ALFA makes endorsements in 2026 Alabama statewide races

Alabama’s largest agricultural membership organization, the Alabama Farmers’ Federation (ALFA), has released its endorsements in the 2026 statewide races.

Their powerful FarmPAC endorsements, expected to carry weight in the May 2026 Republican primaries, are as follows:

Steve Marshall — U.S. Senate
Wes Allen — Lieutenant Governor
Katherine Robertson — Attorney General
Corey Hill — Commissioner of Agriculture
Caroleene Dobson — Secretary of State
Derek Chen — State Auditor
Brad Mendheim — Supreme Court, Place 7
Greg Shaw — Supreme Court, Place 8
Mary Windom — Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 4
Beth Kellum — Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 5
Ben Bowden — Court of Civil Appeals, Place 4
Matt Fridy — Court of Civil Appeals, Place 5
Matt Gentry — Public Service Commission, Place 1
Chris Beeker — Public Service Commission, Place 2

ALFA announced the endorsements today following a packed Alabama FarmPAC agenda that saw more than two dozen candidates make their cases to Federation leaders from all 67 counties.

“Candidates often say the auditorium where we hold the FarmPAC meeting is the most intimating venue in state politics. That’s because they understand the value of our grassroots endorsement,” said Federation President Jimmy Parnell.

“The real work, however, occurs long before we convene in Montgomery. For months, these candidates have been visiting with local Federation leaders and attending county meetings. The candidates we endorsed today know our people, and we know them. We’re ready to work hard in communities across the state to help them win election.”

“The 2026 election cycle will be a turning point for state government,” Parnell said. “With more than 160 races on the ballot and several key open seats, the decisions voters make in May and November will impact Alabama’s future for years to come. We’re thankful to support a strong slate of conservative leaders and look forward to working with them to move Alabama forward.”

Two endorsements had been made earlier. The group had already named Tommy Tuberville as their pick for Governor and Young Boozer for re-election as State Treasurer.

Tuberville is the only Republican gubernatorial candidate who has filed with the Secretary of State. Those filings by law began May 19, 2025. It is mandatory to file when a candidate has raised or spent $1,000 or more.

While other potential Republican candidates have mentioned running for governor in 2026, Tuberville is the only official candidate. The deadline to file is January 23, 2026, less than four months away.

Boozer, the incumbent State Treasurer, has no opposition filed with the Secretary of State at the time of this report. He is the longest-serving Treasurer in Alabama history.

U.S. Senator: Steve Marshall

Steve Marshall is serving his last 16 months as state attorney general. He has been involved in federal issues, joining or initiating lawsuits with attorneys general of other states, challenging federal overreach from the Biden administration. He is from a county that bears his name, Marshall County. He was previously the District Attorney of Marshall County.

The U.S. Senate is an open seat because current Senator Tommy Tuberville has decided to run for Governor of Alabama, rather than re-election to the U.S. Senate.

Marshall so far faces five opponents: Congressman Barry Moore (R-Enterprise), Jared Hudson, a tactical training business owner and GOP nominee for Sheriff of Jefferson County in 2022, Morgan Murphy, former national security advisor to Sen. Tommy Tuberville, Rodney Walker, wholesale fuel company CEO, and Jerey Spratling.

Lt. Governor: Wes Allen

Wes Allen is the incumbent Secretary of State, elected in 2022. He has passed on a bid to run for re-election in order to seek the open seat of Lt. Governor. The current Lt. Governor, Will Ainsworth, is term-limited and thus cannot run for a third consecutive term. Lt. Governor is an open seat. Allen previously served in the Alabama House and as Probate Judge in Pike County.

Attorney General: Katherine Roberson

Katherine Roberson is the current chief counsel of the state attorney general’s office, hired by AG Steve Marshall. She is from an eighth-generation farming family in Dallas County and a mother of two children.

Agriculture Commissioner: Corey Hill

Corey Hill is the Mayor of Douglas in DeKalb County. He is an active member of ALFA. He owns a poultry and cattle farm for the fourth generation.

Secretary of State: Caroleene Dobson

Caroleene Dobson is a real estate attorney in Montgomery. She won the Republican nomination for Congress in 2024, defeating a State Senator and a former State Senator. She fell short in the general election against Democrat Shomari Figures. She is from Monroe County.

State Auditor: Derek Chen

Derek Chen is an attorney in Vestavia Hills. This is his first political race. He previously worked in the Alabama Secretary of State’s office and the Tuscaloosa District Attorney’s office. He holds a law degree from Birmingham’s Cumberland School of Law and an MBA from the University of Alabama.

Chen is a staunch supporter of President Trump and a frequent visitor to Trump’s home at Mar-a-Lago.

Public Service Commission Place #1: Matt Gentry

Matt Gentry is the Sheriff of Cullman County. He declined to run for re-election in order to seek a seat on the PSC.

Public Service Commission Place #2: Chris Beeker

Chris Beeker was appointed to the PSC by Governor Kay Ivey late last year to take the place of his father Chip Beeker, who resigned due to health issues. Chris served as Alabama’s Rural Development Coordinator in the first Trump administration. He lives in Tuscaloosa.

Appellate Court Judges

All of the endorsed candidates for appellate court seats are incumbents.

ALFA has more than 365,000 paid members in Alabama. The Republican primary is viewed as “tantamount to election” for the statewide races. All of red state Alabama’s statewide officials are Republican at this time.

The primary is on May 19, 2026. The GOP winners then run in the November general election against Democrat nominees and any independents or third-party candidates who meet ballot access requirements.

In Alabama, politics is the biggest sport besides football.

Jim Zig Zeigler is a contributing writer for Yellowhammer News. His beat includes the positive and colorful about Alabama – her people, events, groups and prominent deaths. He is a former State Auditor and Public Service Commissioner. You can reach him at [email protected]