2026 United States Senate election in Alabama
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| Elections in Alabama |
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The 2026 United States Senate election in Alabama will be held on November 3, 2026, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the state of Alabama. Incumbent Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville, who was first elected in 2020 with 60.1% of the vote,[1] initially ran for re-election, but instead chose to run for governor of Alabama in 2026.[2]
This will be the first open race for this Class II seat since 1996.[a]
Republican primary
Candidates
Declared
- Jared Hudson, tactical training business owner and nominee for Jefferson County sheriff in 2022[3]
- Steve Marshall, Attorney General of Alabama (2017โpresent)[4]
- Jeremy Spratling, businessman[5]
Publicly expressed interest
- Mo Brooks, former U.S. representative from Alabama's 5th congressional district (2011โ2023) and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2017 and 2022[6]
- Kent Davis, former commissioner of the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs (2019โ2024)[7]
- John Merrill, former Alabama Secretary of State (2015โ2023)[7]
- Barry Moore, U.S. representative from Alabama's 1st congressional district (2021โpresent)[8]
- Morgan Murphy, former national security advisor to Tommy Tuberville[9]
Potential
- Joe Agresti, car dealer[10]
- Tommy Battle, mayor of Huntsville (2008โpresent) and candidate for governor in 2018[11]
- Bradley Byrne, former U.S. representative from Alabama's 1st congressional district (2014โ2021) and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2020[11]
- Jerry Carl, former U.S. representative from Alabama's 1st congressional district (2021โ2025)[11]
- Nathaniel Ledbetter, speaker of the Alabama House of Representatives (2023โpresent) from the 24th district (2014โpresent)[11]
- Nick Saban, College GameDay host and former coach of Alabama Crimson Tide football[12]
- Sandy Stimpson, mayor of Mobile (2013โpresent)[11]
- Jessica Taylor, attorney, candidate for U.S. Senate in 2022, and candidate for AL-02 in 2020[13]
Withdrawn
- Tommy Tuberville, incumbent U.S. Senator (running for governor)[2]
Declined
- Will Ainsworth, Lieutenant Governor of Alabama (2019โpresent)[14]
- Gary Palmer, U.S. representative from Alabama's 6th congressional district (2015โpresent) (running for re-election)[15]
- Bruce Pearl, Auburn Tigers men's basketball coach[16]
- Dale Strong, U.S. representative from Alabama's 5th congressional district (2023โpresent) (running for re-election)[17]
Endorsements
Jared Hudson
- Individuals
- Riley Gaines, conservative activist[18]
Bruce Pearl (declined)
- U.S. representatives
- Tim Burchett, U.S. representative from Tennessee's 2nd congressional district (2019โpresent)[19]
Polling
Hypothetical polling
Democratic primary
Candidates
Declared
- Dakarai Larriett, petcare business owner[22]
- Kyle Sweetser, construction company owner and 2024 Democratic National Convention speaker[23]
- Mark Wheeler II, chemist[24]
Potential
- Doug Jones, former U.S. senator (2018โ2021)[13]
Withdrawn
- Greg Howard, podcaster (running for U.S. House)[25]
Fundraising
| Campaign finance reports as of March 31, 2025 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand |
| Mark Wheeler II (D) | $5,438 | $1,484 | $3,954 |
| Source: Federal Election Commission[26] | |||
General election
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| Inside Elections[27] | Solid R | Feb 20, 2025 |
| The Cook Political Report[28] | Solid R | Feb 13, 2025 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[29] | Safe R | Mar 12, 2025 |
| Race To The WH[30] | Safe R | Apr 27, 2025 |
Notes
- ^ Luther Strange, the incumbent Senator at the time, ran for election to finish Jeff Sessions's term in 2017, but lost in the Republican primary to Roy Moore.
- ^ Key:
A โ all adults
RV โ registered voters
LV โ likely voters
V โ unclear
References
- ^ "Alabama U.S. Senate Election Results". The New York Times. November 3, 2020. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
- ^ a b Angle, Alex (May 27, 2025). "Tuberville to announce run for governor in 2026". Alabama Daily News. Retrieved May 27, 2025.
- ^ Thomas, Erica (May 28, 2025). "'Fighter for Alabama': Former Navy SEAL Jared Hudson running for U.S. Senate". 1819 News. Retrieved May 28, 2025.
- ^ Baker, Trent. "'The nation needs strong conservative leadership': Steve Marshall announces U.S. Senate bid". 1819 News. Retrieved May 29, 2025.
