State Legislative Election Watch- 2026 Alabama Primary Preview
Covering all of the state legislative primaries happening in Alabama on Tuesday!
STATE LEGISLATIVE ELECTION WATCH- 2026 Alabama Primary Preview
INTRO:
Hello everyone and welcome to Uncrewed’s State Legislative Election Watch! I’m Uncrewed/Chris and this is your one-stop-shop to everything you need to know about state legislative elections from around the country. We’ve got a whopping six states holding their primaries on Tuesday, so we’re starting a few days early to cover all of the state legislative primaries going down that night! We’re starting today with Alabama & Kentucky, continuing tomorrow with Oregon & Idaho, and then finishing off on Tuesday with Georgia & Pennsylvania. For today, we’re kicking things off with Alabama, so, without further ado, let’s get to it!
SD-02 (Western Huntsville area, Trump+0.4) (R-Held) (DEM PRIMARY):
Three Democrats are running for this open, ultra-competitive seat in Huntsville: US Air Force veteran Guy Sotomayor, academic advisor Alex House, and US Navy veteran Rudolph Drake.
Sotomayor is running as a progressive, wanting to raise the minimum wage, create a state-run healthcare system, and increase teacher pay. House is running as a liberal, promising to raise the minimum wage, enact stricter anti-corruption laws, and expand Medicaid. Drake is running as a standard Democrat, wanting to expand access to affordable healthcare, lower the cost of living, and improve local education. None of these three candidates have raised much money, which doesn’t bode well for their chances of flipping this district in November and doesn’t tell us much about a favorite here. I’ll go with Sotomayor to win because he does have some name recognition from a failed run for county-wide office in 2024.
SD-10 (Etowah/Cherokee Counties, Trump+62) (R-Held) (GOP PRIMARY):
Republican incumbent Andrew Jones is facing a primary challenge from Etowah County Republican Party Vice Chairwoman Amy Minton in this deeply Republican district. Jones is a standard conservative, touting his efforts to shrink the size of the government, fight “woke ideology,” and improve “parental rights” in education. Minton is also a conservative, promising to fight against “government overreach,” improve local infrastructure, and stop the sale of US land to “foreign adversaries.” Minton has attacked Jones for being soft on immigration, while Jones has attacked Minton for supposedly not even voting for Trump. Jones has easily outpaced her in fundraising, so that (alongside incumbency) should give him the win here.
SD-13 (Cleburne County to eastern Lee County, Trump+48) (R-Held) (GOP PRIMARY):
Republican incumbent Randy Price is facing a primary challenge from the man who preceded him in this seat, former State Senator Gerald Dial. Price is a conservative, mostly running on his record of cutting taxes, expanding workforce development programs, and touting his vote for a Congressional map that would eliminate one of Alabama’s two Democratic districts. He’s backed by the NRA. Dial, who would be an 89 year old freshman Senator (albeit one who has over 30 years of previous experience), is mostly running on his previous experience in the legislature. He’s promised to support veterans, expand access to rural healthcare, and expand economic development. Price has dominated Dial in fundraising and should be the favorite to win here given that Dial hasn’t attracted much support.
SD-15 (Eastern Shelby/Jefferson Counties, Trump+39) (R-Held) (GOP PRIMARY):
Republican incumbent Dan Roberts is facing off against businessman Scott Ortis in the Republican primary for this deeply Republican district. Roberts touts that he’s one of the 10 most conservative State Senators in the chamber, promising to expand economic development, cut “government waste,” and support the 2nd Amendment. Ortis is mostly running as an outsider, promising to enact term limits, lower the cost of living, and stop “woke politics and social justice movements” from being in schools. Roberts has easily outpaced Ortis in fundraising, but Ortis loaned his campaign over half of a million dollars to keep up with Roberts. This has spooked Roberts, as he has spent nearly $700k to defeat Ortis. I think Roberts should win this, but he’s definitely a little scared.
SD-16 (Southern Birmingham suburbs, Trump+25) (R-Held) (GOP PRIMARY):
Republican incumbent J.T. Waggoner is facing a primary challenge from businessman/former University of Alabama football player Nate Carlson in this solidly Republican district. Waggoner, who also goes by the nickname “Jabo,” doesn’t have much of a campaign presence online, but he’s been a solid conservative vote in the legislature. Carlson is running as a standard Republican, promising to crack down on crime, cut taxes, and expand school choice. Waggoner has heavily outpaced Carlson in fundraising, so he should be the heavy favorite to win here.
