Jackie Zeigler wins State School GOP Board run-off, ousting incumbent Matt Brown

Retired teacher and principal Jackie Zeiger won a run-off election Tuesday evening against Matt Brown, becoming the next Republican nominee for Alabama State School Board, District 1.

Zeigler, the wife of State Auditor Jim Zeigler, dispatched her opponent easily, taking 62 percent to Brown’s 38.

Zeigler will face off against Democratic nominee Ron Davis, a former Prichard mayor, in a November general election.

Although Zeigler says she will still campaign heartily against Davis — “I’m not packing by bags,” she told AL.com — any Democrat would have a difficult time beating a credible Republican in the seven-county South Alabama district.

Zeigler had 37 years of teaching and administrative experience to bring to bear against her 29-year-old opponent in Brown, but there was also likely an aspect of blowback against the official who appointed Brown — Gov. Robert Bentley, who is currently mired in scandal after inappropriate advances comments to a former staffer.

Brown was appointed to the school bard by Bentley after his predecessor, Al Thompson, was chosen by Bentley for the state Community College Board of Trustees. ‘

Zeigler and Brown faced off in a primary election back on March 1, with Zeigler edging Brown for the most votes with 36.79 of ballots cast to Brown’s 26.35 percent. But since neither garnered a majority, the election triggered a run-off.

The District 1 seat is a single-member district that takes in the counties of Baldwin, Butler, Conecuh, Crenshaw, Escambia and Mobile, plus the aforementioned Covington.