On Tuesday night, sitting Associate Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, Sarah Stewart, emerged victorious in the race to take over as Chief Justice of the state’s highest court for Tom Parker, who is age-limited to the bench by law.

Stewart secured over 60% of votes cast against opponent Bryan Taylor. A former Alabama State Senator and legal advisor to multiple Alabama governors, Taylor promoted a conservative judicial message in his first statewide judicial bid.

Stewart, first elected to the Supreme Court in 2018, had previously served for thirteen years as a Circuit Judge in Mobile.

RELATED: Sarah Stewart earns endorsement of 23 district attorneys across Alabama

“I am so grateful to the citizens of Alabama for trusting me with the Republican candidacy for chief justice,” Stewart said after votes were counted.

“I think we all have a lot of exciting times ahead of us. We, of course, have a race in November that I feel really good about our party’s strength in our state. I am really delighted that I have the trust of the judges, the district attorneys and the sheriffs in our state who are the everyday users of the trial court system, and really that is what the chief is responsible for as the administrative head of that system.”

Visibility around the race amplified following a decision by the Alabama Supreme Court that ruled embryos created through in vitro fertilization constitute personhood, which led to a response from providers and families in Alabama and across the country. Taylor, critical of Stewart throughout the race, called for her to recuse herself from the ruling.

Stewart will face Greg Griffin in the November 5, 2024 general election.

Grayson Everett is the state and political editor for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @Grayson270