SD-22 (Washington/Escambia/northern Baldwin Counties, Trump+60) (R-Held) (GOP PRIMARY):
Republican incumbent Greg Albritton is facing a primary challenge from businessman Terry Waters in this deeply Republican district. Albritton is a conservative, touting his efforts to balance the budget, improve economic development, and oppose abortion. He’s backed by a few Republican-aligned special interest groups. Waters is running a self-proclaimed “grassroots” campaign, touting his support for the 2nd Amendment, opposition to abortion, and support for veterans/farmers. Albritton has easily outpaced Waters on the financial side of things and Waters hasn’t really attracted much support, so I think Albritton should win this one.
SD-25 (Crenshaw/southern Montgomery Counties, Harris+15) (D-Held) (DEM PRIMARY):
As part of one of the last successful lawsuits when the Voting Rights Act still had teeth, Alabama was forced to redraw this district and the neighboring SD-26 to better represent Black voters. This district was, and still is, a solidly Democratic district, but SD-26 got redrawn from Trump+30 to Trump+4, making it a rare competitive district in November.
That’s a different district though and Democratic incumbent Kirk Hatcher is running here for another term. He’s facing two opponents: pastor KK Middleton and teacher Phadra Carson Foster. Hatcher is mostly running on his record of improving local education and taking a stand against the Republican-led redistricting effort. Middleton doesn’t have much of a campaign platform, but he does have a blatant lie on his Instagram page:
He’s so confident about it too! Anyway, Foster is running as a standard Democrat, promising to expand economic opportunity, expand access to mental healthcare, and improve local education. None of Hatcher’s opponents have really raised much money and Hatcher really hasn’t done much to anger the community, so he should be fine here.
SD-27 (Tallapoosa/western Lee Counties, Trump+28) (R-Held) (GOP PRIMARY):
Republican incumbent Jay Hovey is facing a primary challenge from Lee County Commissioner Doug Cannon in this deeply Republican district. Hovey calls himself a “conservative, Christian Republican,” touting his efforts to defend “Christian values,” cut taxes, and expand economic development. Cannon is running as a more standard Republican, promising to “keep politics out of the classroom,” cut “government waste,” and expand access to rural healthcare. Hovey has a wide financial advantage over Cannon and Cannon hasn’t really attracted much support, so I think Hovey wins this one. Cannon does have the advantage of being a local elected official, so I’m not counting him out yet.
SD-29 (Southeastern Alabama, Trump+59) (R-Held) (GOP PRIMARY):
Republican incumbent Donnie Chesteen is facing two opponents in the Republican primary for this deeply Republican district: US Army veteran Zachary Hurst and accountant Val Glasgow Paul. Chesteen doesn’t have much of a campaign presence online, but he’s been a very conservative vote in the legislature. In fact, he even attracted a bit of national attention for introducing a bill that would ban non-natural born citizens from holding office in Alabama. Hurst is running as a standard Republican, promising to lower taxes, lower crime, and introduce a state-run lottery to raise money. Paul doesn’t have a campaign presence online at all. Chesteen has a gigantic financial advantage over his two opponents, so he should win this one easily.
SD-32 (Southern Baldwin County, Trump+54) (R-Held) (GOP PRIMARY):
Republican incumbent Chris Elliott is facing a primary challenge from businessman Mike Vandenheuvel in this deeply Republican district. Elliott calls himself a “MAGA Warrior,” which is a bit cringe. I don’t know, it just makes him sound like a LARP-er. Anyway, he’s touted his efforts to “fight the woke agenda,” cut taxes, and stop a toll scheme for a local bridge. He’s backed by the NRA and several Republican-aligned special interest groups. Vandenheuvel is a standard Republican, promising to cut taxes, secure the southern border (with Mexico, not with the Gulf of Mexico), and support local seafood farmers. Elliott has a gigantic financial advantage over Vandenheuvel and has incumbency on his side, so he should win this one easily.
SD-34 (Northern Mobile County, Trump+38) (R-Held) (GOP PRIMARY):
Two Republicans are running to replace Republican incumbent Jack Williams in this deeply Republican district: former State Senator Rusty Glover and former school board member Doug Harwell.
Glover, who represented this district from 2006-2018, is running on a vaguely conservative platform, promising to strengthen public safety and protect “Alabama values.” He’s backed by a few grassroots conservative groups. Harwell is also running on a vaguely conservative platform, attacking “political nostalgia,” in a not-so-subtle shot at Glover. He’s backed by several Republican-aligned special interest groups and former Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson. Harwell has a wide financial advantage over Glover. I think Harwell wins this, but Glover’s name recognition might carry him over the finish line here.
