Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall will not be taking part in the Alabama 2026 Governor’s race, according to the Associated Press.
He told the AP he is “definitely not running for governor” on Tuesday.
Marshall is now term-limited from running again for Attorney General; he is in his second term now and unable to go for a third. He told the AP he will “see what plays out” when it comes to his political future.
With Marshall’s backing away from the race, the two top contenders are Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth and Agricultural Commissioner Rick Pate. Neither has officially announced their candidacy, but both have spoken about their intent to run.
Other names include Kent Davis, the former Alabama Department of Veteran Affairs commissioner, who was fired by Gov. Kay Ivey. Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville could swoop into the race, but that’s unlikely; he’s repeatedly promised to serve as a “sledgehammer” in the Senate for President-Elect Donald Trump.
There is a possibility Marshall could be eyeing Ainsworth’s old spot as Lieutenant Governor; Ainsworth acted as a masterclass in political maneuvers by essentially getting to campaign for the full six years of his tenure, possibly revealing an easy way to the top spot in Montgomery.
