On Thursday night, President Donald Trump issued an endorsement in the race to become Alabama’s second-in-command elected official in 2026.

In part, because his choice is not officially a candidate yet – and the window to become one ends on Friday at 5:00 p.m.

“I am hearing that Alabama GOP Chairman John Wahl, a true MAGA Warrior and America First Patriot, is considering launching his Campaign for Lieutenant Governor,” Trump posted on his official TRUTH Social account this evening, “and I hope he does!”

“Should he decide to enter this Race, John Wahl has my Complete and Total Endorsement,” the president posted. “RUN, JOHN, RUN!”

Wahl has served as the most senior official of the Alabama Republican Party since 2021.

For much of the past year, Wahl’s name has been floated in and out of serious conversation as a potential candidate in the open race for Lieutenant Governor.

That plot reached a fever pitch last summer when Wahl privately notified ALGOP State Executive Committee members that he was “seriously considering” a run, and would not seek a party rule change to accommodate a conflict between serving as both chairman of the party and a candidate for statewide office.

In the time since, Wahl has been one of the state’s most visible political officials, but has publicly downplayed his prospects.

Attempts by Yellowhammer News to reach Wahl on Thursday after the endorsement were not immediately successful. According to unconfirmed reports, Wahl does intend to qualify as a candidate on Friday and enter a 2026 primary election field that has shifted rigidly in recent months.

President Trump’s blockbuster endorsement in what is otherwise a low-visibility statewide political office was posted roughly an hour after he endorsed U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) for Governor of Alabama in 2026.

Less than a week ago, Trump also endorsed U.S. Rep. Barry Moore (R-Enterprise) in another competitive race, for Alabama’s open U.S. Senate seat over other high-profile contenders.

Unlike the race for governor, which is virtually guaranteed to add even further gains to Tuberville’s popularity and incumbency advantages in the state, the race for Lt. Governor has appeared deeply competitive at times.

Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen responded to news of Wahl’s potential entry into a race that he currently leads in polling and fundraising, in a statement to Yellowhammer News.

“I am the only candidate for Lt. Governor that has a record of fighting for Republican values and winning against liberal attempts to infiltrate our state,” Allen said. “Alabama has always been my home and I have served with honor and integrity that will not change. I look forward to continuing to earn the vote of every Alabama Republican in the May 19 primary.”

For a very brief portion of 2025, former University of Alabama and NFL quarterback AJ McCarron led the narrative of the race, announcing in October he was running as a “political outsider” with unquestionably high name ID across the state.

However, by December, McCarron dropped out, and in doing so, reduced publicity around the race.

The 2026 GOP primary field for Lt. Governor currently includes Allen, a former member of the Alabama House and Pike County Probate Judge; Rick Pate, who is term limited in his current elected official of Commissioner of the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries; along with Dean Odle, who challenged Kay Ivey for the governorship in 2022; Nicole Jones Wadsworth; and Patrick Bishop, a Birmingham native and first-time candidate for office.

President Trump’s endorsement of Wahl for statewide elected office will play out as a blockbuster decision tomorrow.

Qualifying for Alabama Republican Party candidates ends on Friday, January 23 at 5:00pm. If Wahl runs, he will likely be one of the final high-profile entrants into the 2026 election.

The primary election day is May 19, 2026, now 117 days away.