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Primaries: Part 4 of 4
By Javacia Harris Bowser | The Birmingham Times
The 2026 Alabama gubernatorial election will be held on November 3. Primary elections to choose candidates will take place on Tuesday, May 19. Incumbent Republican Gov. Kay Ivey is ineligible to seek re-election to a third term. Here are the candidates running for the state’s highest office.
Democrats
Will Boyd
- Political experience:
- Former Greenville, Illinois, city councilor
- 2022 Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate (Alabama)
- Professional experience: Pastor, author, educator, businessman and engineer, Boyd began his career working in manufacturing leadership roles.
- Civic experience: Boyd served on the Board of Directors for the Health Care Authority of Lauderdale County and the City of Florence and is a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
- Key issues: Boyd has focused his campaign on economic development, education equity, and access to healthcare. His platform also includes protecting voting rights, supporting worker representation, and addressing environmental and climate issues. Endorsed by the Alabama Cannabis Coalition, Boyd’s platform also includes cannabis policy reform.
Campaign website: drwillboyd.com
Ja’Mel Brown
- Political experience:
- First-time gubernatorial candidate; previously ran for Montgomery mayor and Montgomery city council
- Professional experience:
- Online pastor
- Civic experience: Faith-based community engagement
- Key issues: Brown has centered his campaign on economic relief, justice reform and educational improvements. WVUA 23 reports that Brown is running on the intent to legalize marijuana, free all nonviolent state prisoners, and bring a lottery to Alabama. He also wants to raise minimum wage and bring down crime rates in big cities like Huntsville, Birmingham, and Tuscaloosa.
- Campaign website: Not clearly documented
Yolanda Rochelle Flowers
- Political experience:
- Democratic nominee for governor (2022)
- Professional experience:
- Educator. Her career experience includes working as a rehabilitation specialist, an assistant speech pathologist, and a reading instructor.
- Civic experience: Community advocacy and education.
- Key issues: Flowers has focused her campaign on education, healthcare, poverty, and justice reform. She highlights the need to improve student testing outcomes and ensure broader representation in school curricula; expand healthcare access for working-class Alabamians, the elderly and small businesses; tackle poverty and address racial disparities in sentencing and incarceration.
- Campaign website: yolandaforalgovernor.org
Doug Jones
- Political experience:
- U.S. Senator (2018–2021)
- U.S. Attorney for Northern District of Alabama (1997–2001)
- Professional experience:
- Attorney (notably prosecuted 1963 Birmingham church bombing case)
- Civic experience: Longtime legal and civil rights involvement
- Key issues: Jones has focused his campaign on increasing voter access, improving healthcare, and expanding economic opportunities, while also pushing back against one-party dominance in state government. He backs measures such as establishing a state lottery, implementing early voting, eliminating straight-ticket voting, expanding Medicaid, safeguarding IVF and contraception, and enhancing maternal health outcomes. His agenda also emphasizes job growth, affordability, and protecting workers as the economy and technology continue to evolve.
- Campaign website: dougjones.com
Chad “Chig” Martin
- Political experience:
- Candidate for governor (2022, 2026)
- Professional experience: founded Thunder Industrial Supply Company, and later established Alabama’s first hemp dispensary, Honeysuckle Hemp Company, in Dothan
- Key issues: Martin has built his campaign around improving healthcare access, education, and economic growth, particularly in rural and underserved areas. He supports expanding Medicaid, enhancing maternal and mental healthcare, and creating an education lottery to fund schools, scholarships, and workforce training.
- Campaign website: www.chadchigmartin.com
Nathan “Nate” Mathis
- Political experience:
- Alabama State Representative (1983–1995)
- Frequent candidate for office
- Professional experience: Not widely detailed
- Civic experience: Longtime public service
- Key issues: Mathis supports opening casinos and establishing a state lottery to generate revenue for Alabama schools and wants to launch initiatives to prevent severe flooding and address other environmental concerns.
- Campaign website: Not clearly documented
Republicans
Ken “Abe” McFeeters
- Political experience:
- Candidate for U.S. House (AL-6, 2024)
- Professional experience:
- Insurance agent
- Key issues: Ken McFeeters has focused his campaign on food independence, education reform, and civil liberties. His platform calls for in-state food processing, backing law enforcement, enforcing stricter immigration policies, maintaining a pro-life position, limiting government surveillance, and introducing education reforms such as a pathway for veterans to become teachers.
- Campaign website: www.ken4gov.com
Will “Alabama” Santivasci
- Political experience:
- First-time candidate
- Professional experience: Businessman, entrepreneur, and real estate developer, Santivasci has also worked in auto manufacturing and engineering.
- Key issues: Santivasci has centered his campaign on encouraging economic growth while reducing taxes and government spending. His proposals include eliminating taxes on overtime pay, fuel, and property, creating a state Department of Government Efficiency, expanding trade education and infrastructure, and increasing support for veterans. He also backs a public vote on establishing a state lottery.
- Campaign website: al4algov.com
Tommy Tuberville (R)
- Political experience:
- U.S. Senator (2021–present)
- Professional experience:
- College football coach (Auburn University, others)
- Civic experience: Public figure in athletics and politics
- Key issues: Tuberville has built his campaign around conservative social policies, economic growth, and public safety. He opposes diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, transgender participation in women’s sports, and the use of public funds for abortion. He supports tougher immigration enforcement, gun rights, and law enforcement. He also promotes lowering taxes, growing the manufacturing sector, and school choice. His platform also includes boosting Alabama’s defense, space, and agricultural industries.
- Campaign website: www.coachforgovernor.com/
Compiled by Sym Posey and Javacia Harris Bowser for The Birmingham Times. Additional source: The Montgomery Advertiser
