MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Democrat Doug Jones has conceded the Alabama governor’s race to Republican Tommy Tuberville.
Tuberville won the race with 872,561 votes, or 51.79%, according to unofficial returns from the secretary of state’s office. Jones earned 806,253 votes, or 47.86%.
The contest was the most competitive in the state since 2002, when Republican Bob Riley defeated Don Siegelman by less than one percentage point. The more than 800,000 votes cast for Jones is the highest vote total earned by any Democratic gubernatorial nominee in Alabama history, according to the secretary of state’s office.
In a social media post announcing his concession, Jones said that he began his campaign with the goal of building a “more competitive political environment in Alabama” that would endure longer than his campaign.
He said that Tuesday’s results show that Democrats have already begun to change Alabama, with the party improving on past election performances in all 67 counties. Jones said he has “tremendous hope” for the state’s future.
“But this campaign was never about me; it was always about giving the people of Alabama choices, fresh ideas and hope for a better future,” Jones said. “We brought new people into the political process and helped lay the groundwork for Democrats to compete in elections for years to come.”
My sincere thanks to all of our supporters who helped us along this amazing journey. I congratulate Tommy Tuberville on his election and sincerely hope he works to build an Alabama for everyone. https://t.co/x19Tww0foJ
— Doug Jones (@DougJones) November 4, 2026
Despite his loss, the results across Alabama, including at least four seats picked up by Democrats in the Alabama Legislature and U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures’ reelection win in Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District, give Democrats “a lot to celebrate,” he said.
Jones did not admit defeat at his election watch party in Birmingham on Tuesday night, calling any concession “way premature.” Tuberville claimed victory at his party in Auburn around the same time. The Associated Press officially called the race in Tuberville’s favor just after midnight on Wednesday.
Jones’ concession came Wednesday morning.
“I congratulate Tommy Tuberville on his victory, and I sincerely hope he will work to make life better for every Alabamian,” Jones said. “He deserves our support as he and his administration tackle the tough issues ahead. But the responsibility for Alabama’s future doesn’t rest with one person. It belongs to all of us. I encourage every Alabamian to stay involved, to hold our elected leaders accountable, and to make sure their voices are heard, not just on election day, but every day.”
Tuberville thanked Jones for his support in a statement.
“I appreciate Doug’s kind words and look forward to representing every single Alabamian, even the ones who didn’t vote for me,” Tuberville said. “When I’m Governor, I will focus on boosting our economy, making life more affordable, getting criminals off the streets, improving our schools, and eliminating waste in Montgomery. Alabama’s best is yet to come and we can’t wait to get started.”
Tuberville will be sworn in on Jan. 18, 2027.