HD-01 (Northern Lauderdale County, Trump+49) (R-Held) (GOP PRIMARY):
Republican incumbent Phillip Pettus is facing a primary challenge from attorney Maurice McCaney in this deeply Republican district. Pettus is a conservative, touting his efforts to cut taxes and support President Trump’s agenda. He’s backed by the NRA and the Alabama Firefighters union. McCaney wants to restore “Conservative, Christian values” to Alabama, promising to improve “election integrity,” cut taxes, and support a “Biblical worldview.” Yeah, he’s a Christian Nationalist. Pettus has a wide financial advantage over McCaney, so he should be fine here.
HD-08 (Western Decatur, Trump+28.5) (R-Held) (GOP PRIMARY):
Two Republicans are running to replace retiring Republican incumbent Terri Collins in this deeply Republican district: businessman Patrick Johnson and police officer Kevin Davenport.
Johnson is mostly focused on expanding economic development in the district, touting his years of efforts to do so in the Decatur business community. He’s backed by outgoing Representative Collins, the Alabama Farm Bureau, and several Republican-aligned special interest groups. Davenport is mostly focused on improving public safety and expanding access to mental health treatments. Johnson has a wide financial advantage over Davenport and has the establishment lined up behind him, so he should be the favorite here.
HD-13 (Eastern Walker County, Trump+71) (R-Held) (GOP PRIMARY):
Republican incumbent Greg Barnes won a special election to this deeply Republican seat in October 2025 and now he’s running for a full term. He has to first get through businessman Mike Elliott in order to do so though. Barnes is mostly running on his small, but conservative, voting record. He’s touted his votes to cut taxes and improve local infrastructure. He also wants to let the people of Alabama vote on whether or not to establish a statewide lottery. He’s backed by State House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter. Elliott is running as a standard Republican, wanting to expand economic development, cut taxes, and improve local education. He’s backed by the Alabama Farm PAC. Barnes has a decent financial advantage over Elliott and has better institutional support than him. I think Barnes wins this one.
HD-17 (Marion/Lamar Counties/Haleyville, Trump+80) (R-Held) (GOP PRIMARY):
With Republican incumbent Tracy Estes retiring (presumably because he was arrested in 2024 for threatening to beat his wife), three Republicans are running to replace him in this deeply Republican district. Guin Mayor Phil Segraves, teacher Micheal Beck, and insurance agent Kevin Bradford.
Segraves is a conservative, promising to lower the cost of living, cut “wasteful spending,” and “get politics out of the classroom.” He’s also running a lot on his record as Mayor of Guin, the tiny city of 2,000 people which only legalized liquor sales back in 2010 (which actually made them the first city in Marion County to do so since Prohibition). He’s backed by the Alabama Education Association (the largest teachers union in Alabama) and a few Republican-aligned special interest groups. Beck is also running as a conservative, focusing on improving local education, protecting “Conservative beliefs for our children,” and lowering taxes. Finally, Bradford is running as a conservative. He wants to protect rural hospitals, improve local infrastructure, and defend the “sanctity of life.” He’s backed by the Alabama Farmers Federation, who have funded a good chunk of his campaign. Segraves leads the three in fundraising, but Beck leads in money spent and Bradford leads in outside spending. I’m going to go with Segraves to win based on his local track record, but a Bradford win based on his farmer support and a Beck win based on the back of his money shouldn’t be counted out.
HD-20 (Southeastern Huntsville, Trump+24) (R-Held) (GOP PRIMARY):
Remember Mo Brooks? He flipped the ancestrally Democratic AL-05 to the Republicans in the 2010 Tea Party wave and then made a name for himself as one of the most conservative Congressmen in America. After failing to get a promotion to the Senate in 2017 & 2022, he left Washington and became a major critic of President Trump. He called Trump “dishonest, disloyal, incompetent, and crude” and said that there would be better candidates to run for President in 2024. The Republican primary base thought otherwise and now Brooks is trying to get back into office by challenging Republican incumbent James Lomax in this solidly Republican district.
