2022 United States Senate election in Alabama explained
Election Name: | 2022 United States Senate election in Alabama |
Country: | Alabama |
Type: | presidential |
Ongoing: | no |
Previous Election: | 2016 United States Senate election in Alabama |
Previous Year: | 2016 |
Next Election: | 2028 United States Senate election in Alabama |
Next Year: | 2028 |
Election Date: | November 8, 2022 |
Image1: | File:Katie Britt (cropped).jpg |
Nominee1: | Katie Britt |
Party1: | Republican Party (United States) |
Popular Vote1: | 942,154 |
Percentage1: | 66.62% |
Nominee2: | Will Boyd |
Party2: | Democratic Party (United States) |
Popular Vote2: | 436,746 |
Percentage2: | 30.88% |
U.S. senator |
Before Election: | Richard Shelby |
Before Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
After Election: | Katie Britt |
After Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
Turnout: | 38.50% |
The 2022 United States Senate election in Alabama was held on November 8, 2022, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Alabama. Incumbent senator Richard Shelby was first elected in 1986 and re-elected in 1992 as a Democrat before becoming a Republican in 1994.[1] In February 2021, Shelby announced that he would not seek re-election to a seventh term, which resulted in the first open Senate seat since 1996 and the first in this seat since 1968.
Primary elections in Alabama were held on May 24, with Will Boyd securing the Democratic nomination. However, as none of the Republican candidates received at least 50% of the vote, a runoff election occurred on June 21 between the top two candidates of the first round: attorney Katie Britt and U.S. representative Mo Brooks. Britt won the runoff against Brooks and subsequently became the Republican nominee.[2]
Britt's victory in the Republican Party primary was seen as tantamount to election in Alabama, which is a heavily Republican state.[3] [4] [5] Britt won the general election and became the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate in the state's history. She is also the first non-incumbent Republican Senator from Alabama to be elected to this seat since 1980.
Republican primary
Early polling showed U.S. Representative Mo Brooks as the frontrunner in the race, and he received the endorsement of former president Donald Trump.[6] However, in November, the race started becoming increasingly closer with former chief of staff to incumbent senator Richard Shelby, Katie Britt, running neck and neck with Brooks. In March 2022, businessman and former pilot Michael Durant took the lead in the race, with Brooks only just beginning to spend money on television advertisements. On March 23, 2022, with Brooks polling in third place, Trump revoked his endorsement and promised to endorse a new candidate.[7] In his official statement, Trump slammed Brooks for wanting to move past the 2020 United States presidential election, and claimed he went "woke" on it. There was speculation that Trump withdrew his endorsement because he did not want to be associated with a losing campaign. Brooks claimed that Trump had told him to reinstate him as president and that Trump had been manipulated by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. Brooks attacked Britt as allegedly being weak on illegal immigration and supporting higher taxes, while Brooks' critics frequently point to his long career in politics, having been in office for 40 years.[8] [9] In May, a planned debate between the three candidates was canceled after Durant declined to attend.[10] A runoff election took place on June 21 as none of the candidates managed 50% of the vote needed to win the nomination outright, with Britt becoming the Republican nominee.
