RUPTURE. THE RACE FOR GOVERNOR KIVI鈥橲 FUTURE REPLACEMENT IS NARROWING. TODAY, LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR WILL AINSWORTH SAYS THAT HE WILL NOT BE RUNNING FOR THE STATE鈥橲 TOP OFFICE NEXT YEAR. 米兰体育 13 JON PAEPCKE HAS BEEN STUDYING THE IMPACT OF AINSWORTH鈥橲 ANNOUNCEMENTS. JOHN, HOW WILL THIS SHAPE THE GOVERNOR鈥橲 RACE COME 2026? WELL, BRITTANY WITH AINSWORTH AND AGRICULTURAL COMMISSIONER RICK PATE BOTH PULLING OUT OF THE RACE, EXPERTS NOW BELIEVE THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY BATTLE FOR GOVERNOR COULD BE OVER BEFORE IT BEGINS. FOR YEARS, THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR HAS BEEN EYEING THE 2026 GUBERNATORIAL RACE. BUT WITH TODAY鈥橲 ANNOUNCEMENT, MANY BELIEVE THE ONLY VIABLE CANDIDATE ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE IS SENATOR TOMMY TUBERVILLE. THE FORMER AUBURN COACH HAS HINTED AT SERVING ALABAMA FROM MONTGOMERY AS RECENTLY AS LAST MONTH. HE HAS NOT OFFICIALLY THROWN HIS NAME IN THE HAT YET, BUT IT COULD COME ANY DAY. UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA POLITICAL SCIENCE PROFESSOR MARISSA GRAYSON BELIEVES THERE ARE NO OTHER GOP HOPEFULS WHO CAN EFFECTIVELY CHALLENGE HIM. SO IF THERE WAS A REPUBLICAN WHO WAS GOING TO RUN AGAINST HIM, I THINK IT WOULD BE SOMEONE THAT MAYBE IS AGAINST THE MOVEMENT, THE THE MAGA MOVEMENT. AND I JUST DON鈥橳 THINK THEY WOULD DO VERY WELL. NOW, GRAYSON BELIEVES IF TUBERVILLE DOES ANNOUNCE A RUN FOR GOVERNOR, WHICH COULD HAPPEN NEXT WEEK, WE鈥橰E TOLD THAT CREATES A WIDE OPEN BATTLE FOR THE SENATE. POSSIBILITIES. LIKE STEVE MARSHAL
Tuberville hints at Alabama governor run as Ainsworth exits race
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Updated: 8:56 PM CDT May 21, 2025
Alabama's political landscape is shifting as Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth moves to the private sector, potentially narrowing the field for the governor's race and opening the door for Sen. Tommy Tuberville to run. Earlier this year, a poll showed Tuberville as a favorite to win the Republican nomination. Tuberville, a close ally of President Donald Trump, made headlines by blocking over 450 military promotions in 2023 to protest the Defense Department's abortion policy."I'm 100% committed to serving the great people of Alabama no matter what, whether it's up here in DC or whether it's from Montgomery," Tuberville said last month. "We'll have something announced very soon. Whether I'm senator or governor, Alabama will still know me as coach, and I'm looking forward to building here or building in Montgomery," Tuberville said.If Tuberville decides to launch a gubernatorial campaign, his Senate seat will be open. Political analyst Marissa Grayson mentioned potential candidates for the seat, including Attorney General Steve Marshall, former Secretary of State John Merrill, and former Sen. Doug Jones."I could see a lot of money and time being spent there, a lot of courting, the, the, courting President Trump and others, the Republican Party to be considered for that position," Grayson said.Gov. Kay Ivey is term-limited and will leave office in January 2027, just shy of a decade leading the state. Sources close to Tuberville say he will make an announcement about his future sometime next week, which could make 2026 a political season to watch closely.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Alabama's political landscape is shifting as Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth moves to the private sector, potentially narrowing the field for the governor's race and opening the door for Sen. Tommy Tuberville to run.
Earlier this year, a poll showed Tuberville as a favorite to win the Republican nomination.
Tuberville, a close ally of President Donald Trump, made headlines by blocking over 450 military promotions in 2023 to protest the Defense Department's abortion policy.
"I'm 100% committed to serving the great people of Alabama no matter what, whether it's up here in DC or whether it's from Montgomery," Tuberville said last month.
"We'll have something announced very soon. Whether I'm senator or governor, Alabama will still know me as coach, and I'm looking forward to building here or building in Montgomery," Tuberville said.
If Tuberville decides to launch a gubernatorial campaign, his Senate seat will be open.
Political analyst Marissa Grayson mentioned potential candidates for the seat, including Attorney General Steve Marshall, former Secretary of State John Merrill, and former Sen. Doug Jones.
"I could see a lot of money and time being spent there, a lot of courting, the, the, courting President Trump and others, the Republican Party to be considered for that position," Grayson said.
Gov. Kay Ivey is term-limited and will leave office in January 2027, just shy of a decade leading the state.
Sources close to Tuberville say he will make an announcement about his future sometime next week, which could make 2026 a political season to watch closely.