Brooks is running on a vaguely conservative platform, wanting to improve local infrastructure and raise wages for workers to combat inflation. Lomax calls himself a “fresh Conservative leader,” touting his efforts to “remove foreign influence from elections,” cut taxes, and support law enforcement. He’s backed by the Fraternal Order of Police and several Republican-aligned special interest groups. Lomax has a solid financial advantage over Brooks, but Brooks has kept himself competitive by self-funding his campaign a little over $100k. Now, Brooks has name recognition, but it’s not good name recognition. I think Lomax actually put it best himself after Brooks entered the campaign:
The Republican base just doesn’t like him any more. He’s a Trump critic, which is just not possible to be in the Republican Party of today. I think Lomax wins this one relatively easily because of it.
HD-25 (Western Huntsville, Trump+5) (R-Held) (DEM PRIMARY):
Two Democrats are running for the party nod to take on Republican incumbent Phillip Rigsby in this Republican-leaning district: businessman Damon Eubanks and software engineer Allison Montgomery. However, Eubanks recently suspended his campaign and endorsed Montgomery. He’s still on the ballot, but Montgomery should win this one in a landslide.
HD-32 (Western Anniston to western Talladega, Harris+2) (D-Held) (DEM PRIMARY):
Two Democrats are running to succeed retiring Democratic incumbent Barbara Boyd in this Democratic-leaning district: former Anniston City Councilwoman Debra Foster and former Anniston City Councilman David Reddick.
Foster, who was the first Black woman elected to the Anniston City Council, is running as a standard Democrat. She wants to expand Medicaid, expand funding for public education, and expand economic development. Reddick is running on a vague platform of improving public education, supporting veterans, and expanding economic development. He’s been outpaced in campaign fundraising by Foster, but has kept himself competitive by self-funding. I think Foster wins this one, but both candidates are neck-and-neck.
HD-37 (Randolph County to northern Lee County, Trump+45.5) (R-Held) (GOP PRIMARY):
Three Republicans are running to replace retiring Republican incumbent Bob Fincher in this deeply Republican district: Five Points Mayor Jeff Monroe, Wadley Mayor Donna Bailey McKay, and school superintendent John Jacobs.
Monroe is running as a moderate, wanting to improve public safety, expand workforce development programs, and improve local infrastructure. He’s backed by the Alabama Farmers Federation and the Alabama Firefighters union. McKay doesn’t have much of a campaign platform, but she supports “conservative values.” Jacobs is a conservative, supporting “parental rights” in education, defending the 2nd Amendment, and promising to cut red tape for businesses. Jacobs leads the three in fundraising, Monroe has spent more money and has been the beneficiary of over $50k in outside spending. I think Monroe wins this one, but a Jacobs win would not surprise me.
HD-38 (Eastern Lee/Chambers Counties, Trump+43) (R-Held) (DEM PRIMARY):
Two Democrats are running in this deeply Republican seat: recent college graduate Hazel Floyd and minister Christopher Davis. Floyd, who was the Democratic nominee for the special election here earlier this year, is running as a standard Democrat. She’s mostly focused on increasing funding for public education and lowering utility costs. Davis is mostly focused on improving local infrastructure. Floyd should be the favorite here given her name recognition from being the nominee in the special election earlier this year.
HD-40 (Cleburne/eastern Calhoun Counties, Trump+62) (R-Held) (GOP PRIMARY):
Republican incumbent Chad Robertson is facing three opponents in the Republican primary for this deeply Republican district: conservative activist Kaycee Cavender, teacher Bill Lester, and businessman Bill McAdams. Robertson is mostly running on his record of cutting taxes, touting his efforts to supposedly save Alabama families over $170 million over the last four years. Cavender calls herself a “Conservative Christian” and a “Homeschooler for Educational Freedom,” promising to defend the 2nd Amendment and champion “health freedom.” She’s backed by a few conservative grassroots groups. Lester doesn’t have much of a campaign presence online. Finally, McAdams wants to cut taxes and abolish property taxes for senior citizens. Robertson has a wide financial advantage over his three opponents and should win this one, though there is an outside chance Cavender forces a runoff thanks to her grassroots support.
HD-45 (Eastern Shelby County, Trump+45) (R-Held) (GOP PRIMARY):
Republican incumbent Susan DuBose is facing a challenge from ghost candidate John Dawson in this deeply Republican district. DuBose is a conservative, touting her efforts to implement school choice and improve “election integrity.” Dawson has no campaign presence anywhere outside of pledging to support Congressional term limits. DuBose should win this in a landslide.