Candidates
Nominee
- Katie Britt, former president and CEO of the Business Council of Alabama; former chief of staff to outgoing senator Richard Shelby
Eliminated in runoff
- Mo Brooks, U.S. representative for (2011–2023) and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2017
Eliminated in initial primary
Withdrawn
Declined
Debates and forums
2022 Alabama Republican U.S. Senate primary debates and forums | Date | Host | Link | Participants |
---|
< | ----> Participant Absent Non-invitee < | ----> Invitee Withdrawn Not yet entered race | | | | | | |
---|
Blanchard | Britt | Brooks | Dunn | Durant | Taylor |
---|
1[31] | Sep 15, 2021 | Coffee County Republican Women | WTVY | | | | A | O | A |
---|
2[32] | Sep 28, 2021 | Alabama Public Employees' Advocacy League | WHNT | | | A | | |
---|
3[33] | Feb 19, 2022 | Alabama Republican Party | N/A | W | | | W | | W |
---|
4[34] | Feb 28, 2022 | Butler County Republican Party | N/A | | | A |
---|
5[35] | Mar 22, 2022 | Tallapoosa County Republican Party | N/A | | | A |
---|
6[36] | Mar 24, 2022 | Houston County Republican Party | N/A | | | A |
---|
7[37] | Apr 25, 2022 | Calhoun County Chamber of Commerce | N/A | A | | A | |
---|
First round
Polling
- Graphical summary
Aggregate polls
Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Lynda Blanchard | Katie Britt | Mo Brooks | Mike Durant | Jessica Taylor | Other | Undecided |
---|
The Trafalgar Group (R) | May 18–21, 2022 | 1,060 (LV) | ± 2.9% | – | | 36% | | 28% | 23% | – | 4% | 9% |
McLaughlin & Associates (R) | May 16–19, 2022 | 500 (LV) | ± 4.4% | – | | 37% | | 25% | 24% | – | – | 13% |
Cygnal (R) | May 15–16, 2022 | 634 (LV) | ± 3.9% | – | | 31% | | 29% | 24% | – | 6% | 10% |
Emerson College | May 15–16, 2022 | 706 (LV) | ± 3.6% | – | | 32% | 25% | | 26% | – | 3% | 14% |
McLaughlin & Associates (R) | May 9–12, 2022 | 500 (LV) | ± 4.4% | – | | 37% | 21% | | 31% | – | – | 12% |
Cygnal (R) | May 6–7, 2022 | 600 (LV) | ± 4.0% | – | | 32% | | 23% | 21% | – | 9% | 16% |
Moore Information Group (R) | May 2–5, 2022 | 400 (LV) | ± 5.0% | – | | 27% | 20% | 20% | – | 9% | | 24% |
McLaughlin & Associates (R) | May 2–5, 2022 | 500 (LV) | ± 4.4% | – | | 39% | 22% | | 27% | – | – | 12% |
Emerson College | March 25–27, 2022 | 687 (LV) | ± 3.7% | – | | 23% | 12% | | 33% | – | 7% | | 26% |
Cygnal (R) | March 16–17, 2022 | 600 (LV) | ± 4.0% | – | | 28% | 16% | | 35% | – | 7% | 14% |
Wisemen Consulting (R) | March 15–17, 2022 | – (LV) | ± 3.4% | – | | 27% | 23% | | 29% | – | 4% | 17% |
McLaughlin & Associates (R) | March 10–13, 2022 | 500 (LV) | ± 4.4% | – | | 32% | 18% | | 34% | – | – | 17% |
Cherry Communications (R) | February 2–6, 2022 | 600 (LV) | ± 4.0% | – | | 29% | | 34% | 24% | – | – | 13% |
Deep Root Analytics (R) | January 29–31, 2022 | 2,088 (LV) | ± 2.1% | – | | 29% | | 28% | 23% | – | – | 20% |
WPA Intelligence (R) | January 25–27, 2022 | 513 (LV) | ± 4.4% | – | 25% | | 35% | | 30% | – | – | 10% |
| January 4, 2022 | Taylor withdraws from the race |
McLaughlin & Associates (R) | December 6–9, 2021 | 500 (LV) | ± 4.5% | – | | 26% | | 31% | 17% | 4% | – | 22% |
| December 2, 2021 | Blanchard withdraws from the race |
TargetPoint Consulting (R) | November 3–8, 2021 | 300 (LV) | ± 5.7% | – | | 31% | | 30% | 12% | 7% | – | 20% |
Cygnal (R) | November 3–4, 2021 | 650 (LV) | ± 3.8% | 1% | | 24% | | 22% | 9% | 1% | 4% | | 39% |
