Alabama Republicans on Tuesday will choose among seven candidates for an open U.S. Senate seat that is all but certain to remain in Republican hands, as the party seeks a nominee to succeed Sen. Tommy Tuberville, who is running for governor this year.
U.S. Rep. Barry Moore and Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall are among the best-known candidates seeking the nomination. The crowded field increases the chance that no one will receive a majority of the vote, which would send the race to a June 16 runoff.
What the Left Is Saying
Business owner Dakarai Larriett, business owner Kyle Sweetser, lawyer Everett Wess and chemist Mark S. Wheeler II are seeking the Democratic nomination. Any Democrat who advances would face an uphill climb in deep-red Alabama, where Republicans hold a significant voter registration advantage.
Shayla Mitchell, an organizer with the Alabama Election Protection Coalition, said the redistricting situation has fueled voter confusion. "People assumed that our election was cancelled, which is not true," Mitchell said.
The NAACP Legal Defense Fund and other groups are seeking to stop the use of new congressional maps that could affect November elections. If their litigation succeeds, Tuesday's primary results would determine party nominees rather than a separate Aug. 11 special primary.
What the Right Is Saying
Trump has endorsed Moore, writing on social media that he is "one of my all time favorites" and "a totally reliable MAGA Warrior!" Moore is a three-term congressman and member of the House Freedom Caucus.
Marshall is stressing his record as attorney general, including work with other Republican-led states in filing court actions challenging former President Joe Biden's policies and supporting Trump. The two candidates have emerged as the front-runners in a field that also includes former Navy SEAL Jared Hudson, business owner Rodney Walker, cardiac surgeon Dr. Dale Shelton Deas Jr., former U.S. Navy submarine commander Seth Burton and Morgan Murphy, who dropped out but remains on the ballot due to a printing deadline.
What the Numbers Show
Primary voters will cast ballots Tuesday in all seven congressional districts, but results in four districts will be voided as Alabama moves forward with plans to change congressional maps following state approval to switch to a different district configuration that could help Republicans pick up a House seat.
Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen said votes would be tabulated in the four impacted districts but would be "void for the purposes of determining the party nominees." Special primary elections are scheduled for Aug. 11 for the 1st, 2nd, 6th and 7th Congressional Districts under new district lines.
The biggest change affects the 2nd Congressional District now represented by Democratic Rep. Shomari Figures. The district would stretch from Mobile through Montgomery to the Georgia border under proposed maps.
The Bottom Line
Alabama's Senate race represents a rare open seat opportunity for Republicans, with Trump's endorsement signaling his preferred candidate in Moore. The outcome will determine who faces long odds against Democrats in November.
The redistricting complications add uncertainty to congressional races, as ongoing litigation over district lines could affect which nominees appear on fall ballots. Voters in affected districts should be aware that Tuesday's votes for Congress will not determine final nominees if new maps take effect.
The governor's race may feature a rematch between Tuberville and former U.S. Sen. Doug Jones, whom Tuberville defeated in 2020 with Trump's endorsement.