U.S. senator, former Auburn head football coach to become Alabama’s 55th governor
BY OBSERVER STAFF
BY OBSERVER STAFF
LEE COUNTY —U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R) led former U.S. Sen. Doug Jones (D) by 93,426 votes in unofficial statewide returns in the race for governor, putting Republicans on track to keep control of the office.
All Lee County figures in this story reflect 25 of 26 precincts reporting, according to the secretary of state’s office.
Tuberville leads governor’s race
The race was a rematch of the 2020 U.S. Senate race, in which Tuberville unseated Jones. Tuberville is a former Auburn University head football coach. Jones is a former U.S. senator and former U.S. attorney.
Lee County voters backed Tuberville as well. He received 27,177 votes (51.64%) in the county, while Jones received 25,249 votes (47.98%). Write-ins totaled 203. Roughly 39% of the county’s 134,548 registered voters cast ballots, according to the Lee County Probate Office.
In neighboring Chambers County, Tuberville received 5,307 votes (51.19%) to Jones’ 5,026 votes (48.48%), a margin of 281 votes. Write-ins totaled 34.
Statewide, Tuberville received 813,049 votes (52.86%), while Jones received 719,623 votes (46.79%). Write-ins totaled 5,398.
Tuberville would succeed Gov. Kay Ivey (R), who could not seek another term because the state constitution prohibits governors from serving more than two consecutive terms.
Speaking to supporters Tuesday night, Tuberville said he wouldn’t miss the U.S. Senate and was eager to be sworn in as governor.
“In the face of blue waves, which we’ve had tonight, unfortunately, this state has stood up to the pressure and said, ‘Not in my Alabama,’” Tuberville said. “Sometimes you take over a pretty good football team — good players, good coaches and a proud tradition — and your job isn’t to tear it down. Your job is to take what’s good and make it great. That’s where Alabama is tonight.”
Jones said he would not concede until all votes had been counted and said he thought Tuberville’s victory speech was “a little premature.”
“I don’t know if I would say confidence because we are in a deficit, certainly. But we see the numbers. We see what we’ve done. We have analyzed that,” Jones said. “This is going to end up being a very close race, one way or another. It’s going to be a very close race. Something that no, including none of you guys, ever expected, and that is a huge accomplishment.”
Alabama’s next governor takes office in January and faces several pressing issues, including data center construction, the prison system and restructuring the tax code, particularly the grocery tax.
During the campaign, Tuberville said he would eliminate Alabama’s sales tax on groceries and work to lower other taxes. He proposed tax cuts meant to encourage job creation and said he would work with President Donald Trump to bring manufacturing jobs to the state.
On health care, Tuberville opposes the Affordable Care Act, the 2010 federal health care law that allows states to expand Medicaid, which Alabama has not done. He has supported expanding individual health savings accounts.
Tuberville supports the CHOOSE Act, the state law that lets households claim tax credits for expenses outside public schools, including private school tuition and homeschooling.
He opposes a moratorium on new data centers and instead supports letting communities decide whether to accept or reject them. He would also have the facilities assessed at 30% of fair market value, the highest property assessment class in the state, and require them to pay for infrastructure improvements.
Price retains State Senate District 13 race
State Sen. Randy Price (R-Opelika) led challenger Jamie Forsyth (D), a small-business owner and minister from Ranburne, by 14,357 votes in unofficial returns from Tuesday’s election for Senate District 13.
In Lee County, Price received 11,909 votes (60.04%), while Forsyth received 7,906 votes (39.86%). Write-ins totaled 21.
In Chambers County, Price received 5,527 votes (53.49%) to Forsyth’s 4,787 votes (46.33%). Write-ins totaled 18.
Across the five-county district, Price received 30,308 votes (65.44%) to Forsyth’s 15,951 votes (34.44%). Write-ins totaled 52.
District 13 includes parts of Lee County, along with Chambers, Clay, Cleburne and Randolph counties. State senators serve four-year terms.
In the lead-up to the election, Price touted his conservative economic and tax credentials by highlighting what he characterized as a vote for $1.5 billion in tax cuts, including a cut to the grocery tax, as part of one of the largest tax cuts in state history.
He also pointed to securing roughly $36 million for public infrastructure projects across District 13 and attracting a $4 million grant for the Randolph-Roanoke Career Tech Center to renovate a welding training center.
The Legislature’s next regular session begins March 2, 2027.
Monroe wins House District 37 race
Republican Jeff Monroe led Democrat Michelle French by 5,921 votes in the election to represent District 37 in the Alabama House of Representatives. The open seat was held by Republican Rep. Bob Fincher, who did not seek reelection.
In Lee County, Monroe received 4,323 votes (63.13%), while French received 2,523 votes (36.84%), according to the secretary of state’s unofficial results. Write-ins totaled two.
In Chambers County, Monroe received 2,113 votes (55.90%) to French’s 1,660 votes (43.92%). Write-ins totaled seven.
Across House District 37, which includes all of Randolph County, northern Chambers County and portions of northern Lee County, Monroe received 11,863 votes (66.58%) to French’s 5,942 votes (33.35%). Write-ins totaled 14.
Monroe has lived in Chambers County since 2001 and has more than 45 years of experience in emergency services as a paramedic, firefighter and former fire chief. A small-business owner who has helped local departments with grant writing, he also served more than 20 years in Five Points town government as both a town council member and mayor. He advanced to the general election after winning the Republican primary runoff in June.
