Qualifying Ends For the 2026 Party Primaries
5:00pm yesterday was the deadline to file for candidacy in the coming major party primary elections on May 19th. There were some interesting names signed to Republican qualifying documents:
John Wahl: State Republican Party Chairman John Wahl, with the unexpected public endorsement of President Trump in his back pocket, signed up to run for Lt. Governor. He will face a couple of imposing foes in Tuscaloosa native, Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen and Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries Rick Pate. Lesser-known GOP Lt. Gov. candidates are Pat Bishop; George Childress; Dean Oden, Dr. Stewart Hill Tankersley and Nicole Jones Wadsworth.
Mo Brooks: Perhaps the most controversial candidate to enter a race is former North Alabama GOP Congressman "Mo" Brooks. Brooks was an ardent Trump backer, even delivering a fiery speech in from of the White House encouraging the mob that attacked the Nation's Capital on January 2020. But the six term Huntsville congressman fell out Trump's favor when he was running against Katie Britt for the U.S. Senate. Britt got Trump's endorsement and won the election.
Brooks is looking to return to the Alabama State Legislature in a run against one-term incumbent 20th District Rep. James Lomax of Huntsville. Brooks told reporters when he qualified Friday that he was encouraged to run by people who raised enough money to mount a successful campaign.
Jim Zeigler: Incumbent Public Service Place #2 Commissioner Chris Beeker III drew a last-minute challenge from former Alabama Auditor Jim Zeigler. Beeker was appointed by Gov. Ivey to replace his father Chip on the PSC in 2024. Zeigler, a former UA Student Body President, served on the PSC from 1974 to 1978, being elected at the age of 24.
Over the years since deciding not to run for PSC reelection, Zeigler ran for state office unsuccessfully seven times, four as a Democrat, and three as a Republican before winning two terms as in 2015.
Other Republican candidates who have qualified for the seat include Brent Woodall and Priscilla Andrews.
Gerald Dial: Dial wants his old Senate District 13 seat back after leaving to run an unsuccessful bid for state ag commissioner. The longtime former East Alabama state legislator must overcome two-term incumbent senator. Randy Price of Opelika and a scandal that occurred during his leadership of the Alabama Motor Sports Hall of Fame Commission.
The Primary Election:
The Republican Party has a super-majority of office holders at all levels in Alabama and most who are running for this election cycle are favored to win in November, so for the most part the primaries will determine the eventual winner in November.
Democrats worked hard to recruit candidates for every primary sear, but they were only successful in fielding multiple candidates in 23 of the state's 163 elections on the ballot in May. The remaining elections either have only one Democrat running or none at all.
NOTE: Only elections where there are challengers and elections involving West Alabama are listed:
Governor:
The Dems were able to lure their most successful statewide candidate into a potential challenge of expected Republican gubernatorial nominee, Sen. Tommy Tuberville. Former U.S. Senator Doug Jones became the last Democrat to win a statewide office when he defeated flawed GOP candidate Roy Moore in a special election. When Jones ran for a full-term of his own, Tuberville outdistanced him by 20 percentage points and more than a half million votes.
Republican: Tommy Tuberville, Ken McFeeders and "Alabama" Will Santivasci.
Democrat: Will Boyd, Jamel J. Brown, Yolanda Rochelle Flowers, Doug Jones, Chad Chig Martin, and Nathan "Nate" Mathis.
Lt. Governor:
Republican: Wes Allen, Pat Bishop, George Childress, Dr. Stewart Hill Tankersley. Dean Odle, Rick Pate, John Wahl, and Nicole Jones Wadsworth.
Democrat: Phillip Ensler and Darryl D. Perryman are running.
Attorney General:
Republican: Phillip Ensler and Darryl D. Perryman
Democrat: Jeff McLaughlin
Secretary of State:
Republican: Caroleene Dobson, and Glenda S. Jackson.
Democrat: Wayne Rogers
State Treasurer:
Republican: Young Boozer (i), Steve Lolley.
Democrat: Rosilyn Houston
State Auditor:
Republican: Derek Chen, and Andrew Sorrell (i)
Democrat: Violet Edwards
Commissioner of Agriculture and Industry:
Republican: Corey Hill, Christina Woerner McInnis, and
Jack Williams
Democrat: Ron Sparks
Public Service Commissioner, Place 1:
Republican: Matt Gentry, and Jeremy H. Oden (i)
Democrat: James O. Gordon, John Northrop, and Jeff Ramsey
Public Service Commissioner, Place 2:
Republican: Priscilla Andrews, Chris Beeker (i), Jeffrey M. Boyd, Brent Woodall, and Jim Zig Zeigler
Democrat: Sheila D. McNeil
Associate Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, Place 8:
Republican: Greg Shaw (i)
Democrat: Ashleigh Meyer
District Judge, Greene County Place 1:
Republican: None
Democrat: Tonjula Carey, and Robert J. Lee, Sr.
District Judge, Pickens County Place 1:
Republican: John Morgan Owens, and John Russell
Democrat: None
District Judge, Sumter County Place 1:
Republican: None
Democrat: Tammy Jackson Montgomery, Glen McCord, Brian Smith
Alabama State Senate, District 14:
Republican: April Weaver (i)
Democrat: Mandie Ledkins
Alabama State Senate, District 23:
Republican: Thayer “Bear” Havard Spencer
Democrat: Robert Stewart (i)
Alabama State Senate, District 24:
Republican: Richard Benderson
Democrat: Bobby Singleton (i)
Alabama House of Representatives, District 16:
Republican: Bryan Brinyark (i)
Democrat: Christian Martin
Alabama House of Representatives, District 17:
Republican: Micheal Beck, Kevin Bradford, and Phil Segraves
Democrat: None
Alabama House of Representatives, District 63:
Republican: Norman Crow (i)
Democrat: Judith Taylor
Alabama House of Representatives, District 70:
Republican: Ian M. Chwatuk
Democrat: Christopher John England (i)
Alabama House of Representatives, District 72:
Republican: None
Democrat: Curtis L. Travis (i), Michael Williams
Alabama House of Representatives, District 68:
Republican: Fred Kelley
Democrat: Thomas E "Action" Jackson (i)
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