvass totals once they are finalized gives the most reliable picture of who represents you.

Further reading

Track more results in the Elections section for Alabama races.

Live Poll

Do you think local elections should focus more on policy than culture war issues?