Alabama GOP Primary 2026: Hudson, Tuberville, Allen Lead in Recent Poll
Tuberville has commanding lead in Governor’s race, but Senate and Lt. Governor races still have large numbers of undecided voters.
A new Quantus Insights poll of 1,050 registered GOP primary voters, conducted October 13–14, offers a striking look at how the contests are forming.
The biggest surprise: Jared Hudson, a former Navy SEAL with no prior officeholding record, leads the pack in the Republican Senate primary with 27%. Alabama’s Attorney General, Steve Marshall, follows closely at 24%, and Congressman Barry Moore lags at 9%. Morgan Murphy and Rodney Walker each garnered 2% in the poll.
The most telling figure may be the 36% of voters who remain uncommitted. That large pool of undecided voters makes this race volatile—and anyone’s game at this point.
Hudson’s appeal rests heavily on his military background and outsider persona—qualities that seem to resonate with GOP primary voters. The poll notes that 33% of respondents say a military or law-enforcement background is the best qualification for the Senate—more than any other trait tested.
Marshall leans into his record and name recognition, emphasizing law-and-order themes. Moore’s strength remains regional: younger, rural areas, but without broader traction outside of south Alabama, where he has served first in the State House, then in Congress for years.
In Alabama’s political climate—where outsiders sometimes find success by speaking differently than career politicians—Hudson’s lead is credible. Still, with over a third of voters uncommitted, the path ahead is far from settled.
In the GOP primary for Governor, Sen. Tommy Tuberville commands a striking 63% support, according to the same poll. His nearest rival, Ken McFeeters, trails at 4%, with 22% of voters still undecided.
Tuberville’s strength is consistent across the board—every region, gender, age group, and racial line shows him above 60% support. If those numbers hold, the real battle may be over who finishes second.
The Lieutenant Governor’s primary is deeply unsettled. Wes Allen leads with 26%, followed by A.J. McCarron at 14% and John Merrill at 10%. But 36% of voters remain undecided.
Unlike some other polls, Quantus Insights included all candidates currently qualified in the race: Rick Pate received 9%, Dr. Nicole Wadsworth received 2%, with “Other” receiving 4% support.
With no dominant front-runner, this race is open to surprises. The poll shows regional differences and no strong bloc unified behind any single candidate. In such races, name recognition and grassroots outreach may outweigh big money or high-profile endorsements.
On key policy matters, the survey reveals strong consistency:
- Relocating U.S. Space Command to Huntsville – an overwhelming 95% support among Republican primary voters, indicating near unanimity.
- Biden-era diesel emission standards for trucks – 76% oppose these rules, viewing them as hostile to agriculture, industry, and working-class interests. Only 16% support them.
These results highlight the base’s alignment: pro-military, pro-industry, and wary of federal regulatory reach.
The outlines of Alabama’s GOP primaries are sharper than before—but not final. Tuberville has a commanding lead in the Governor’s race, surprising absolutely no one. The Senate contest is more fluid, with Hudson’s outsider appeal going head-to-head with Marshall’s experience as AG and Moore’s conservative, pro-Trump credentials. In the Lieutenant Governor’s race, many voters are still searching for a candidate.
The SMS poll consisted of 1,050 registered GOP primary voters, 55% male and 45% female. 85% were White, and 15% Non-White, with a margin or error of +/-3.2 % at a 95% CI. The regional breakdown was 27% northern Alabama, 49% central Alabama and 24% southern Alabama. The majority of respondents were older, with 49% being 65+ and 39% being 45-64. The full presentation and cross tabs are available HERE.
Quantus Insights was one of the most accurate national polling firms in the 2024 election cycle, coming within one point of predicting Trump’s margin of victory in the Rust Belt States of Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. The announcement of these Alabama poll results is available on their website at THIS LINK.