HD-48 (Vestavia Hills area, Trump+33.5) (R-Held) (GOP PRIMARY):
Republican incumbent Jim Carns is facing two opponents in the Republican primary for this deeply Republican district in suburban Birmingham: former Assistant US Attorney Lloyd Peeples and businessman William Wentowski.
Carns doesn’t have much of a campaign presence online, but he’s been a reliably conservative vote in the legislature. He has been a longtime fixture in the area though, representing suburban Birmingham on the legislative and county-level for the last 35 years. He’s backed by a bunch of Republican-aligned special interest groups. Peeples is running as a conservative, wanting to shrink the size of the government, expand economic development, and crack down on crime. Wentowski is running as a standard Republican, wanting to expand workforce development, support law enforcement, and increase local control. We do actually have a poll taken of this race, albeit one from January. It showed Carns leading Peeples by a 23-19 margin, with nearly 60% undecided and over half of the district having no opinion of Carns despite him representing the area for almost 40 years. Carns leads the three in fundraising, but Peeples has self-funded his campaign to the tune of $400k, keeping himself competitive. I think Carns wins this one thanks to his outside support and the anti-Carns vote splitting itself, but I’m not counting out a Peeples win or a runoff between Carns & Peeples thanks to Wentowski taking a chunk of the vote.
HD-50 (Western St. Clair County, Trump+60) (R-Held) (GOP PRIMARY):
With Republican incumbent Jim Hill retiring, two Republicans are running to replace him in this deeply Republican district: school board member Bill Morris and US Army veteran Bryan Newell.
Morris is running as a standard Republican, promising to support law enforcement, expand workforce development programs, and improve local education. He’s backed by several Republican-aligned special interest groups. Newell is running as a conservative, wanting to crack down on “fraud,” fight child trafficking, and improve local infrastructure. He’s also claiming credit for conservative policies being passed after he challenged AL-03 Congressman Mike Rogers in the primary in 2024. He lost that primary 82-13. Morris has a huge financial advantage over Newell and should win this one easily.
HD-52 (South-central Birmingham, Harris+67) (D-Held) (DEM PRIMARY):
We’re finally on to Democratic State House incumbents facing primaries! We’re starting with Democratic incumbent Kelvin Datcher, who is facing two opponents in this deeply Democratic district: attorney GiGi Hayes and businesswoman LaTanya Millhouse. Datcher doesn’t have much of a campaign presence online, but he has been a strong voice of opposition against Alabama’s attempt to redraw the Congressional map, so he’s active. Hayes is running as a standard Democrat, wanting to improve community safety, expand Medicaid, and expand funding for public education. Millhouse is running on what she’s calling “The People’s Agenda,” wanting to expand access to healthcare, build more affordable housing, and expand workforce development programs. Datcher has a wide financial advantage over both of his opponents and should be the favorite to win here.
HD-54 (North-central Birmingham, Harris+58) (D-Held) (DEM PRIMARY):
Democratic incumbent Neil Rafferty is facing a primary challenge from minister Joseph Holt in the Democratic primary for this deeply Democratic district. Rafferty is a liberal, focusing on expanding access to healthcare (calling it a human right), fighting efforts to expand school vouchers, and protect the LGBTQ+ community. Holt doesn’t have much of a campaign platform, outside of saying that he is “Fighting For Our Children,” which I guess is better than fighting our children. Anyway, Rafferty has dominated in the financial department, so he should win this one easily.
HD-55 (Central Birmingham, Harris+72.5) (D-Held) (DEM PRIMARY):
Democratic incumbent Travis Hendrix is facing two opponents in the Democratic primary for this deeply Democratic district: businesswoman Jenny Craig and former State Representative Eric Major. Hendrix doesn’t have much of a campaign platform, but he has been a solid Democratic vote in the legislature (outside of voting for a bill that mandated the 10 Commandments be posted in public schools). He’s backed by the Alabama Education Association and several other special interest groups. Craig is running as a standard Democrat, wanting to expand access to healthcare, fight for “fair wages,” and expand economic development. Major is also running as a standard Democrat, wanting to expand Medicaid, increase funding for the University of Alabama-Birmingham, and stop utility rate hikes. Hendrix has a big financial advantage over his two opponents, so he should be fine here. I do want to see if there’s a penalty for his one conservative vote though.
HD-57 (Western Birmingham outskirts, Harris+32) (D-Held) (DEM PRIMARY):
Democratic incumbent Patrick Sellers has been one of the most anti-trans Democrats in the legislature despite representing a very Democratic district. He has voted to ban transgender athletes from competing on sports teams, define gender to be based on biological sex, ban K-12 schools from discussing general identity, and ban schools and libraries from hosting drag shows without parental consent. He’s got two opponents in the primary on Tuesday: school administrator Shamyia Atkins and businesswoman Mara Ruffin Blackmon.
