By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

COLUMBIANA – State Rep. April Weaver, R-Brierfield, will serve another four years in the Alabama House of Representatives after she was re-elected to the District 49 seat during the June 5 Republican primary election.

Weaver defeated fellow Republican candidate Donna Strong by a vote of 4,824-1,245.

Because no Democratic candidates qualified for the District 49 race, Weaver will face no competition in the Nov. 6 state general election.

Weaver has been serving as the District 49 representative since she was elected in 2010, and is now set to begin her third term in Montgomery. District 49 covers portions of Bibb, Chilton and Shelby Counties.

“To all those who have voted for Team Weaver today, we say thank you!” Weaver wrote on her Facebook page.

Weaver serves as chair of the House Health Committee, which considers legislation affecting Health care issues with the state, and is the first woman in state history to lead the important panel.  She also holds seats on the House Internal Affairs and State Government committees.

Weaver serves on Gov. Kay Ivey’s Alabama Opioid Overdose and Addiction Council, and previously worked to pass a measure that makes obtaining duplicate painkiller prescriptions from multiple doctors, a practice commonly known as “doctor shopping.” She also sponsored a bill to make mental health care more accessible.

Employed in the healthcare industry for 25 years, Weaver holds a nursing degree, a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Alabama, and an MBA in health care administration. She is the only registered nurse currently serving in the Alabama Legislature.

Weaver is married to Dr. Darrel Weaver, and they attend Pelham First Baptist Church.

Strong thanked those who supported her in the race, and congratulated Weaver on the victory.

“I would like to congratulate April Weaver on her win tonight for the House District 49 seat. Coming into this race I knew I had a big challenge against an incumbent with heavy financial backing,” Strong said. “My campaign platform was focused on education. As an experienced teacher and mother of three, I am passionate about public education in Alabama. I truly believe that the quality and security of our schools should be our greatest investment. When so many of our Alabama legislators place their children in private schools, our public schools and school teachers have become a secondary issue in Alabama politics. I will continue to promote and support public schools in Alabama and I urge our voters to hold our legislators accountable to our students and our teachers. I would like all of my supporters to know that I appreciate every minute they gave to my campaign.”