Red State Betrayal 2: Never Trumpers in the Alabama Lt. Governor's Race

The 2026 Republican primary for Alabama lieutenant governor has become one of the most contentious and politically fascinating races in the state. What began as a crowded conservative contest has increasingly turned into a battle over one central question: Who is truly aligned with President Donald Trump?

Recent polling shows Secretary of State Wes Allen currently leading the field, but beneath the surface, the race remains very much in flux — and increasingly defined by voter confusion over Trump’s official endorsement.
Perhaps the most politically explosive finding from polling and campaign discussions is this: a notable portion of Republican voters appear to believe Wes Allen is the Trump-endorsed candidate — even though President Trump officially endorsed John Wahl.

One recent poll reportedly showed roughly 14 percent of Republican voters believed Allen was the Trump-endorsed candidate, despite Trump formally endorsing Wahl earlier this year.

Trump formally endorsed Wahl in January, dramatically reshaping the race just before the qualifying deadline. Wahl, the former Alabama GOP chairman, spent years helping build Trump’s political infrastructure across Alabama and remains closely tied to the state’s MAGA grassroots movement.
And yet, many voters still associate Allen with Trump.

Why?

Critics of Allen argue that his campaign branding and messaging have intentionally blurred the lines between being “pro-Trump” and being “Trump-endorsed.” Some opponents claim Allen’s advertising and campaign tone were crafted in a way that led casual Republican voters to assume Trump had endorsed him when no such endorsement existed.

That frustration has become a growing talking point among Wahl supporters and grassroots activists who believe Republican voters are being misled.
One of the sharpest ironies in the race, according to Allen’s critics, is that establishment Republicans and some longtime anti-Trump or “Never Trump” Republican figures have reportedly gravitated toward Allen’s candidacy while Trump himself endorsed Wahl.

Meanwhile, other wings of the Republican coalition have split among candidates like Rick Pate, Nicole Jones Wadsworth, Pat Bishop, Stewart Tankersly, and George Childress creating a fragmented field that benefits the current polling leader. Nicole Jones Wadsworths husband, Tim, was one of the first four elected officials in Alabama to endorse Trump in 2015 and has been on team Trump since. Also, Rick Pate received a phone call from Trump in January before the President endorsed John Wahl to tell him personally he wasn't getting the endorsement, but "I really like you, Commissioner."

Even with the President liking Pate and Wadsworth, one would think they would be higher in the polls than Wes Allen. However, Allen’s supporters argue that his conservative record as Secretary of State speaks for itself and that voters are backing him because of his statewide visibility and hardline positions on election integrity and conservative policy.

The political reality is that endorsement politics in Alabama have become more complicated than many expected.

Polling suggests Trump remains extremely popular among Republican voters. In fact, some Alabama polling analysts have noted that candidates endorsed by Trump are still winning Republican primaries across the country.

The power of Trump’s endorsement appears to be playing out in the lieutenant governor’s race as confusion over who is actually endorsed by Trump may be influencing the polling itself.

Allen has name recognition and momentum. Wahl has Trump’s endorsement and deep roots in Alabama Republican organizing. Rick Pate has longstanding support among traditional conservatives and agricultural voters. Nicole Wadsworth and Pat Bishop continue competing for outsider and grassroots support.

But the biggest unanswered question may be whether Republican voters eventually sort out the endorsement confusion before Election Day. Because if a meaningful percentage of voters believe Allen is Trump’s candidate when Trump actually endorsed Wahl, that misunderstanding could become one of the defining factors of the race.

And in a primary where so many voters remain undecided, perception may matter just as much as policy. It could be an embarrassment for Trump if Alabama doesn't get it's act together and vote for the Trump endorsed candidates. Including in the U.S. Senate race.

Do we really want to give the Democrats fuel to fight?