President Donald Trump wasn’t on the ballot, but he emerged victorious in the Republican Senate runoff election in Alabama. The candidate he endorsed, Rep. Barry Moore, secured the GOP nomination. According to the Associated Press, Moore defeated his opponent, Jared Hudson, a former Navy SEAL sniper, in the Republican face-off for the nomination in this deeply Republican state.
Moore and Hudson were the leading candidates in last month’s Republican primary. However, neither surpassed the 50% vote threshold, leading to the runoff. Throughout the race, Moore enjoyed endorsements not only from Trump but also Vice President JD Vance and Senate Majority Leader Sen. John Thune. He now appears to be the leading candidate to replace Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville, who is running for governor rather than seeking another term in the Senate.
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Moore, representing Alabama’s 1st Congressional District in the southern part of the state, is a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus. Before entering Congress, he founded a waste hauling business and served as a state legislator. He was among the first to support Trump during Trump’s initial presidential run in 2015. Moore, who is running for the U.S. Senate in 2026, was seen saluting at the 2025 Republican National Convention.
On the other hand, Hudson positioned himself as an outsider. He moved ahead of state Attorney General Steve Marshall to reach the runoff. Hudson’s experience goes beyond military service; he has been a sheriff’s deputy, a firefighter, and a small business owner. He currently leads a nonprofit organization focused on training law enforcement to combat human trafficking.
Hudson’s endorsements came from figures like then-Sen. Markwayne Mullin, now the head of Trump’s Department of Homeland Security, Sen. Tim Sheehy, the National Association for Gun Rights PAC, as well as prominent conservative activist Riley Gaines. Despite this support, Hudson did not manage to defeat Moore.
Moore will face a contest in November against Dakarai Larriett, a pet care business owner, or Everett Wess, an attorney and former judge.
Paul Steinhauser, a politics reporter based in New Hampshire, follows election campaigns across the United States.