MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth, long considered a top contender for the 2026 Alabama gubernatorial race, announced Wednesday morning that he wouldn’t be seeking the state’s highest office next year.
The decision, he wrote on social media, was made after lengthy discussions and prayers with his supporters, friends and family.
“Kendall and I have decided that focusing on our children during their last years in high school and transitioning to the private sector make the most sense for all of us at this time in our lives,” Ainsworth wrote.
“Serving as Alabama’s lieutenant governor has been the honor of my lifetime, and in the year-and-a-half remaining in my term, I will continue working night and day to meet the needs, improve the lives, and protect the conservative values of the Alabama citizens I took an oath to serve.”
With Gov. Kay Ivey term limited, the 2026 contest will be an open race, with Ainsworth among a top few Alabama leaders who have been contemplating a bid.
U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville is also expected to join the race, and while he previously told donors he had already made the decision, he has yet to officially announce his candidacy, though an announcement is expected soon.
Tuberville early this year began flirting with a gubernatorial run. The former Auburn football coach with high name recognition and a relationship with President Donald Trump entering the race was seen as a blow to Ainsworth’s potential campaign.
Alabama Department of Agriculture Commissioner Rick Pate also considered a run for governor, but told Alabama Daily News Wednesday he’s now leaning toward lieutenant governor.
Candidates for statewide office in 2026 could start raising money this week and so far, no one else has announced a gubernatorial bid.
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall late last year ruled out a gubernatorial bid.
In his statement, Ainsworth championed several legislative accomplishments in recent years, including expanding school choice with the CHOOSE Act, reducing the state sales tax on groceries, and establishing a new alternative high school diploma for trades and other skilled jobs.
Ainsworth, 44, was first elected as lieutenant governor in 2018 and re-elected in 2022. His term is set to end on January 18, 2027. The Guntersville resident served one term in the Alabama House before becoming lieutenant governor.
“My heart is deeply rooted in Alabama, my passion is in helping people, and neither of those truths will ever change,” he wrote.
“Even when I leave elected office, I will still get up every day with a drive to help Alabama grow. While my name will not be on the ballot for governor in 2026, I will be on the campaign trail working alongside President (Donald) Trump to help elect a strong, conservative governor and other Republican elected officials who will keep Alabama moving in the right direction.”
After much prayer and many discussions with my family, friends, and supporters, I will not be a candidate for governor during the 2026 election cycle.
Read my full statement below. pic.twitter.com/azNj6KSAk7
— Will Ainsworth (@willainsworthAL) May 21, 2025