Ryan Cagle wins Democratic nomination for Senate District 5 contest

by Alander Rocha, Alabama Reflector
March 11, 2025

Ryan Cagle won the Democratic nomination for a state Senate seat Tuesday, according to unofficial returns from the Alabama Secretary of State’s office..

As of 9:52 p.m. Tuesday, Cagle, a communications professional and volunteer co-director of Jubilee House Community nonprofit, had 222 votes (62%) in the primary for Senate District 5. Sarah Watkins had 137 votes (38%).

Cagle said in an interview Tuesday night that he would have been happy with either outcome because Watkins would have also fought for the working class, but said that now it’s time to work hard to fight against business interests.

“Large lobbyist PACs and and bigger corporate kind of backing is something that stacks the deck against us, against my campaign in every reasonable way. So for my campaign is that I’m going to just continue to be vocal and get out and do the work,

He faces Rep. Matt Woods, R-Jasper, the sole GOP candidate in the race, in the June general election.

Senate District 5 covers north-central Alabama, stretching from the Mississippi border eastward. It includes all of Fayette, Lamar, and Walker counties, along with parts of Tuscaloosa and Jefferson counties.

Democratic primary candidates said in previous interviews they are frustrated with Republican officials neglecting their communities for over a decade. Cagle, after qualifying for the race, said the district has struggled with various issues, particularly the opioid crisis. He added that current leaders are disconnected from everyday people, prioritizing business interests over working-class concerns.

Watkins criticized Republicans for holding power too long, saying ordinary residents are being ignored. She claimed constituent calls go unanswered while officials cater to the wealthy.

Woods, elected to the House in 2022, defended his record in a text message and said he has “worked hard for the people of Alabama.” He pointed to securing over $58 million for local schools and co-sponsoring a bill to speed up sales tax cuts on groceries.

Former Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Reed, R-Jasper, resigned earlier this year to become Senior Advisor to Workforce Transformation in Gov. Kay Ivey’s administration. First elected in 2010, he led the Senate from 2021 and was a strong ally of business interests. His new role focuses on transitioning the Department of Labor into the Department of Workforce to improve Alabama’s labor force participation.

The district is solidly Republican. Reed won the seat as a first-time candidate in 2010 with 73.3% of the vote and later ran unopposed in GOP primaries. No Democrat challenged him in 2014, 2018, or 2022, according to Ballotpedia.

Alabama Reflector is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Alabama Reflector maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Brian Lyman for questions: info@alabamareflector.com.

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