Atkins is a liberal, wanting to expand workforce development programs, support equal rights for women, and improve public safety. Blackmon is running on a similar platform, promising to improve public safety, expand funding for public education, and improve economic development. Neither candidate has raised much money, so Sellers should be fine here.
HD-60 (Western Birmingham, Harris+49) (D-Held) (DEM PRIMARY):
You can take everything I said about Sellers and copy-paste it to this district’s Democratic incumbent Juandalynn Givan. She has also voted for a bunch of anti-trans measures, but unlike Sellers, she has actually tried to move up the political ladder. She ran for the newly-created AL-02 in 2024, but only got 2% of the vote in the primary. She also ran for Mayor of Birmingham in 2025, but only took 4% of the vote. That’s terrible for a sitting State Representative (in both races, but the Birmingham race is probably worse). She’s running for re-election, but is facing two opponents: political aide Alicia Escott Lumpkin and firefighter Nina Taylor.
Lumpkin is running as a standard Democrat, wanting to expand economic development, protect reproductive rights, and improve public safety. She’s backed by the Alabama College Democrats and Jefferson County Commissioner Sheila Tyson. She’s also kind of backed by Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, but there’s been no explicit endorsement. Taylor, who lost to Givan by a 78-22 margin in 2022, wants to expand funding for public education, improve access to healthcare, and expand workforce development programs. She’s backed by the AFL-CIO. Lumpkin has easily outpaced Givan in fundraising and has out-spent the incumbent by a near 7-to-1 margin. I think Lumpkin actually wins this one, but I’m not counting out Givan based on incumbency or Taylor taking enough of the vote to force a runoff.
HD-65 (Choctaw County to northern Baldwin County, Trump+44) (R-Held) (GOP PRIMARY):
Two Republicans are running to succeed Republican incumbent Brett Easterbrook in this deeply Republican district: businesswoman Dee Ann Campbell and police officer John Knapp.
Campbell is a conservative, promising to protect the “sanctity of life,” expand economic development, and improve government transparency. Knapp is mostly running on his record as a cop to crack down on crime, but he also wants to cut taxes. Knapp has outpaced Campbell in fundraising, but this has been a very low-key election for both candidates. Campbell also has a wild card in her corner, the fact that she ran against Easterbrook in 2022 and took 30% of the vote, so she does have some name recognition. Despite that, I think Knapp wins this one, but it’s a shot in the dark.
HD-69 (Wilcox County to southern Autauga County, Harris+8) (D-Held) (DEM PRIMARY):
Democratic incumbent Kelvin Lawrence is facing a primary challenge from nonprofit director Marshae Madison in this solidly Democratic district. Lawrence is mostly running on his record of “getting things done,” but he’s been pretty vague about other policies. In fact, he’s actually attacked Madison for promising to do more while saying that he has actually gotten stuff done. He’s backed by the Alabama Education Association and several other special interest groups. Madison doesn’t have much of a campaign platform online, but she has been active in the community, so she’s running a campaign at least. Lawrence has easily outpaced her in fundraising though, so he should be fine here.
HD-72 (Hale/Greene Counties to southern Tuscaloosa, Harris+11) (D-Held) (DEM PRIMARY):
Democratic incumbent Curtis Travis is facing a primary challenge from US Army veteran Michael Williams in this solidly Democratic district. Travis is running as a standard Democrat, wanting to improve local education, add more lanes to a local highway, and expand rural broadband. He’s backed by the Alabama Education Association and several special interest groups. Williams is running on a vague platform of expanding opportunities for working families, improving local education, and improving local infrastructure. Travis has a huge financial advantage over Williams, so he should win this one.
HD-74 (Eastern Montgomery, Harris+29) (D-Held) (DEM PRIMARY):
With Democratic incumbent Phillip Ensler retiring in order to run for Lieutenant Governor, two Democrats are running to succeed him in this deeply Democratic district: attorney Jasmyne Crimiel and engineer Austin Smith.
Crimiel is running as a standard Democrat, focusing on improving local education, expanding access to healthcare, and protecting local control. She’s backed by State Senator Robert Stewart and the Alabama Democratic Conference. Smith calls himself a fighter, promising to expand workforce development programs, improve neighborhood safety, and expand economic development. He’s backed by a bunch of special interest groups. Crimiel has a slight financial advantage over Smith and I think she’ll narrowly outpace him here because of that and better institutional support.
