ONLY ON 8: Political Analyst Steve Flowers looks ahead to 2026 elections
ONLY ON 8: Political Analyst Steve Flowers outlines what to expect in the 2026 elections, including the chances that gambling could be put on the November ballot.
Flowers told Action 8’s Glenn Halbrooks that the campaign season is already well underway, with candidates being able to raise money since May. The official qualifying period runs from January 5-23 for the party primaries. The primaries are May 19.
What makes this election year unique in his eyes is that Flowers says he’s never seen so little drama in a governor’s race when the seat will be open. Gov. Kay Ivey can’t seek re-election due to term limits. Current U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, who is running for governor, appears to have the race well in hand.
“He’s got it nailed down,” Flowers said, who expects it to be a cakewalk. No one appears to want to challenge him for the Republican nomination, and the Democrats haven’t won a governor’s race since Don Siegelman was elected in 1998. In the years since, Alabama has become more and more Republican.
Flowers says that makes the U.S. Senate race to replace Tuberville the marquee matchup next year. All constitutional officers as well as all 140 members of the Alabama Legislature are up for re-election. All seven members of the U.S. House of Representatives are also up for re-election, as well as various county officials statewide.
In an election year, the Alabama Legislature starts its regular session early, in order to give members time to hit the campaign trail before the May 19 primaries. The 2026 session will start January 13.
Flowers says that may provide an opportunity for the gambling issue to be brought up later in the year. He says that because he expects about 80% of lawmakers to run unopposed and for the races to generally be decided in the May primaries, the governor would have a chance to call a special session after May 19 to address gambling.
If the issue makes it through the legislature, Flowers says there’s a chance that voters could decide the issue in the November 3 general election. It’s too early to know whether a gambling bill would include only a lottery or other forms of gambling. Various proposals have not made it through the legislature in recent years. In 1999, Alabama voters defeated a proposed lottery, which is the last time a gambling measure made it to the ballot.
Flowers says there may be some urgency this year. That’s because PEEHIP, the Public Education Employees Health Insurance Plan, is underfunded due to rising health care costs and will need additional revenue, which some form of gambling could provide.
Watch the video above to get more insight from Steve Flowers.