The Strategy Group (R) | November 1–4, 2021 | 784 (LV) | ± 3.8% | 3% | | 23% | | 28% | 7% | 1% | – | | 31% |
Cygnal (R) | October 21–22, 2021 | – (LV) | – | – | | 14% | | 26% | – | – | – | – |
WPA Intelligence (R) | October 12–14, 2021 | 506 (LV) | ± 4.4% | 5% | 12% | | 55% | – | 5% | – | 23% |
Public Opinion Strategies (R) | August 24 – September 2, 2021 | 600 (LV) | ± 4.6% | 3% | | 11% | | 41% | – | 7% | – | | 39% |
Cygnal (R) | August 17–18, 2021 | 600 (LV) | ± 4.0% | 2% | | 18% | | 41% | – | 3% | 5% | | 32% |
WPA Intelligence (R) | April 26–27, 2021 | 509 (LV) | ± 4.4% | 13% | 9% | | 59% | – | – | – | 19% | |
Results
Runoff
Polling
- Graphical summary
Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Katie Britt | Mo Brooks | Undecided |
---|
McLaughlin & Associates (R) | June 13–16, 2022 | 500 (LV) | ± 4.4% | | 58% | 33% | 9% |
Auburn University at Montgomery | June 8–15, 2022 | 400 (LV) | ± 4.9% | | 50% | 30% | 20% |
Emerson College | June 12–13, 2022 | 1,000 (LV) | ± 3.0% | | 50% | 34% | 17% |
JMC Analytics (R) | June 6–9, 2022 | 630 (LV) | ± 3.9% | | 51% | 39% | 10% |
McLaughlin & Associates (R) | June 6–9, 2022 | 500 (LV) | ± 4.4% | | 55% | 36% | 9% |
Cygnal (R) | March 16–17, 2022 | 600 (LV) | ± 4.0% | | 51% | 28% | 21% |
McLaughlin & Associates (R) | December 6–9, 2021 | 500 (LV) | ± 4.5% | | 39% | 37% | 25% |
Cygnal (R) | November 3–4, 2021 | 650 (LV) | ± 3.8% | | 35% | 29% | | 36% |
Cygnal (R) | October 21–22, 2021 | – (LV) | – | 26% | | 34% | | 40% | |
- Katie Britt vs. Mike Durant
- Mo Brooks vs. Mike Durant
Results
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
Eliminated in primary
- Brandaun Dean, principal at Campaign X Policy and former mayor of Brighton (2016–2017)[39] [40]
- Lanny Jackson, retired veteran, university administrator and candidate for mayor of Birmingham in 2017[41]
Removed from ballot
- Victor Keith Williams, activist, former law instructor and Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Virginia in 2020[42] [43]
Declined
Debates and forums
2022 Alabama Democratic U.S. Senate primary debates and forums | Date | Host | Moderator | Link | Participants |
---|
< | ----> Participant Absent Non-invitee < | ----> Invitee Withdrawn | | | |
---|
Boyd | Dean | Jackson |
---|
1[46] | Apr 07, 2022 | DeKalb County Democratic Party | N/A | N/A | | | A |
---|
2 | Apr 25, 2022 | Calhoun County Chamber of Commerce | N/A | N/A | | A | | |
---|
Endorsements
Polling
Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Will Boyd | Brandaun Dean | Lanny Jackson | Victor Williams | Undecided |
---|
Emerson College | May 15–16, 2022 | 294 (LV) | ± 5.7% | | 26% | | 15% | 11% | – | | 49% |
Emerson College | March 25–27, 2022 | 359 (LV) | ± 5.1% | | 11% | 5% | 7% | | 11% | | 67% | |
Results
Libertarian nomination
No primary was held for the Libertarian Party, and candidates were instead nominated by the party.[47]
Candidates
Nominee
Independents
Candidates
Declared
General election
Predictions
Results
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican
By congressional district
Britt won 6 of 7 congressional districts.[60]
See also
Notes
- Partisan clients
External links
- Official campaign websites
Notes and References
- Web site: The last Democrat to win an Alabama Senate race later became a Republican -- and did not vote for Roy Moore. Business Insider. Chan. Tara Francis. December 13, 2017. August 7, 2020.
