Who’s running for Governor of Alabama in 2026?

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August 8, 2024

2026 will be an unspeakably busy election cycle in the Yellowhammer State. Every constitutional state office will be on the ballot, from Governor and Lieutenant Governor to Attorney General and Secretary of State, on down to the entirety of the Alabama Legislature. All seven members of Congress will be on the ballot, including the successful candidate in the 2nd Congressional District, as well as U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville if he decides to run for reelection to his six-year term.

Governor Kay Ivey, Lt. Governor Will Ainsworth, Attorney General Steve Marshall, and Agriculture Commissioner Rick Pate will each be ineligible to run for reelection to their current offices, as they are term limited.

The turnover itself isn’t rare. But the number of term-limited officials with races left to win is. Which begs the question: Who will run for Governor?

Will Ainsworth

After a term representing the Guntersville area in the Alabama House, Will Ainsworth made a long-shot bid for the lieutenant governorship and pulled it off 51.5%. In the time since, Ainsworth has faced no real threat to his office, and has cemented his political capital as one of the hardest working elected officials in the state.

That will be evident for whoever takes over as lieutenant governor, as Ainsworth has reinvented the role through the creation and expansion of commissions responsible for legislative achievements. From school choice to workforce development to cutting the state’s grocery tax to helping make Alabama the most military-friendly state in the nation – Ainsworth has a proven track record of getting things done – and will make that case to voters if he decides to run. Many say that the only reason Ainsworth would not be on the ballot in 2026 is if he wants to remain in the private sector and enjoy the business success he’s found and spend more time with his family, which both predate his political career.

Brass tacks is that his name identification has increased each year, his ability to fundraise is effectively unmatched, and his grassroots operation is primed and ready to go. This, in combination with his conservative message and big ideas that voters want to hear more about – including widening I-65 to six lanes up and down the state – is a recipe for success in 2026.

Steve Marshall

Being term limited in his current job is a shame, as Marshall is so effective as the state’s top law enforcement and prosecutorial official. He’s taken the role to new heights through partnerships with other state AGs and has earned a national platform in the process. Alabama trusts Marshall through the conservative work of his office – as well as his work ethic on the campaign trail.

It seems likely that Marshall’s current consideration for a gubernatorial run in 2026 relies on a pressing contingency: Will U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville be appointed to the cabinet of a second Trump Administration in the next six months? If so, Marshall is the man to beat in that race after Governor Ivey appoints someone to fill the vacancy. While it’s less clear if Ivey would appoint Marshall at that time – his federal electability is likely much more powerful than his statewide electability.

Other factors influencing a Marshall bid for governor in ‘26 include two essential ingredients in a statewide race: Voter base and fundraising. He and Ainsworth spent the majority of their lives in Marshall County and were both elected to their first office there. While Marshall has been firmly planted in Montgomery since being appointed as attorney general in 2017, Ainsworth has been back and forth between Guntersville and Montgomery, where his family and real estate business are located. This also relates to fundraising, as Ainsworth has over $1,000,000 cash on hand and is capable of self-funding his campaign, compared to $200,000 sitting in Marshall’s warchest.

Marshall, one of the state’s loudest and most vibrant conservatives, more than anyone on this list, is weighing his options. No matter which office he runs for, he’ll leverage a grassroots operation that covers every corner of the state to attempt a successful bid.

Rick Pate

A former mayor, GOP county party chairman, and now Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries, Rick Pate pulled off his first successful statewide bid in 2018. Pate is very good at his job, and he’d likely continue serving if not for being term limited. Rick Pate is always on the campaign trail. His relationships with party and local elected officials runs deep and his active presence keeps him top of mind for key constituencies across the state. But Pate is unlikely to self-fund his race, he has yet to prove his ability to fundraise at this level, and he isn’t yet a known commodity among the state’s business community.

As he mulls a run for governor in 2026, he knows what a tough decision that will present for primary voters. With Ainsworth’s bid in motion, Pate’s name ID, and network of county campaign chairs will need to be revved up quickly and strategically. But Pate seems very interested.

Tommy Tuberville

As Alabama’s senior senator approaches the end of his six-year term, he and everyone else are asking: What’s next for Coach? Sen. Tuberville’s political trajectory hinges on a Trump victory in November – regardless of whether he leads from the Senate or leads in the cabinet as a department secretary. The chances of Tuberville getting the nod from Trump to serve in his second administration are high. If Trump is defeated in November, Tuberville could be more motivated than ever to double down on his crusade in the Senate, holding Democrats’ feet to the fire, especially if Republicans earn a Senate majority in November. If Tuberville decides not to run for reelection to the U.S. Senate in 2026 after a Trump loss – it’s likely that he’ll opt out of running for governor for similar reasons. But, no matter what statewide office he runs for, expect to see Coach in the red zone.

Lindy Blanchard

Lindy Blanchard, a vocal supporter and ally of Donald Trump, received 126,202 votes in the 2022 midterm election – leaving her in an interesting position to run for the governorship in 2026. Blanchard was appointed to serve as a United States Ambassador to Slovenia during the Trump administration in 2016 and was able to self-fund her campaign in 2022. If interested, she could comfortably do that again. Lindy recently told supporters at a Capital City Republican Women event that she has not yet decided to run for Governor again but that “it’s always a possibility.”

Lew Burdette

First-time candidate Lew Burdette received 42,924 votes in the midterm election for Governor, showing a decent stance for a political newcomer with limited capital. Burdette crippled his campaign in 2022 by limiting his campaign contributions to $10,000. Lew made this move to show good faith while making a point to the political system, and it cost him. Lew Burdette is a former COO of Book-a-Million and now serves as President of King’s Home, a Christian-based non-profit serving abused women and children in Alabama.

Randall Woodfin

Now in his seventh year as Mayor of Birmingham, Randall Woodfin has higher office written all over him. Woodfin is currently one of the most battle-tested grassroots organizers in Alabama. He has the motivation to scale that operation up and he’s been on the ballot every cycle he could since 2009. In fact, he started campaigning for his first campaign for mayor over a year in advance. But, is that office Governor of Alabama? Probably not. We would’ve already seen it coming. Woodfin, sixteen years younger than 7th District Congresswoman Terri Sewell, will likely have his time to run for that seat when the time comes.

Doug Jones

After being sent home from the U.S. Senate by the voters of Alabama in 2020, Jones hasn’t been very quiet. He joined CNN as a talking head, became personally active on social media, and waged an unsuccessful war on the Joe Reed faction of the Alabama Democratic Party. While Jones feigns interest in state politics as a vassal to make his case for socialism, it’s highly unlikely he has the interest or the energy to run for governor in ‘26. Besides, Jones probably finds it difficult to picture himself in Montgomery while being the current favorite for Attorney General under a Kamala Harris administration.