WASHINGTON — Mobile businessman and former Trump voter Kyle Sweetser is running for U.S. Senate in Alabama as a Democrat in 2026.
Sweetser launched his Senate campaign last week, touting his Alabama roots with an ad about the American dream.
“Today, that dream is almost out of reach,” he said.
Sweetser said he decided to run after seeing the impact of President Donald Trump’s tariffs and his administration’s policies.
“They affect lower-income Americans the most out of anyone,” Sweetser told Alabama Daily News. “And so his economic policies are extremely harmful to Alabama. The port of Mobile we get (a) $100 billion worth of goods (that) come in through the port, in and out of the port, a year. And this is going to affect the port of Mobile.”
I’m Kyle Sweetser, and I’m running for the U.S. Senate
It’s time to send Tommy Tuberville back to Florida and send someone to Washington who will actually fight for Alabama. pic.twitter.com/OKXn2N02fB
— Kyle Sweetser (@kyleforalabama) April 15, 2025
Sweetser said he was concerned about how Trump’s tariffs could affect the state’s auto manufacturing industry. He was also turned off by Trump after the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the Capitol.
He spoke at the Democratic National Convention last year, where he said he previously voted for Trump until he saw Trump’s tariffs policy hit construction workers like himself. He announced he was voting for former Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024.
Sweetser said he wants to bring awareness about how the Republicans’ economic policies have “drastically changed” and could harm Alabama.
“The Democratic Party needs to be rebuilt,” Sweetser told ADN. “We need candidates on the ballot to compete, to force accountability in our government, so we can have a functioning government, and so we can have a government that serves the people.”
In his campaign ad, Sweetser attacks and questions Tuberville over his residency and record. Sweetser’s ad features an old video of Tuberville saying he moved to Florida, in which he called it “a great place to live.” Tuberville has fielded questions over his residency in the past. He owns two homes in the Florida panhandle and a home in Auburn. Tuberville has said he’s running for re-election but is also considering a run for governor.
Tuberville’s office did not comment.
Sweetser highlighted his family in his campaign ad, calling himself a “regular guy” who wants “my children and your children to do better than what we’ve done.”
“I’m excited to drive conversation, to get people talking, to get people to where we can break through to people and educate people on how the government works,” Sweetser told ADN.
He said he plans to run a grassroots campaign ahead of the general election on Nov. 3, 2026.