- Web site: Britt wins tumultuous Alabama Senate race scrambled by Trump. Colvin. Jill. Chandler. Kim. Associated Press. June 21, 2022. June 21, 2022.
- Web site: Katie Britt wins runoff, stands to become first woman elected senator in Alabama. Whites-Koditschek. Sarah. AL.com. June 21, 2022. June 21, 2022.
- Web site: Katie Britt leveraged her Alabama connections and political savvy to trounce Mo Brooks. Ulloa. Jazmine. Hounshell. Blake. The New York Times. June 21, 2022. June 21, 2022.
- Web site: Trump-backed Britt defeats Brooks in Alabama Republican Senate runoff. Bustillo. Ximena. National Public Radio. June 21, 2022. June 21, 2022.
- Web site: Brooks, Trump adviser to make campaign announcement . March 22, 2021 .
- Web site: Trump yanks endorsement of Alabama Senate candidate Brooks, who said to get past 2020 . NPR . March 23, 2022 . Gonyea . Don .
- Web site: Rep. Mo Brooks responds to Trump's latest comments . March 23, 2022 .
- Web site: Mo Brooks lashes out at Katie Britt after losing Trump's U.S. Senate endorsement . March 24, 2022 .
- Web site: Durant declines offer to debate Katie Britt, Mo Brooks . May 2, 2022 .
- Web site: Candidate qualifying is over except for Congress. Moseley. Brandon. 1819 News. January 29, 2022. January 29, 2022. January 29, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220129155830/https://1819news.com/news/item/56f7bec4-fe84-49b1-aab0-a87b207ffd94/candidate-qualifying-is-over-except-for-congress. dead.
- Web site: Lyman. Brian. Mo Brooks announces candidacy for U.S. Senate. Montgomery Advertiser. March 22, 2021. May 26, 2022.
- Web site: Political Newcomer Making Waves: 5 Questions With Katie Britt. Seale. Michael. Yahoo News. January 17, 2022. January 18, 2022.
- Web site: 2021-10-19. 'Black Hawk Down' POW Mike Durant enters Alabama's 2022 U.S. Senate race. 2021-10-19. Yellowhammer News. en-US.
- Web site: Governor, state legislators and county officials on '22 ballots. Cox. Jim. The Thomasville Times. January 5, 2022. January 7, 2022.
- Web site: Politics1 - Online Guide to Alabama Elections, Candidates & Politics. https://web.archive.org/web/20220209052813/https://politics1.com/al.htm. www.politics1.com. Gunzburger. Ron. February 9, 2022. February 9, 2022.
- News: Williams . Cliff . Small town girl seeks big time office: Britt campaigns in Tallapoosa County seeking votes in the US Senate race . Alexander City Outlook . November 5, 2021 . November 26, 2021.
- Web site: Singer . Jeff . Longtime Alabama senator's retirement could set off a packed GOP primary to succeed him. . February 8, 2021. February 8, 2021.
- Web site: Former Ambassador Lynda Blanchard appears poised for Senate run . Alabama Political Reporter . February 12, 2021.
- Web site: December 2, 2021. Alabama GOP Senate candidate Lynda Blanchard to switch races and run for Governor. CNN. December 2, 2021.
- Web site: Mike Dunn drops out of U.S. Senate race to run for Alabama Senate, endorsing Durant. 1819 News. January 18, 2022. January 18, 2022. January 18, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220118144027/https://1819news.com/news/item/be091240-9935-4d0c-89fc-d75c571989bf/mike-dunn-drops-out-of-u-s-senate-race-to-run-for-alabama-senate-endorsing-dura. dead.
- Web site: U.S. Senate candidates speak at forum in Huntsville. Drinkard. Hunter. WHNT-19. September 29, 2021. December 15, 2021.
- Web site: Poor. Jeff. July 8, 2021. Jessica Taylor launches bid for Alabama's U.S. Senate seat up in 2022. 2021-07-08. Yellowhammer News.