French is co-chair of the Randolph County Democratic Party and represents District 37 on the Alabama State Democratic Executive Committee. A longtime grassroots party organizer, she also chairs the 3rd Congressional District Democratic County Chairs group.
During the campaign, Monroe built his platform around three priorities: public safety, workforce development and infrastructure. Drawing on his emergency response background, he pledged to fight for more funding, equipment and training for police, fire and EMS personnel, while advocating for investments in local schools, career-technical programs and reliable utility and broadband access for rural towns.
Nelson holds House District 38 race
Incumbent Republican Kristin Nelson led Democrat Hazel Floyd by 4,035 votes in the election to represent District 38 in the Alabama House of Representatives.
In Lee County, Nelson received 5,807 votes (72.71%), while Floyd received 2,170 votes (27.17%). Write-ins totaled nine.
In Chambers County, Nelson received 3,479 votes (52.98%) to Floyd’s 3,081 votes (46.92%). Write-ins totaled seven.
Across House District 38, which includes portions of Lee County along with southern Chambers County, Nelson received 9,286 votes (63.81%) to Floyd’s 5,251 votes (36.08%). Write-ins totaled 16.
Tuesday’s election was a rematch of the February special election to fill the unexpired term of former Rep. Debbie Wood. Nelson won that contest and served in the latter portion of the 2026 legislative session.
Seeking her first full term, Nelson highlighted public and school safety, conservative fiscal management, workforce development and expanded infrastructure as top priorities. During her abbreviated first session, she introduced measures addressing municipal speed enforcement and protections regarding surrogacy. She campaigned on providing trained security or school resource officers in all schools and on protecting rural health care access through targeted provider incentives.
Floyd, a member of the Alabama State Democratic Executive Committee, earned degrees in political science and philosophy from the University of Alabama before returning home to mentor local youth and lead community initiatives.
Moore wins U.S. Senate race
U.S. Rep. Barry Moore (R), who represents Alabama’s 1st Congressional District, led Birmingham-based lawyer and civil rights advocate Everett Wess (D) by 176,462 votes in unofficial statewide returns Tuesday in the race for Alabama’s open U.S. Senate seat.
Moore carried Lee County, receiving 28,658 votes (54.77%) to Wess’ 23,600 votes (45.10%). Write-ins totaled 71.
In Chambers County, Moore received 5,485 votes (53.12%) to Wess’ 4,830 votes (46.78%). Write-ins totaled 11.
Statewide, Moore received 853,620 votes (55.70%) to Wess’ 677,158 votes (44.19%). Write-ins totaled 1,749.
Moore would fill the seat held by U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R), who ran for governor. The six-year Senate term begins Jan. 3, 2027.
“Serving the people of Alabama has been the greatest honor of my life, and I am humbled that they have entrusted me with the opportunity to serve them in the United States Senate,” Moore said.
During the campaign, Moore pointed to his vote for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the 2025 federal tax and spending law. His campaign says the law provided $45 billion to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to detain and deport immigrants in the country illegally.
As a U.S. House member, Moore co-sponsored the Equal Representation Act, which would require the Census Bureau to ask about citizenship and count only U.S. citizens when apportioning congressional seats among the states.
Rogers leads 3rd Congressional District race
Incumbent U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (R) led challenger Lee McInnis (D), a U.S. Army veteran and former Defense Department intelligence officer, by 61,508 votes in unofficial results from Tuesday’s election for Alabama’s 3rd Congressional District.
Rogers, first elected to Congress in 2002, is on track for a 13th consecutive election victory.
Lee County voters backed Rogers, who received 28,741 votes (54.87%), while McInnis received 23,554 votes (44.97%). Write-ins totaled 83.
In Chambers County, Rogers received 5,536 votes (53.51%) to McInnis’ 4,790 votes (46.30%). Write-ins totaled 20.
Across the district, Rogers received 140,427 votes (63.93%) to McInnis’ 78,919 votes (35.93%). Write-ins totaled 302.
The 3rd District covers east Alabama and includes all of Calhoun, Chambers, Cherokee, Clay, Cleburne, Etowah, Lee, Randolph and St. Clair counties and most of Talladega County.
In a campaign statement, Rogers thanked President Donald Trump, who endorsed him early in the race. Rogers said he would continue to help pass Trump’s “peace through strength” agenda in Washington.
Rogers requested $2.5 million in congressional community project funding for a rural health project in Lee County. The money would keep a telehealth station run with Auburn University and the Alabama Cooperative Extension System operating for three more years. It would also renovate the building to house the county’s extension office.
Uncontested races
The following races appeared on Lee County ballots with only one named candidate:
- Associate Justice, Supreme Court, Place 7 — Brad Mendheim
- Court of Civil Appeals, Place 4 — Benjamin M. Bowden
- Court of Civil Appeals, Place 5 — Matt Fridy
- Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 4 — Mary Windom
- Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 5 — Riggs Walker
- Circuit Court Judge, 37th Judicial Circuit, Place 4 — Seth H. Donalson
- State Senate, District 27 — Jay Hovey
- State House, District 79 — Joe Lovvorn
- State House, District 81 — Ed Oliver
- State House, District 83 — Jeremy A. Gray
- Lee County Commission, District 2 — Ross Morris
- Lee County Commission, District 4 — Tony Langley
- Lee County Commission, District 5 — Richard Lagrand Sr.
- Lee County Revenue Commissioner — Oline Price
- Lee County Coroner — Daniel Sexton
- Lee County Board of Education, District 1 — Mark Tomlin
All results are unofficial until they are canvassed and certified.
