Staff Reports
The Associated Press projected that U.S. Rep. Barry Moore won the Republican runoff for Alabama’s open U.S. Senate seat, beating former Navy SEAL Jared Hudson and claiming the GOP nod to replace Sen. Tommy Tuberville. Moore leaned on a high-profile boost — President Donald Trump called him “a totally reliable MAGA Warrior” — and that endorsement appears to have mattered when Alabama voters went back to the polls.
Trump’s endorsement sealed it — and that’s the point
When the former president weighs in, Republican primaries listen. President Donald Trump posted that Moore has his “Complete and Total Endorsement,” and Moore ran with it, saying he’s “an ally of the president” who “never bow[s] down.” In a state where MAGA still moves the needle, Trump’s backing gave Moore a clear advantage and helped cut through the usual campaign noise.
A familiar conservative vs. the outsider pitch
Moore is not a stranger to Alabama voters. He won his House seat in 2020 and has built a record inside the conservative House Freedom Caucus. Jared Hudson ran as the outsider and a warrior type — a fine pitch, but in deep-red Alabama it wasn’t enough. With roughly 59% to 41% in the projection, Moore’s margin shows that Republican primary voters favored steady, proven loyalty to conservative causes over a flashy newcomer narrative.
What this means for November and Alabama politics
Alabama leans Republican statewide, so winning the GOP runoff is the heavy lift toward the general election. Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s decision to run for governor and Governor Kay Ivey’s term limits opened this seat, and now Republicans have a nominee who can carry conservative credentials and a national endorsement into November. The Democratic nominee won’t be known until their runoff is decided, but in this state the general-election odds favor the Republican nominee from the start.
Next steps and why voters should keep watching
Next comes certification of the vote totals and Moore’s pivot to a statewide campaign beyond his congressional district. He’ll need to sharpen a message that wins again in November, not just the primary. Democrats will try, of course, but Alabama voters have made their leanings clear. For conservatives who wanted a nominee with proven loyalty to the movement and a president who delivers endorsements that count, this night delivered exactly what they asked for.
