State Rep. Rhett Marques (R-Enterprise) announced Thursday he’s running for Alabama’s 1st Congressional District in 2026.
Marques says he’s ready to scale the work he’s done on the state level all the way to Washington — as a pro-Trump conservative Republican.
He enters a field of contenders to fill the seat currently held by U.S. Rep. Barry Moore (R-Enterprise), who is running statewide for the first time, rather than for a slam dunk re-election bid.
Marques already has a successful track record with stepping into Moore’s shoes. He was elected to Moore’s seat representing Coffee County in the Alabama House during the 2018 cycle.
In his announcement, Marques highlighted his votes for recent tax cuts, including ongoing reductions to the state grocery tax, a new three-year exemption of state sales tax on diapers and other baby items, and expanded income-tax relief for retirees.
“I’m a proven conservative fighter with a strong record of putting Alabama’s families first and protecting our values. In Congress, I will be a strong champion for hardworking Alabamians to help President Trump advance his agenda and reverse four years of failed Biden economic policies,” Marques said.
“While President Trump was providing tax relief to Americans with the One Big Beautiful Bill, I was working on the state level in the Alabama legislature to slash the state taxes on groceries, eliminate the state tax on diapers and baby supplies that are critical for young families, and implement a substantial tax relief package for our seniors. That is the same commitment to helping Alabamians from the wiregrass to the coast that I will take to DC to help President Trump pass bills that truly help working Americans.”
Marques also has roots across Alabama’s recently re-drawn 1st Congressional District. He grew up in Spanish Fort in Baldwin County, which is now entirely within its boundaries, and is a graduate of Fairhope High School.
Outside of politics, Marques owns Goodson Tire & Auto in Enterprise.
“I am proud to have been born and raised in Baldwin County, and I’m very close to my family who still live there today. I am also proud to live in the Wiregrass and to have raised my girls in Coffee County,” Marques said.
“I have a love for the First Congressional District that lies in my passion for and understanding of the Wiregrass region where I live today and for the coastal area where I was born and where my roots run deep. That combination uniquely prepares me to unify this district and represent the entirety of Alabama’s first congressional from a place of first-hand understanding and a passion for the entire area – from the peanut fields to the beaches and everything in between.”
According to his campaign, Marques’s two terms in the Alabama legislature have earned him the reputation of being a reliable and hardworking conservative who is routinely called upon to bring Republicans together to support conservative bills.
He and his wife, Christina, have been married for 31 years and have two daughters.
In launching his bid today, Marques is taking on Jerry Carl, who announced three days ago that he is running for his old seat in Congress.
In 2024, Carl was defeated in a historic showdown with fellow Congressman Barry Moore, and is now attempting a comeback.
Grayson Everett is the editor and chief of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270.