- ^ Harwell, Harper (May 30, 2025). "Prominent Bham business owner posts run for US Senate". Birmingham Business Journal. Retrieved June 3, 2025.
- ^ Musick, Mecca (June 9, 2025). "Brooks would consider 2026 Senate run 'if necessary'". Yellowhammer News. Retrieved June 9, 2025.
- ^ a b Cason, Mike (May 28, 2025). "Who will be Alabama's next US Senator? Republicans line up in race to replace Tommy Tuberville". The Birmingham News. Retrieved May 28, 2025.
- ^ Taylor, Caleb (May 28, 2025). "U.S. Rep. Barry Moore considering run for Senate in 2026". 1819 News. Retrieved May 28, 2025.
- ^ Taylor, Daniel. "Report: Former national security advisor to Tuberville considering run for open Senate seat". 1819 News. Retrieved May 29, 2025.
- ^ Nir, David. "Morning Digest: Why there's plenty of time for Democrats to find a challenger in Maine". www.the-downballot.com. Retrieved May 30, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e Poor, Jeff (April 28, 2025). "Names to watch for a potential wide-open 2026 U.S. Senate race in Alabama". 1819 News. Retrieved April 28, 2025.
- ^ Brauner, Michael (April 30, 2025). "Nick Saban for Senate? Paul Finebaum says now's the time - and Trump could help launch it". Yellowhammer News. Retrieved April 30, 2025.
- ^ a b Koplowitz, Howard (March 6, 2025). "Who could replace Tommy Tuberville in the Senate? 5 candidates to watch if he runs for Alabama governor". The Birmingham News. Retrieved March 6, 2025.
- ^ Baker, Trent (May 8, 2025). "Ainsworth: Not 'that much of an interest' in running for Senate โ 'I've been the underdog before'". 1819 News. Retrieved May 12, 2025.
- ^ Yaffee, Michael (April 29, 2025). "Gary Palmer rules out running for open U.S. Senate seat in 2026, grades President Trump's performance in first 100 days". Yellowhammer News. Retrieved April 30, 2025.
- ^ Baker, Trent (June 30, 2025). "Bruce Pearl shoots down Senate aspirations: 'I love my country, but I love being the basketball coach at Auburn'". 1819 News. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
- ^ Vincent, JJ (May 28, 2025). "Dale Strong to run for re-election in 2026, will not seek Tuberville's open Senate seat". WZDX. Retrieved May 28, 2025.
- ^ Yaffee. "Riley Gaines: 'I stand with Jared Hudson' for U.S. Senate". Yellowhammer News. Retrieved June 28, 2025.
- ^ Poor, Jeff (June 1, 2025). "Tennessee U.S. Rep. Burchett pledges support for Bruce Pearl to the U.S. Senate โ 'BP is the man, he is an energizer, I would love to see it'". 1819 News. Retrieved June 6, 2025.
- ^ "- AIPAC Political Portal". candidates.aipacpac.org. Retrieved April 28, 2025.
- ^ Poor, Jeff. "Poll: Marshall tops Dobson, Moore, Pearl in speculative GOP U.S. Senate field". 1819 News. Retrieved June 12, 2025.
- ^ "Democrat Dakarai Larriett launches U.S. Senate campaign". The Cullman Tribune. April 7, 2025. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
- ^ Koplowitz, Howard (April 16, 2025). "Lifelong Alabama Republican who bashed Trump at DNC running to send 'Tuberville back to Florida'". The Birmingham News. Retrieved April 16, 2025.
- ^ Cason, Mike (June 2, 2025). "Alabama Democrat running for Senate says he's risen above family history that includes multiple murders". AL.com. Retrieved June 6, 2025.
- ^ "Congressional Filings: April 2025". Journal for a Broken America. May 12, 2025. Retrieved May 18, 2025 โ via Substack.
- ^ "2026 Election United States Senate - Alabama". fec.gov. Federal Election Commission. Retrieved April 23, 2025.
- ^ "Senate Ratings". Inside Elections. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
- ^ "2026 CPR Senate Race Ratings". Cook Political Report. Retrieved February 11, 2025.
- ^ "2026 Senate ratings". Sabato's Crystal Ball. Retrieved February 13, 2025.
- ^ "2026 Senate Forecast". Race to the WH. Retrieved March 19, 2025.
External links
- Official campaign websites