HD-76 (Southern Montgomery, Harris+52) (D-Held) (DEM PRIMARY):
Democratic incumbent Patrice “Penni” McClammy is facing a primary challenge from former Montgomery City Councilman/perennial candidate Terance Dawson in this deeply Democratic district. McClammy doesn’t have much of a campaign platform online, but she’s been a reliably Democratic vote in the legislature. Dawson, who calls himself “Watchdog,” doesn’t really have a campaign platform, but he does have some, um, interesting Facebook posts, including slapping his campaign logo on random Reels:
And calling US Senator/probable next Governor of Alabama Tommy Tuberville a bunch of interesting things:
He hasn’t raised any money for his campaign, so McClammy should win this one easily.
HD-82 (Macon County/western Auburn, Harris+31) (D-Held) (DEM PRIMARY):
Democratic incumbent Pebblin Warren is facing three opponents in her bid for another term in this deeply Democratic district: Tuskegee University official Sidney Brown, businessman Terrence Johnson, and Lee County Democratic Party Chairman Jamie Lowe.
Warren doesn’t have much of a campaign platform online, but (outside of voting to ban trans athletes) she’s been a reliably Democratic vote in the legislature. She’s backed by the Alabama Education Association and a bunch of special interest groups. Brown doesn’t have much of a campaign presence online, but he has self-funded his campaign enough to keep up with his opponents. Johnson wants to invest in youth empowerment programs, improve local infrastructure, and touts his “commitment to the Blackbelt.” He ran against Warren in 2022 and only lost by 10 points, so he does have name recognition. Lowe is a standard Democrat, promising to support local businesses, expand teacher salaries, and expand Medicaid. Warren leads the pack in fundraising, with Brown behind her and Johnson/Lowe lagging behind Brown. I think Warren wins this one, but I could see her getting below 50% and getting forced into a runoff.
HD-84 (Barbour/Bullock/southern Russell Counties, Harris+5.5) (D-Held) (DEM PRIMARY):
Democratic incumbent Berry Forte is facing a primary challenge from Clayton City Councilwoman Brittani O’Hara-Grant in the Democratic primary for this solidly Democratic district. Forte doesn’t have much of a campaign platform online, but (outside of voting to ban trans athletes) he’s been a reliably Democratic vote in the legislature. He’s backed by the Alabama Education Association and the Alabama Farmers Federation. O’Hara-Grant, who is also the president of a local NAACP branch, wants to expand youth empowerment programs, improve public safety, and improve local education. She’s backed by the Alabama Democratic Conference. She hasn’t raised much money though, so Forte should be fine here.
HD-85 (Henry County/northern Dothan, Trump+26) (R-Held) (GOP PRIMARY):
Republican incumbent Rick Rehm is facing a primary challenge from judge David Money in this solidly Republican district.
Rehm is a conservative, touting his efforts to improve “election integrity,” cut taxes, and protect “Alabama values.” He’s backed by the NRA and several Republican-aligned special interest groups. Money is running on his record of local service, but also promising to stop “government waste,” and cut taxes. He’s backed by a few conservative-aligned business groups. Rehm leads Money in fundraising, but it’s neck and neck between the two there. I think Rehm wins this one, but I could see Money winning as part of a business revolt against Rehm.
HD-91 (Coffee County, Trump+52.5) (R-Held) (GOP PRIMARY):
With Republican incumbent Rhett Marques retiring in order to run for AL-01, two Republicans are running to replace him in this deeply Republican district: Coffee County Administrator Rod Morgan and businessman Jody Linton.
Morgan is running as a conservative, promising to protect small businesses, prevent the expansion of gambling in the state, and prevent the legalization of marijuana. Linton is also a conservative, promising to cut taxes, support small businesses, and “defend Alabama values.” He’s backed by the Alabama Farmers Federation and several other Republican-aligned special interest groups. Linton has a wide financial advantage over Morgan and better institutional support, which makes me think he’s the favorite here. However, I’m not counting out Morgan thanks to name recognition from his time as Coffee County Administrator.
