2018 Alabama gubernatorial election

The 2018 Alabama gubernatorial election took place on November 6, 2018, to elect the governor of Alabama. Incumbent Governor Kay Ivey (R), who took office on April 10, 2017, upon the resignation of Robert Bentley (R) ran for election to a full term and won over Tuscaloosa mayor Walt Maddox. Ivey was sworn in for her first full term on January 14, 2019. This was the first time since 1966 that a woman was elected Governor of Alabama.

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

• Tommy Battle, Mayor of Huntsville
• Scott Dawson, evangelist
• Bill Hightower, State Senator
• Kay Ivey, incumbent governor
• Michael McAllister, former prison officer (died April 2018)

Withdrew

• Slade Blackwell, state senator
• David Carrington, Jefferson County Commissioner
• Twinkle Cavanaugh, president of the Public Service Commission (running for Lieutenant Governor)
• Stacy Lee George, former Morgan County Commissioner and candidate for governor in 2014
• Josh Jones, businessman
• John McMillan, Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries (running for state treasurer)

Declined

• Rick Burgess, radio host
• Bill "Bubba" Bussey, radio host
• Bradley Byrne, U.S. Representative and candidate for governor in 2010 (running for reelection)
• Mary Scott Hunter, member of the Alabama State Board of Education (running for the state senate after initially running for Lieutenant Governor)
• Del Marsh, President Pro Tempore of the Alabama Senate (running for reelection)
• Arthur Orr, state senator (running for reelection)
• Trip Pittman, state senator and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2017
• Greg Reed, Majority Leader of the Alabama Senate (running for reelection)
• Luther Strange, former U.S. Senator and former attorney general of Alabama
• Tommy Tuberville, former Auburn University football coach
• Cam Ward, state senator (running for reelection)
• Jim Zeigler, State Auditor of Alabama (running for reelection)

Endorsements

Polling

Results

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

• Sue Bell Cobb, former Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court
• Christopher A. Countryman, equality activist, former juvenile corrections officer and former pastor
• James C. Fields, former state representative and nominee for lieutenant governor in 2014
• Walt Maddox, Mayor of Tuscaloosa
• Doug "New Blue" Smith, nominee for Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries in 2014
• Anthony White, ordained minister

Withdrew

• Jason Childs, truck driver and former pastor

Declined

• Doug Jones, U.S. Senator
• Terri Sewell, U.S. Representative for Alabama's 7th Congressional District

Endorsements

Results

Independents

Candidates

Declared

• Tony Hewitt Jr., police officer
• Eric Lathan, security guard, Iraq War veteran and candidate for the Jefferson County Commission in 2010

Declined

• Mark Johnston, pastor, businessman and summer camp executive director

General election

Predictions

Endorsements

Polling

Results

Maddox narrowly carried Tuscaloosa County, where he currently serves as mayor of Tuscaloosa, by a mere 1 vote. This is the first gubernatorial election since 2002 in which a Democrat won the county and the first since 1990 in which neighboring Pickens County voted for a different candidate than Tuscaloosa. This is the first time the Republican gubernatorial candidate carried Barbour county since 1872 during Reconstruction.

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

• Tuscaloosa County (largest city: Tuscaloosa)
• Jefferson County (largest city: Birmingham)

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

• Barbour County (largest city: Eufaula)

See also

• 2018 Alabama elections

Notes

References

External links

• Candidates at Vote Smart
• Candidates at Ballotpedia

Official gubernatorial campaign websites

• Tony Hewitt, Jr. (I) for Governor
• Kay Ivey (R) for Governor
• Walt Maddox (D) for Governor
• Chad "Chig" Martin (I) for Governor