State Rep. Matt Woods, a Republican from Walker County, is moving up to the Senate after winning a special election on Tuesday.

Woods defeated Democrat Ryan Cagle in a special election in Senate District 5, which includes Walker, Lamar, and Fayette counties, and parts of Jefferson and Tuscaloosa counties.

The seat became vacant when Senate President Pro Tem Greg Reed of Jasper left to become director of Workforce Development in the Gov. Kay Ivey administration.

Woods received 7,707 votes, or 86%, according to unofficial results posted by the secretary of state.

Cagle got 1,238 votes, or 14%.

Woods was elected to the House in 2022. He is the manager of an automobile dealership in Jasper owned by his father.