The 2026 election season has begun. It is our big election year in Alabama politics. All our Constitutional offices, including Governor, Lt. Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, State Treasurer, and State Auditor are up for election. You will also have two seats on the State Supreme Court up for electionas well as two seats on the Public Service Commission. In addition, and probably more importantly, all 140 seats in the Alabama State Legislature are up for election and one of our coveted two U.S. Senate seats will be up for election. The seat currently held by Coach Tommy Tuberville will be on the ballot for a six–year term.

It will be an even bigger year because it will not be an incumbent re–election year for most of our State Constitutionaloffices. The Brass Ring, the Governor’s office, is wide open. Kay Ivey is term limited. Lt. Governor Will Ainsworth is term limited, and Attorney General Steve Marshall is term limited. These three offices election will be marquee events.

All our constitutional and statewide offices are held by a Republican. Democrats cannot win a statewide race in the Heart of Dixie, only token or irrelevant candidates run as a Democrat.Therefore, winning the Republican Primary is tantamount to election. That is why the races are beginning. The Republican Primary is May 26, 2026. That will be election day. The November General Election will be a quiet coronation. Qualifying will begin and end for the May election in January.Candidates can begin raising money for the 2026 election in May. Therefore, that is why you will see the horses begin to mount and the announcements cavalcading in the upcoming next two months of April and May.

There is a domino musical chairs scenario occurring in the secondary Constitutional offices. Lt. Governor Will Ainsworth is term limited, so Secretary of State Wes Allen is running for that post, leaving Secretary of State open. Current State Auditor Andrew Sorrell is leaving Auditor to run for Secretary of State, which leaves the State Auditor’s race wide open. Young Vestavia lawyer and conservative Republican stalwart, Derek Chen, is poised to fill the Auditor’s office. He is announcing his candidacy this week and will enter as the prohibitive favorite.

Derek Chen is a successful businessman and lawyer. His success affords him the luxury and advantage never before seen in a candidate for this low level position. He would be able to self-fund his campaign and would be able to do so generously. He will have the money to get out his message and the ability to campaign full time.

Derek has done his homework and spade work in Republican circles. He is the largest individual contributor to Republican candidates in the state. He is by far, the largest contributor to Republican State Senate and House members. They are, in turn, working their districts fervently on Derek’s behalf. He is one ofthe largest contributors to the state Republican Party. He was an early supporter of President Donald Trump since his start in 2015. He has been a frequent guest of President Trump in Washington D.C. and Mar-a-Lago, the Trump home in South Florida. It would not be a surprise if Trump endorses Derek Chen in his Alabama Auditor’s race.

If you have been to a Republican event in Alabama over the past few years, you have probably seen Chen. He has been making the rounds all over the state, speaking with and meeting local folks. He has made extensive connections and developed a network of conservatives across the state. He will more than likely receive the endorsements of most of the conservative business groups and conservative social issue groups in the state,such as the Business Council of Alabama, the Alabama ForestryAssociation, the Alabama Policy Institute, and Eagle Forum, to name a few. He belongs to most of them and has for years.

He is currently working the state, courting the Alabama Farmers leadership. If he gets the ALFA endorsement, it will be the coup de grâce and lights out for any token opposition to keep himfrom capturing the State Auditor’s job.

The Auditor has limited duties. Essentially, they just keep an inventory of the state’s property. Given that Derek Chen is youthful and gregarious and holds both a law degree from Cumberland Law School at Samford and an MBA from the University of Alabama, he probably can keep an accurate account of the state’s desks, chairs, pencils, and computers.

It should be a fun year.

See you next week.