Just ahead of Labor Day weekend, the race for Alabama’s Attorney General in 2026 heated up. Former Alabama Supreme Court Judge Jay Mitchell made his campaign announcement this morning, publicly urging his rival Katherine Robertson to accept a $150,000 campaign donation from Hugh F. Culverhouse, Jr.

Mitchell raised eyebrows, stating, “This is the same Culverhouse Jr. who funded an abortion clinic in Birmingham and attempted to sway Alabama while disregarding pro-life values.” He questioned whether Culverhouse was trying to buy influence in the Attorney General’s Office, suggesting this should alert all pro-life voters in Alabama.

Shortly after, Katherine Robertson, a Republican candidate and the longtime chief attorney for current Attorney General Steve Marshall, responded strongly, accusing Mitchell of hypocrisy and mischaracterizing his own campaign financing.

By Friday afternoon, tensions escalated on social media between the two candidates.

The 2026 Attorney General race is off to a dramatic start, with fundraising drawing public focus. Last month, Mitchell contrasted his local fundraising efforts with what he termed “out-of-state dark money.” Robertson’s first funding report indicated she had received a substantial $1 million from First Principles Action, a newly established nonprofit based in Nashville.

Mitchell’s criticism of Culverhouse’s contributions stems from past controversies. In 2019, Culverhouse, a Florida real estate investor, withdrew a $26.5 million donation pledge to the University of Alabama after there were disagreements over the state’s abortion laws. This action led to an uproar where he encouraged a student boycott against Alabama, which he criticized as regressive.

University officials clarified that their decision was more about minimizing donor influence than political issues.

Following the backlash, it became known that Culverhouse sought significant influence over university affairs, including the potential to reshape scholarship programs and employment practices, which contradicted his public stances against Alabama’s abortion laws.

Evidence from internal emails suggested there had been discussions about returning his gifts even before his statements about abortion were made, highlighting his attempts to manipulate the situation to his advantage.

Additionally, Culverhouse has been vocal in supporting abortion rights, once stating that “Saudi Arabia allows more freedom for abortion than Alabama.”

An hour after Mitchell’s campaign criticized Culverhouse’s donations, Robertson’s team fired back. “Mitchell’s attempts to mislead voters are expected, given his track record of misrepresenting facts,” they stated. They accused him of raising funds for one campaign and then using them for another while also accepting contributions from anti-Trump Chicago lawyers known for funding radical liberal candidates.

Robertson’s campaign aimed to reshape Culverhouse’s image, branding him as a supporter of mainstream conservatives, noting that he had donated $500,000 to Donald Trump and $200,000 to a Super PAC that previously backed U.S. Senator Katie Britt.

Furthermore, Robertson pointed to Mitchell’s majority opinion in a ruling that labeled frozen embryos as “children,” which had overwhelmed reproductive clinics, leading to the temporary suspension of IVF services until legislative protections were enacted.

After announcing her candidacy for Attorney General in May, Robertson referenced a “dark money” claim against Mitchell, countering that he had squandered time on a failed Supreme Court campaign.

In her Friday statement, Robertson recognized the influence of groups like First Principles Action and prominent conservative Leonard Leo concerning her $1 million donation, tracing its roots back to the implications of **Roe vs. Wade** in 2022.

As the day progressed, the interaction unfolded publicly, with Robertson sharing Mitchell’s initial attack alongside her own press release, questioning his credibility while noting, “Interesting perspective for someone who took money from a Chicago lawyer backing Kamala.” She ended her post with a hint of sarcasm, suggesting the unfolding drama would be entertaining.

Mitchell, in turn, countered Robertson’s claims with references to past donations and intentions attributed to Culverhouse, asserting, “History tells us that his generosity comes with strings attached. He’s attempting to influence our culture once again.”

The Republican primary for the Alabama Attorney General will be held on May 19, 2026. Though there’s still a significant time until then, this race is shaping up to be a fierce contest.