Former Judge Everett Wess has secured the Democratic Senate nomination in Alabama, a state with a strong Republican presence. Wess won against small business owner Dakarai Larriett in the Democratic Senate runoff, as reported by the Associated Press.

The initial primary last month had Wess and Larriett as the top two candidates among four contenders. Since no candidate received more than 50% of the vote, Wess and Larriett proceeded to the runoff election.

General Election Challenges

In the upcoming general election, Wess will face the Republican nominee, Rep. Barry Moore. Moore, endorsed by former President Donald Trump, triumphed over former Navy SEAL sniper Jared Hudson in the GOP runoff.

The state of Alabama has not seen a Democrat win a Senate election, except for former Democratic Sen. Doug Jones in 2017, in over thirty years.

Tuberville’s Gubernatorial Run

Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville, a former Auburn University head football coach, is pursuing the governor’s seat this year, allowing the Senate position to open up for candidates like Wess.

Paul Steinhauser, a politics reporter from New Hampshire, continues to cover political campaigns across the United States.