Republican Rep. Barry Moore advanced to a June 16 runoff in the race for Alabama’s open U.S. Senate seat while former Navy SEAL Jared Hudson and Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall battle for the second spot.
As of Wednesday at 6:30 a.m., Moore secured 39% of the primary vote, followed by Hudson at 25.6% and Marshall with 24.5% of the vote. The Associated Press has yet to call the final result.
Moore, the President Donald Trump-endorsed candidate, led the race throughout election night, maintaining a roughly 15-point lead over his next two closest competitors. Sen. Tommy Tuberville is vacating the seat to run for governor.
“From the start of this campaign, my message has been clear to Alabamians: President Trump needs someone with a proven record who is ready to work on day one in the Senate to pass critical legislation like the SAVE America Act,” Moore said in a statement.
Trump gave Moore a final boost during a tele-rally Monday night, calling the three-term congressman an “America First Patriot.”
Hudson and Marshall remained in a dead heat for second place much of Tuesday night. Throughout the campaign season, Hudson’s support rose sharply. The anti-trafficking nonprofit CEO polled in the single digits at the start of the race before jockeying for the runoff spot against Marshall.
Moore’s campaign and outside spending groups supporting him dominated the airwaves in the race, pumping millions into ads to boost his profile and tout Trump’s endorsement. Both Hudson and Marshall also highlighted their support for the president despite their lack of the coveted endorsement.
After advancing to the runoff, Moore’s campaign pointed out that his lead in the primary resembles U.S. Sen. Katie Britt’s position heading into the 2022 Republican runoff against former Rep. Mo Brooks, where she defeated the congressman. In that May primary, Britt won 45% of the vote compared to Brooks at 29%
The 1st District congressman saw significant support from his home region, the Wiregrass, but Moore also made headway in North Alabama.
Hudson’s stronghold was in Jefferson County and the surrounding areas, where he unsuccessfully ran for sheriff in 2022. Much of Marshall’s support also came from the areas around Birmingham and Tuscaloosa.
The Democratic primary for U.S. Senate is also headed to a runoff election. Birmingham attorney Everett Wess and criminal justice advocate Dakarai Larriett will face off in June. Wess led the Democratic field, winning 40% of the vote, followed by Larriett, who garenerd 29%.
Both handily defeated the other two candidates in the race, Mark Wheeler and Kyle Sweetser.