Democrat Secures Senate Nod in Deep Red Alabama
Wess Wins Democratic Senate Nomination in Alabama
Former Judge Everett Wess has secured the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate in Alabama, positioning himself for a challenging general election contest. Wess emerged victorious in the Democratic Senate runoff, defeating small business owner Dakarai Larriett. The Associated Press reported on the outcome Tuesday.
The runoff followed a primary election where Wess and Larriett initially claimed the top two spots among four candidates. With neither candidate achieving a majority of the vote in the initial contest, a runoff was necessary to determine the party’s standard-bearer.
GOP Race Also Heads to Runoff
Wess faces an uphill battle in the general election, as Alabama is considered a reliably Republican state. The Republican nomination also went to a runoff, with Representative Barry Moore, endorsed by President Donald Trump, facing off against former Navy SEAL sniper Jared Hudson.
Historically, Democratic victories in Alabama Senate races have been rare. The state has not elected a Democrat to the Senate in over three decades, with the notable exception of former Democratic Sen. Doug Jones’ special election win in 2017.
Incumbent Pursues Gubernatorial Bid
The incumbent Republican Senator for Alabama, Tommy Tuberville, a former college football coach, is not seeking re-election to the Senate this cycle. Instead, Tuberville is campaigning for the governorship of Alabama.
