Tuberville Takes Alabama Governorship as Democrats Hold Key Seats
The Republican senator won by a narrow margin in the closest gubernatorial contest in the state since 2002, while Democrats secured major legislative and congressional victories.
By Adriana Abebe ·
Tommy Tuberville will serve as the next governor of Alabama.
The Republican U.S. Senator defeated Democratic nominee and former Sen. Doug Jones. The Associated Press called the race with 95% of the votes counted. Tuberville received 52.1% of the vote, while Jones received 47.9%. Tuberville declared victory early Tuesday night in Auburn. Jones remained at his watch party in Birmingham until approximately 11 p.m. He told supporters that many votes were still being counted. He described a concession speech as "way premature" at that time.
This election marked the closest statewide governor race in Alabama since 2017. In 2017, Jones defeated Republican Roy Moore for a U.S. Senate seat. Jones also cast more votes than any Democrat in a non-presidential cycle in over a decade. The 2026 election featured a rematch between Tuberville and Jones. Tuberville won the Senate seat against Jones in 2020. Jones previously won the Senate seat in 2017, the first time a Democrat held that position in 25 years.
Jones credited the Democratic Party for building political infrastructure in the state. He said the party had not maintained such a presence in Alabama for a long time. "We built enthusiasm, we built the infrastructure that hasn't been in Alabama for Democrats in a long time," Jones said. He added that giving voters different options was the key to the race. Tuberville stated he wanted to leave Washington, D.C., to serve the state more directly. He described his role in the Senate as that of an "individual contractor." His campaign platform, called "The Golden Age Playbook," focused on job creation.
Jones emphasized the need for white-collar jobs in rural areas. He said his goal was to grow the entire state. He wanted young people to have jobs after high school or college so they would stay in Alabama. This would bring a better tax base, according to Jones. Tuberville and Jones largely differed on policy platforms. Both supported eliminating the grocery tax. Jones made expanding Medicaid a cornerstone of his campaign. Lisa McNair, a longtime Jones supporter, cited the lack of Medicaid coverage in rural areas as a major problem. She noted that residents often had to travel to Birmingham for medical care during the pandemic.
Jones conceded the race on Wednesday morning. He said the objective was to build a more competitive political environment in Alabama. He noted that the goal was to win the election, but the objective was to create lasting change. Jones listed several Democratic victories. Congressman Shomari Figures won another term. Congresswoman Terri Sewell won reelection. In the Alabama State Senate, Jared Sluss and Rudolph Valentino Drake flipped seats. In the Alabama State House, Nell Brown and Allison Montgomery flipped seats. Jones said these candidates won in districts that some had written off as unwinnable.
Jones congratulated Tuberville on the win. He said he hoped the new governor would work to make life better for every Alabamian. Jones encouraged voters to hold elected leaders accountable. He told residents to make sure their voices were heard every day, not just on election day. Outcomes for other state offices and judgeships are available on the Secretary of State's website.
