What to Know About the Republican Senate Primary in Alabama

Alabama Republicans vote Tuesday to select a nominee to replace Senator Tommy Tuberville, who is leaving the seat to run for governor. The winner is expected to be favored in the general election in Alabama, where Democrats have won only one statewide race since 2008. The primary includes Representative Barry Moore, Attorney General Steve Marshall, and Jared Hudson, a former Navy SEAL. Moore has President Trump’s endorsement and a well-funded campaign. Polling indicates no clear front-runner and limited candidate connection with voters. If no candidate wins more than 50 percent, the top two advance to a runoff next month.

"Republican voters in Alabama are headed to the polls on Tuesday to choose from a field of primary contenders vying to replace Senator Tommy Tuberville, a Republican who is vacating his seat to run for governor. The winner will be an overwhelming favorite in the general election in deep-red Alabama, where Democrats have won just one statewide race since 2008."

"The Senate primary pits Representative Barry Moore against the state's attorney general, Steve Marshall, and Jared Hudson, a former Navy SEAL. Mr. Moore received President Trump's endorsement months ago and has a well-funded campaign. The election will offer the latest test of the power of Mr. Trump's endorsement, days after primary voters in Louisiana rejected the incumbent Republican senator Bill Cassidy at the president's urging."

"Michael Lowry, a Republican pollster in Alabama and former chief of staff to Representative Robert Aderholt, said there was no clear front-runner in his state. This is a tossup, Mr. Lowry said, adding that the candidates have not seemed to connect with voters. If no candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote, the two leading vote-getters will advance to a runoff scheduled for next month."

"Mr. Moore, a third-term congressman from a deeply conservative district in the southern part of the state, said his closing pitch to voters was that he had been in the fight with Mr. Trump in trying to get that America first agenda finished. (Mr. Trump carried the state by more than 30 percentage points in 2024.)"

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