Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen is welcoming former Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron to the 2026 Lt. Governor’s race by drawing a sharp contrast on experience and record. 

McCarron launched his campaign on Thursday, entering a field of contenders that include two tenured incumbents, Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries Rick Pate, and Secretary Allen. 

First-time candidate and 35-year-old AJ McCarron released an announcement video that introduced himself politically as an outsider, a supporter of President Donald Trump, and someone uniquely positioned to be a “quarterback” for a future Tommy Tuberville governorship. 

Allen, a former state lawmaker, probate judge, and first-term Secretary of State, said his record is much different than McCarron’s.

“This race is about more than talk. It’s about real action. An endorsement of President Trump is only valuable if you follow it up with the real action of voting for him, which I have done,” Allen said in a statement to Yellowhammer News. 

“I don’t just talk about standing up for conservative values. I have a solid record and voter record to support a strong, proven record of getting things done through hard work and common sense decision making. I have eliminated red tape and wasteful spending in the Secretary of State’s Office, developed the most secure elections system in our nation’s history and led the charge to ban puberty blockers and sex change procedures on minors in our state. I take action again and again. I fight for what is right on economic and social fronts and I get the job done.”

According to official voter data from the Secretary of State’s office, McCarron registered to vote on October 20, 2025, and has not voted in any primary or general elections in Alabama.

Current Lt. Governor Will Ainsworth said Thursday of McCarron’s announcement, “This race just got interesting.”

Grayson Everett is the editor in chief of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270.