Former Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill weighed in on the high-stakes 2026 election cycle in Alabama during a recent interview with CBS 42. A veteran politician himself, Merrill gave insight on the potential ticket up and down the ballot, which will see several term-limited officials having to decide which office to run for next.

Merrill said as the incumbent Lt. Governor, Will Ainsworth is in a prime position to make a successful bid for Governor — but U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) might stand in his way.

“[Ainsworth] has been putting together a great team of people who are supportive of him, great team of people who have encouraged him and are financially committed to support him,” Merrill said. “And yet, Coach Tuberville is the most popular elected official in the state of Alabama, one of the most popular elected officials in the history of the state of Alabama.

“So if Coach Tuberville decided to offer himself as a candidate for governor — and you’ll recall that back in 2017 that was the goal that he had, was to offer himself as a candidate in the 18 cycle — and then, of course, Governor Bentley vacated the position, Governor Ivey became governor. And so those dynamics changed, and he repositioned himself and ran for the United States Senate. And a lot of people very impressed with what he’s done and the relationship he has with the President and the stands that he’s taken on controversial issues representing our people. So if he runs, he would have to be the odds-on favorite.”

RELATED: Tuberville on ‘26 Governor’s race: ‘I’m a disruptor’ – says he wants Saban in politics too

In the case of a Tuberville candidacy for governor in 2026, leaving an almighty vacancy for the U.S. Senate, Merrill said Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall would be the frontrunner.

“He’d be very formidable. I think he has the ability to raise money from a federal perspective, at a national scope that other candidates in our state do not have, and that’s a benefit for him, because of his work with the [Republican] Attorney General’s Association from the state of Alabama, representing us before that august body at the national level,” Merrill said of Marshall. “Oh, he’d be very difficult to beat. I think he would go in as the frontrunner. He’s a very good communicator. He’s an attractive candidate — and the ability to raise money in a race like that is second to none.”

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When asked his thoughts on his successor as Alabama Secretary of State, Merrill said that the jury is still out on Wes Allen, now a candidate for Lt. Governor.

“Look, Secretary Allen has to do what he thinks is best for himself and for his family. I know that there are a number of people who have been interested in his path that he’s chosen to take from being appointed to be the probate judge down in Pike County, not completing either term that he was elected to, and then running for the state legislature. Then after that, of course, running in the next cycle for Secretary of State, he appears to be very aggressive in trying to pursue a position where he thinks he can make a difference. I think people will evaluate the service that he’s had as probate judge, as a legislator and as Secretary, to determine whether or not they feel that he’s been effective. The jury is still out from different groups of people on how good a job he has done, but that’s something that the people will decide.”

Allen was appointed Pike County probate judge in 2009 then ran unopposed for a term that ended in 2018. In 2018, he was elected to the Alabama House, and in 2022 ran for Alabama Secretary of State. According to a spokesperson for Allen, Merrill’s claim is false, and that he “has completed every term he has ever been elected to.”

Merrill said the Lt. Governor’s race could get crowded, as could the fields of the numerous constitutional offices on the ballot.

Among those crowded fields include the Attorney General’s race, who Merrill said could include Katherine Robertson, a long-time senior aide to AG Steve Marshall, Alabama Supreme Court Justice Jay Mitchell, and former Republican congressional candidate, Caroleene Dobson.

RELATED: Who’s running for Attorney General in 2026?

“Some of the people that you’ve talked about, Pamela Casey, who’s in Blount County, Katherine Robertson, who works for General Marshall. I know there’s a couple other folks. One of them was recently a candidate for a congressional district down in CD2 — that race obviously didn’t go the way that she wanted it to — but she is interested in this. Also, there’s a sitting Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court that has expressed some interest,” Merrill said of Jay Mitchell. “And of course, if [Mitchell] makes a decision in that regard, then he has to resign his seat, because that’s what the canon calls for if he chooses to move forward.”

Down the ballot, Merrill also said there are a handful of current and future candidates who are important to keep an eye on, including Rick Pate, Commissioner of Agriculture and Industry, who is also term limited. As well as Derek Chen, a Republican politico and donor in the state, who is preparing to run for State Auditor in 2026.

“I think there’s an up-and-coming young man of whom I’m very fine have a close relationship with, Derek Chen, who has offered himself in conversations as a potential candidate for the auditor’s position, which is a minor constitutional office. I think Andrew Sorrell, who is the current auditor, who has said he’s running for secretary of state, are people that you need to pay attention to, what they’re trying to do, what they want to do. And then there’s members of the Legislature and people who are successful businesspeople who some people don’t even recognize as candidates for public office right now that could be very formidable.”

RELATED: Ainsworth: ‘Looks like the 2026 governor’s race may be shaping up to be one for the history books’

As for a candidacy of his own, Merrill gave some commentary that could apply to many potential candidates at this juncture, now still over 400 days until the 2026 Alabama Republican Party primary.

“As far as becoming a candidate in the 2026 cycle, there’s still plenty of time. There’s plenty of time for fundraising. There’s plenty of time for organizing,” Merrill said.