MONTGOMERY – Democrats in the state House of Representatives Tuesday elected Rep. Craig Ford (D-Gadsden) to be their leader for the next two years, state media reported.

Ford, 42, has been in the House since 2000. The House Democratic Caucus elected him to be party leader for House Democrats, in effect the House minority leader.

Democrats also elected Rep. Thomas Jackson, D-Thomasville, to chair the House Democratic Caucus and Rep. Barbara Boyd, D-Anniston, to be caucus vice chair.

Jackson, 61, and Boyd, 73, have been House members since 1994.