Alabama’s open Senate contest has narrowed to a gritty runoff, with a surprising surge changing the story and a familiar endorsement still in play.
Next Tuesday voters in Alabama will choose who advances from the Republican runoff on June 16, after no candidate secured a majority in the crowded primary. Senator Tommy Tuberville is not running for re-election in 2026 because he is running for governor, which opened this seat up to a wide GOP scramble. Alabama’s Republican electorate tends to be decisive, but this primary left a clear runoff between two distinct challengers.
Congressman Barry Moore and former Navy SEAL Jared Hudson emerged from the pack, with Moore finishing the primary around 39 percent and Hudson about 25 percent. Moore secured President Donald Trump’s endorsement, which still matters to a huge slice of Alabama Republican voters. That backing made Moore the early favorite in many eyes, but recent polling shows the race shifting underfoot.
https://x.com/JaredHudson_AL/status/2056725370758398029
Newer numbers show Hudson pulling ahead in at least one state poll, changing the narrative from a settled favorite to a competitive head-to-head. The Alabama Poll puts Hudson at 48.7 percent, Moore at 39.2 percent, and 12.1 percent undecided, a swing from earlier surveys. Another poll from May 21-22 showed a tighter split: Hudson at 41 percent, Moore at 40 percent, and 18 percent undecided.
The race to replace Sen. Tommy Tuberville is showing a leader emerging as a new poll from The Alabama Poll shows Jared Hudson leading U.S. Rep. Barry Moore in the Republican runoff for U.S. Senate in Alabama.
The survey finds Hudson with 48.7% support, Moore with 39.2% and 12.1% undecided. The runoff election is scheduled for June 16.
Moore, a Republican member of Congress, has been endorsed by President Donald Trump. Hudson is a former Navy SEAL who advanced to the runoff following the May GOP primary.
The latest numbers follow an earlier poll conducted by Remington Research Group on May 21-22, which showed a closer contest. That survey found Hudson at 41%, Moore at 40% and 18% undecided.
This shift toward Hudson matters because runoffs compress turnout and magnify enthusiasm. Hudson’s background as a Navy SEAL gives him a compelling personal story and a base of support energized by outsider, service-oriented credentials. Moore’s Trump endorsement remains a potent advantage among loyal MAGA voters, but endorsements don’t always translate to victory when momentum moves the other way.
Strategically, the runoff is a test of ground game and turnout more than anything else. Moore will need to convert Trump’s name recognition into active votes in rural counties and conservative suburbs. Hudson, by contrast, has to sustain the surge, keep undecideds leaning his way, and prove his rise isn’t a temporary bump.
Republicans watching nationwide should note how easily a primary favorite can be reeled in if a rival builds momentum and sharpens their message. This contest shows that endorsements are powerful but not invincible, and that a focused closing campaign can shift the final outcome. Alabama is a red state, but the dynamics of this runoff make it feel like a real fight for the soul of the GOP electorate there.
Voters who care about conservative priorities will be weighing who can win the general election and who best represents the direction they want for the party in Washington. The narrative here is simple: a strong turnout push will decide if Trump’s choice holds or if a new voice connects with the base at the right moment. Either way, June 16 will reveal whether Hudson’s surge is durable or a late flash that fades under pressure.
You must be feeling pretty good if you’re Mr. Hudson. We’ll find out if this surge is real or fugazi in due time.
