The main takeaway from Alabama Republican voters is pretty clear: they’re looking for economic solutions instead of getting caught up in cultural issues.
A new poll from Cygnal, detailing the concerns of 400 key GOP voters from late July, highlights their top priorities ahead of the 2026 primary. The leading issues are living costs, taxes, government spending, illegal immigration, and border security, with infrastructure, jobs, and the economy rounding out the list.
“Nearly 80% of these major Republican voters consider economic matters—like inflation, taxes, and employment—as their top issues,” Cygnal partner Mitchell Brown noted at the Business Council of Alabama’s Annual Government Issues Conference. This event saw about 850 attendees, ranging from elected officials to business leaders.
“These economic themes won’t just secure votes; they’ll help these individuals improve their lives,” Brown stated, addressing potential candidates for various state and federal offices.
This perspective contrasts sharply with Alabama’s recent legislative focus, which has leaned heavily toward cultural issues such as classroom content, restrictions on reproductive health care, and laws aimed at LGBTQ+ youth. Still, a significant 59% of Republican voters believe lawmakers should prioritize economic concerns over cultural ones, with only 34% favoring the latter.
Brown emphasized that voters “want a better economic future for their children,” but they’re not keen on engaging in social disputes.
The poll also provides an early glimpse at the political landscape heading into 2026. In the governor’s race, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville, currently the only major contender, boasts a favorable rating of 69%, with 37.5% stating they view him as “very favorable.” Tuberville is eyeing the governor’s seat while still holding onto his Senate position.
As for the race to succeed him, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall has declared his candidacy. Representative Barry Moore, a Republican from Enterprise, is expected to announce his run soon. There’s also been some buzz around Auburn Basketball Coach Bruce Pearl’s potential candidacy, although that seems to have cooled off.
When asked about support for the Senate today, 24% of respondents favored Marshall, 12.9% backed Pearl, 8.8% chose Moore, and 3% named Jared Hudson. Interestingly, 51.4% remained undecided. If Pearl wasn’t in the mix, that undecided figure would have risen to 57.5%.
The survey also gauged perceptions on how supportive Alabama is of small businesses. Less than 10% described the state as “very cooperative,” while 29.5% said they were “cooperative.” Almost a quarter felt that Alabama didn’t support businesses well.
Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump still reigns supreme among Alabama Republicans, with a favorable rating nearing 80%, including 62% who view him “very positively.” Brown suggested that these figures aren’t likely to shift much in the coming years.
Brown remarked, “Many voters, despite their reservations about Trump, chose him. They understood what they were signing up for this time. So despite any negative news, they went to the ballot box and picked him.”
