Out-of-state groups have poured more than $4.7 million into Alabama’s Republican U.S. Senate primary, dwarfing what the candidates themselves are spending, and turning the race to replace outgoing U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) into one of the most expensive primary ad battles in the state’s history.
A Yellowhammer News analysis of disclosures filed with the Federal Communications Commission by Alabama broadcast television and radio stations through April 21 shows the vast majority of that outside money is behind U.S. Rep. Barry Moore (R-Enterprise), who carries President Trump’s “complete and total endorsement.”
Moore’s combined broadcast spending totals roughly $4.77 million. His campaign has spent approximately $413,000 directly, supplemented by two major outside groups: Defend American Jobs, a super PAC affiliated with the crypto industry group Fairshake, has spent approximately $3.2 million blanketing every major Alabama media market since early April.
The Alabama Freedom Fund has added another $1.16 million across Birmingham, Huntsville, and statewide radio since late March.
No other candidate comes close.
Former U.S. Navy SEAL Jared Hudson has a combined total of roughly $408,000 in spending, with nearly all of it coming from a single outside group, Alabama Conservatives, which ran broadcast TV in Birmingham and Huntsville through late April. Hudson’s campaign has spent only about $16,800 directly.
No new buys have been reported for Hudson since April 27.
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, who led early polling before Trump’s endorsement of Moore, has the most modest air presence of the top three candidates at roughly $253,000. Marshall’s campaign has spent only about $27,000 on radio.
But a late development is worth watching: a PAC called Alabama Strong placed a $225,000 broadcast TV buy in Birmingham running from April 28 through primary day, suggesting Marshall’s allies see a late opening.
Cattle farmer Rodney Walker made a concentrated TV push of about $82,500 in mid-to-late April but does not appear to have reserved time beyond April 27. Seth Burton has spent approximately $6,000.
The spending gap tells a clear story about the structure of this race. The three major outside groups supporting Moore, Hudson, and Marshall have collectively spent more than $4.8 million, while the candidates themselves have spent a combined total of roughly $546,000.
Sawyer Knowles is a capitol reporter for Yellowhammer News. You may contact him at [email protected].
