Former U.S. Rep. Jerry Carl (R-Mobile) and State Rep. Rhett Marques (R-Enterprise) are still in a very close race to become Alabama’s next congressman for Alabama’s 1st District.
The seat became open when incumbent U.S. Rep. Barry Moore (R-Enterprise) opted to run for U.S. Senate instead of seeking reelection.
According to a new poll conducted April 20 through April 22 in the district of 502 likely Republican Primary Election, Marques is leading Carl by just 2%.
Carl held the seat from 2021 to 2025 before losing a tight 2024 primary to Moore after redistricting placed the two incumbents in the same district. Marques was endorsed by U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Montgomery) and has out-raised Carl in several recent fundraising periods.
If the election were held today, the survey done by PI Polling for Alabama Daily News says Marques would receive 22% of the vote, while Carl would receive 20%. Joshua McKee is in third place with 6%.
No doubt all the candidates vying for the spot are noticing that many voters are still undecided on their choice, with the poll saying 47% are in that category.
The Yellowhammer State requires a candidate to win a majority of primary votes to claim the nomination. If no candidate clears 50 percent on May 19, the top two finishers advance to a runoff on June 16.
Survey weighted to match likely 2026 Republican Primary Election turnout demographics. Margin of Error is +/-4.4% with a 95% level of confidence.
Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” weekdays 9-11 a.m. on WVNN. You can follow him on Twitter @Yaffee
