Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh appears to have defeated challenger Robert McCollum in Tuesday’s Republican primary election for President of the Alabama Public Service Commission.

Cavanaugh appears poised to secure a fourth term leading the PSC, which is Alabama’s primary regulator of utilities. No Democratic candidate has filed to oppose Cavanaugh in November’s general election.

As of 11:20 p.m. Tuesday, Cavanaugh had about 61% of the vote to McCollum’s 39%, according to the unofficial results from the Alabama Secretary of State’s Office. Cavanaugh had 328,076 votes to McCollum’s 208,335.

The Alabama GOP posted its congratulations to Cavanaugh on social media at 9:36 p.m.

The Alabama Public Service Commission is a three-member elected body responsible for regulating most utilities in the state, including electric companies, gas companies, telecom companies and certain wastewater operators.

Cavanaugh was elected to the Public Service Commission in 2010 and became PSC president in 2012. On her PSC bio, she describes herself as a “wife, mother and small business owner.” Before becoming PSC President, Cavanaugh chaired the Alabama Republican Party and worked as deputy chief of staff to former Gov. Bob Riley.

On her campaign website, Cavanaugh describes herself as “a fighter committed to defending our conservative values here in Alabama against socialism and the liberal “woke” ideas infiltrating our country.”

McCollum is a business owner from Dadeville, who sought to sought to challenge Cavanaugh as complaints have increased about high electric bills this winter. The PSC has to approve rate increases for utilities including Alabama Power.

McCollum, in social media postings, has criticized Alabama Power’s high profit margin, which is set by the PSC, and argued that Alabama should end the solar fees charged to Alabama Power customers who install solar panels on their homes or businesses.

McCollum unsuccessfully challenged Alabama PSC Commissioner Chris “Chip” Beeker in the 2022 Republican primary, getting roughly 37% of the votes in that election to Beeker’s 63%.