The 140-member Alabama Legislature is up for reelection next year and qualifying with major parties is two months away, but some primary challengers have started emerging for Senate and House members.
Here’s a look at contests where primary candidates are raising money.
Senate
Senate District 4
Senate President Pro Tem Garlan Gudger, R-Cullman, has a GOP challenger, James “JR” Bowling. Bowling previously ran for a House seat in 2018 and lost the GOP primary to now House Majority Leader Scott Stadthagen. He had about $1,500 on hand earlier this month.
Gudger, in his second term, has raised more than $728,000 this election cycle and had about $800,00 on hand earlier this month.
Senate District 10
Sen. Andrew Jones, R-Centre, has two Republicans seeking his seat May 19. Jones has a comfortable $401,000 on hand, per November campaign finance reports. He currently chairs the Senate’s veterans and military committee. Challenger Amy Minton of Rainbow City had about $23,400 on hand. In September, she received the Alabama Farmers Federation PAC endorsement. Minton is currently on the Alabama Public Library Service Board where she has advocated for keeping out of children’s sections all books containing “positive portrayals” of transgender procedures, gender ideology or the concept of there being more than two genders. Republican Jesse Battles is from Etowah County and previously worked for the Alabama Secretary of State. He had more than $7,100 on hand.
Senate District 29
Sen. Donnie Chesteen, R-Geneva, has a challenger in Republican Zachary Hurst, an Army veteran and law enforcement officer who lives in Dothan. Chesteen is well funded with about $382,000 on hand. Hurst had $2,300 at the end of October.
Meanwhile, there are rumored challengers lurking for Sens. Jay Hovey, R-Auburn, and Chris Elliott, R-Josephine, but they haven’t yet filed campaign finance reports.
House
House District 17
In northwest Alabama, Republican Michael Beck is challenging two-term incumbent Tracy Estes, R-Winfield. Estes agreed to a settlement early this year for the dismissal of a misdemeanor harassment charge of third-degree domestic violence. Estes could not be reached about his plans for 2026 and has not yet filed a campaign finance report for this cycle. Beck, a former teacher and coach from Winfield, had $77,000 at the end of October.
House District 48
A GOP challenger for a district in Jefferson and Shelby counties recently loaned his campaign $250,000. Lloyd Peeples, an assistant U.S. attorney, filed the major contribution report last month in his bid to replace incumbent Jim Carns, R-Birmingham, who is raising money for next year and has about $125,000 on hand.
House District 60
In Birmingham, Democrat Alicia Lumpkin has raised $49,000 in her bid against incumbent Rep. Juandalynn Givan, D-Birmingham. Givan ran for Birmingham mayor this year and came in third to incumbent Randall Woodfin, who immediately endorsed Lumpkin, a city employee, in the State House race. Givan hasn’t yet filed a fundraising report for the legislative race but had about $19,000 available at the end of 2024.
House District 95
First-term lawmaker Frances Holk-Jones, R-Foley, has a GOP opponent. Holk-Jones has about $146,700 on hand. Challenger Joseph Freeman, a Republican from Gulf Shores, had less than $4,000 at the end of October, but does have a major endorsement from Alabama Farmers Federation.
House District 96
Also in Baldwin County, two-term Rep. Matt Simpson, R-Daphne, will again face Republican challenger Danielle Duggar of Spanish Fort. Simpson received 55% of the votes against Duggar in the 2022 primary.
Simpson had about $55,500 on hand; Duggar $16,400.
Open, contested seats
Senate District 34
Three Republicans, so far, are vying for the open Senate District 34 in northern Mobile County. Sen. Jack Williams, R-Wilmer, is giving it up to run for state agriculture commissioner. Current two-term House member Rep. Brett Easterbrook, R-Fruitdale, recently confirmed his bid for the Senate. He had about $23,100 on hand at the end of October but hasn’t started raising money this cycle, according to his most recent report. He will have to move from his current Washington County home, he told ADN. Doug Harwell of Semmes, had more than $105,000 on hand at the end of October. He owns a concrete and asphalt contracting company and is a former Mobile County Board of Education member, serving nearly 12 years. Former lawmaker Rusty Glover, a Republican from Semmes, had $16,000. Glover previously served three terms in the Senate and one in the Alabama House. He’s a former teacher. In 2022, he ran for state auditor.
House District 65
Easterbrook’s Senate bid leaves his House seat up for grabs. The district covers Choctaw and Washington counties, northwest Clarke County and part of northern Baldwin County. Two Republicans, so far, have filed campaign finance reports: Jessica Ross had about $23,700 on hand, and John Knapp had nearly $11,300.
House District 37
Longtime Rep. Bob Fincher, R-Woodland, isn’t seeking a fourth term in his district in Randolph and Chambers counties. Republican John Jacobs announced his candidacy last month and hasn’t yet filed any campaign finance reports. Former Five Points Mayor Jeffrey Monroe announced his candidacy earlier this year.