Full Breakdown
Alabama Holds Special Primaries After Reddistricting Dispute
8/10/2026, 9:41:03 PM
Background & Context
A U.S. Supreme Court ruling nullified a court-ordered congressional map that had been used in Alabama’s May 19 primary, allowing the state-drawn 2023 map—approved by Republican lawmakers and championed by President Donald Trump—to take effect. Governor Kay Ivey then called special primaries for the four districts whose May results were voided. The contests serve as a “do-over” for the May 19 primaries and will determine the party nominees for the upcoming general election, which decides Alabama’s delegation in the 2026 U.S. House.
Timeline of Key Events
- May 19 (scheduled) – Primary elections for all seven congressional districts were originally set.
- U.S. Supreme Court intervention – Cleared the way for Alabama to use its state-drawn map.
- Governor Kay Ivey’s response – Announced special primaries for districts 1, 2, 6, and 7.
- Tuesday (date not specified) – Voters will cast ballots in the special primaries under the restored district lines.
- General election – Determines the four districts’ U.S. House seats.
- 84 days from the special primary – The 2026 midterm elections will occur.
Candidates and Districts
- District 1 – Open seat after Rep. Barry Moore ran for U.S. Senate. Four Republicans—Austin Sidwell, Jerry Carl, John Mills, and Lucas Burger—compete; the winner will face Democrat Clyde Jones.
- District 2 – Incumbent Democrat Shomari Figures seeks a second term. Six Republicans—Christian Horn, David Matthews, Hampton Harris, James Richardson, Joshua McKee, and Rhett Marques—vie to challenge him. The district’s Black population will fall from roughly 50 % to about 40 % under the new map.
- District 6 – Incumbent Republican Gary Palmer faces challenger Case Dixon. Four Democrats—Ashtyn Kennedy, Jacob Bouma-Sims, Keith Pilkington, and Maurice Mercer—compete for their party’s nomination. This is the only district where an incumbent is directly opposed in a primary.
- District 7 – Incumbent Democrat Terri Sewell runs for a ninth term. Two Republicans—Ammie Akin and David Perry—contend for the nomination. Black residents will retain a slight majority in the reconfigured district.
All four primaries operate under a plurality rule: the candidate with the most votes becomes the party nominee.
Official Statements & Responses
- The Associated Press notes it will not project winners; it will declare a candidate the winner only when no remaining scenario could overturn the lead.
- The AP also explains that Alabama’s automatic recount law does not apply to primaries, per a 2010 opinion from the state attorney general, though a recount could be triggered if the margin is sufficiently narrow.
- President Donald Trump is identified as the architect of the broader Republican effort to preserve a slim House majority in the 2026 midterms.
- Governor Kay Ivey’s call for the special primaries is presented as a direct response to the Supreme Court’s clearance of the state-drawn map.
What’s Next
- Winners of the Tuesday primaries will appear on the general-election ballot, determining Alabama’s representation in the U.S. House for the 2026-2028 term.
- The special primaries occur 84 days before the 2026 midterm elections, positioning the outcomes as an early indicator of partisan dynamics ahead of the national contests.