HD-93 (Southern Dale County, Trump+50) (R-Held) (GOP PRIMARY):
Republican incumbent Steve Clouse is facing a primary challenge from businessman “Stormin” Norman Horton in the Republican primary for this deeply Republican district. Clouse doesn’t have much of a campaign presence online, but he’s been a reliably conservative vote in the legislature. He’s also backed by the Alabama Education Association and several other Republican-aligned special interest groups. Horton is a conservative, promising to enact term limits, stop any new taxes, and crack down on crime. Clouse has easily outpaced Horton in fundraising, so he should win this one.
HD-95 (Southern Baldwin County, Trump+63) (R-Held) (GOP PRIMARY):
Republican incumbent Frances Holk-Jones is facing two opponents in her bid for another term in this deeply Republican district: conservative activist Elijah Davidson and businessman Joe Freeman. Holk-Jones is a conservative, wanting to push for less “government mandates” and more “personal responsibility.” She’s backed by several Republican-aligned special interest groups. Davidson has touted his work building up a Turning Point USA group at a local high school and working for former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. He’s mostly running as an outsider not connected to the “good ol’ boys club.” Freeman is a conservative, promising to protect farmers, fight against expanding gambling in the state of Alabama, and opposing abortion. He’s backed by the Alabama Farmers Federation. Holk-Jones easily leads both of her opponents in fundraising, so she should be fine here. I wouldn’t be surprised though if Davidson took enough of the vote for her and Freeman to be sent into a runoff next month.
HD-96 (Daphne/Spanish Fort, Trump+45) (R-Held) (GOP PRIMARY):
Republican incumbent Matt Simpson is facing a primary challenge from conservative activist Danielle Duggar in the Republican primary for this deeply Republican district. Simpson is running on his conservative voting record, touting his votes to crack down on crime, restrict transgender rights, and cut taxes. He’s backed by several Republican-aligned special interest groups. Duggar is a right-winger, promising to cut “government waste,” protect children from “woke policies,” and strengthen “medical freedom.” She’s backed by the Alabama Farmers Federation and several grassroots conservative groups. Simpson has a wide financial advantage over Duggar, which makes me think that he’s the favorite, but I’m not counting out Duggar. Her support from the farmers and grassroots should keep things interesting.
HD-97 (Central Mobile, Harris+27) (D-Held) (DEM PRIMARY):
Democratic incumbent Adline Clarke is facing a challenge in the Democratic primary for this deeply Democratic district from US Army veteran Shaela Dowdy. Clarke is a standard Democrat, focusing on expanding access to affordable healthcare, expanding voting rights, and expanding economic development. She’s backed by the Alabama Education Association and several special interest groups. Dowdy is running a bit to her left, wanting to expand Medicaid (and calling healthcare a human right), protect reproductive rights, and expand economic development. Clarke has a solid financial advantage over Dowdy, but Dowdy has kept it somewhat close. I think Clarke wins thanks to incumbency, but Dowdy is definitely giving her one of the toughest fights of her career.
HD-99 (Northern Mobile area, Harris+28) (D-Held) (DEM PRIMARY):
Democratic incumbent Sam Jones is facing two opponents in Tuesday’s Democratic primary for this deeply Democratic district: teacher Jyl Hughes and teacher Joey Wright. Jones doesn’t have much of a campaign platform online, but he’s been a solid liberal vote in the legislature. He’s mostly just running on his experience in the legislature and in city office (where he was the first Black Mayor of Mobile from 2005-2013). He’s backed by the Alabama Education Association and several special interest groups. Hughes is running on a vague platform of supporting “progressive ideas.” Wright is also running on a vague platform of “education and safer communities.” Neither of Jones’s opponents have raised much, if any, money, so Jones should win this one.
HD-101 (Western Mobile, Trump+29) (R-Held) (GOP PRIMARY):
Republican incumbent Chris Pringle is facing a primary challenge from teacher Tim Manning in the Republican primary for this deeply Republican district. Pringle is running as a conservative who has got things done, touting his efforts to cut taxes, defend “constitutional freedoms,” and bring money to the district. He’s backed by the Alabama Education Association and several Republican-aligned special interest groups. Manning is running as an outsider, wanting to expand access to mental healthcare, improve government transparency, and restore Civics as a stand-alone course in middle schools. Pringle has a wide financial advantage over Manning, so he should be fine here.
And that’s it for this edition of Uncrewed’s State Legislative Election Watch. I’ll be back in a few hours to cover all the state legislative primaries going down in Kentucky on Tuesday. Until then, I’ve been Uncrewed/Chris (you can follow me on Twitter @Uncrewed, same on Bluesky!) and don’t forget to stay awesome!