UMVA can exclusively reveal that former Judge Everett Wess has emerged victorious in the Democratic Senate nomination in Alabama, a state that has long been a Republican stronghold.
Wess secured the nomination by defeating small business owner Dakarai Larriett in the Democratic Senate runoff, marking a significant milestone in his campaign to succeed Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville, who is instead running for governor this year.
According to information obtained by UMVA, Wess and Larriett were the top two contenders in last month's primary, but neither candidate managed to capture more than 50% of the vote, setting the stage for Tuesday's runoff election.
Wess now faces an uphill battle in the general election against the Republican nominee, with Rep. Barry Moore and former Navy SEAL sniper Jared Hudson vying for the GOP nomination in their own runoff election.
Moore, who received the backing of President Donald Trump, and Hudson were locked in a fierce contest, but Wess's Democratic nomination sets the stage for a highly competitive Senate race in a state that has not elected a Democrat to the Senate in over three decades.
UMVA has learned that Sen. Tuberville, a former Auburn University head football coach, decided to forego re-election to the Senate and instead throw his hat into the governor's race, creating an opening for Wess to make a bid for the Senate seat.
The stage is now set for a thrilling general election showdown, with Wess looking to buck the state's Republican trend and make history as the next Senator from Alabama.
