Who's In the Race

Republican Tommy Tuberville and Democrat Doug Jones will meet on the Nov. 3 general election ballot in Alabama. The seat is open: incumbent Republican Gov. Kay Ivey is not running for reelection. ​

Tuberville dominated the Republican primary on May 19, winning 85.4 percent of the vote — 421,754 of 493,890 ballots cast. His margin over the runner-up, Ken McFeeters, was 374,529 votes. Tuberville, a former college football coach who went on to serve as a U.S. senator from Alabama, enters the general election with a commanding primary mandate behind him.

Jones won the Democratic primary with 286,614 votes, roughly 78.6 percent of the 364,737 total Democratic primary ballots. His nearest primary rival was Will Boyd, who received 35,367 votes. Jones, a former U.S. senator who previously served as a federal prosecutor, is one of the most recognizable figures in Alabama Democratic politics. He won a U.S. Senate seat in a 2017 special election — a rare Democratic victory in the state — before losing his reelection bid in 2020. His path to the governorship runs through a state that has trended heavily Republican in recent years.

The Republican primary drew 493,890 total votes against 364,737 in the Democratic primary, a gap of 129,153 votes — a sign of the structural challenge Jones faces. In a state where Republican turnout has consistently outpaced Democratic turnout, that raw-vote gap from the primary underscores how much ground Jones would need to make up in November.

Among candidate-specific endorsements tracked in the race, Tuberville holds a 22-to-12 advantage over Jones.

What They Stand For

Tuberville, a U.S. senator and former football coach, emphasizes conservative values, lower taxes, school choice and immigration enforcement.

Jones, a former U.S. senator, focuses on affordability, Medicaid expansion, worker wages, housing and government accountability. He also proposed a one-year moratorium on all data centers int the state.

Race Outlook

Every major race-rating outlet places this contest firmly in Republican territory.

The Cook Political Report rated the race Solid Republican as of Oct. 15; Sabato's Crystal Ball rated it Solid Republican as of Oct. 9; and Inside Elections rated it Solid Republican as of Oct. 2. The consensus rating is also Solid Republican.

Eight polls have been conducted in the race, with the most recent dated Oct. 17, 2026.

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