Sen. Jabo Waggoner Launches 2026 Re-Election Bid

Alabama State Sen. Jabo Waggoner (R-Vestavia Hills) the longest-serving lawmaker in Alabama history, announced Monday that he will seek another term in the 2026 election cycle.

“I’ve devoted a lifetime to serving my state, my community, and my neighbors, but there is still much work to be done and many goals to accomplish before all the hay is in the barn,” Waggoner said in a statement. “Though we’ve made tremendous progress over the years in education, economic development, and ensuring Alabama’s morals and values are protected, I remain committed to making our already great state even better.”

Waggoner’s career spans nearly six decades. First elected to the Alabama House in 1966, he served there until 1983, when he switched to the Republican Party and mounted an unsuccessful run for Congress. He won his first term in the Alabama Senate in 1990 and is now serving his eighth term.

When Republicans captured a legislative supermajority in 2010, Waggoner’s colleagues chose him as the chamber’s first Republican majority leader. He has also chaired the powerful Senate Rules Committee for the past 15 years, helping set the agenda for the upper chamber.

By the end of the current term, Waggoner will have logged 53 years in the Legislature—already a record-setting tenure likely to stand for generations. His many honors include the Ronald Reagan Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing what supporters describe as his steadfast commitment to conservative principles and service to the state.

Waggoner and his wife, Marilyn, have been married for 67 years and are longtime members of Homewood Church of Christ.