- Web site: Smith. Dylan. January 4, 2022. Jessica Taylor exits U.S. Senate race, endorses candidacy of 'political outsider' Mike Durant. 2022-01-04. Yellowhammer News.
- Web site: Aderholt has no "current plans to run for an open Senate seat". Brandon . Moseley . 2021-02-09.
- Web site: Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth Says He Won't Run for U.S. Senate in 2022. February 26, 2021.
- Web site: Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill admits affair, won't run for U.S. Senate: 'There's no excuse'. April 7, 2021. al.
- Web site: Jeff Poor. Mo Brooks picks up Barry Moore endorsement at Coffee County pro-free speech event. YellowHammer. April 11, 2021.
- Web site: Sessions not interested in another Alabama Senate run after Shelby retirement. Alex. Pappas. Fox News. February 8, 2021. February 8, 2021.
- News: Hulse. Carl. February 8, 2021. Shelby, Veteran Senator from Alabama, Won't Seek Seventh Term. The New York Times. February 8, 2021.
- Web site: 2022 Senate candidates battle in first forum since they announced candidacy. Brooks. Nick. WTVY. September 15, 2021. March 8, 2022.
- Web site: U.S. Senate candidates speak at forum in Huntsville. Drinkard. Hunter. WHNT. September 29, 2021. March 8, 2022.
- Web site: Senate candidates Britt, Brooks, Durant pitch messages at Alabama GOP meeting. Cason. Mike. AL.com. February 19, 2022. March 8, 2022.
- Web site: GOP candidates visit Greenville. The Greenville Standard. March 2, 2022. March 9, 2022.
- Web site: Brooks campaigns in Tallapoosa County just hours before losing Trump's endorsement. Williams. Cliff. Alexander City Outlook. March 24, 2022. April 16, 2022.
- Web site: Mo Brooks lashes out at Katie Britt after losing Trump's U.S. Senate endorsement. Dothan Eagle. March 24, 2022. April 16, 2022.
- Web site: U.S. Senate candidates offer views on issues. Graves. Brian. Anniston Star. April 26, 2022. May 16, 2022.
- Web site: Dr. Will Boyd announces bid for US Senate. Hester. Zach. CBS 42. January 28, 2022. January 29, 2022.
- News: Moseley. Brandon. July 21, 2021. Brandaun Dean is the first Democrat running for U.S. Senate. Alabama Political Reporter. July 20, 2021. live. August 6, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210806133218/https://www.alreporter.com/2021/07/20/brandaun-dean-is-the-first-democrat-running-for-u-s-senate/. August 6, 2021.
- News: Moseley. Brandon. August 5, 2021. Katie Britt opposes mask mandates in schools. Alabama Political Reporter. live. August 6, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210805140407/https://www.alreporter.com/2021/08/05/katie-britt-opposes-mask-mandates-in-schools/. August 5, 2021.
- Web site: Lanny Jackson - Ballotpedia. Ballotpedia . January 27, 2022.
- Web site: He loves drinking, cussing and Trump. And he's running for Senate in Alabama. Gattis. Paul. AL.com. March 3, 2022. March 3, 2022.
- Web site: Alabama Democrats remove Trump-supporter from primary ballot. Gattis. Paul. AL.com. March 4, 2022. March 5, 2022.
- Web site: Smith. Kelley. March 23, 2021. Could a Democrat win Senator Richard Shelby's seat? The state party eyes 2022. WHNT News 19. March 23, 2021.
- News: Cason. Mike. March 24, 2021. Rep. Terri Sewell won't run for Alabama Senate seat, aims to stay in U.S. House. AL.com. March 24, 2021.
- Web site: DeKalb Democrats to host meet & greet for 2022 candidates. Hester. Zach. March 6, 2022. WHNT. March 8, 2022.
- Web site: Libertarians Gain Ballot Access. Moseley. Brandon. 1819 News. May 24, 2022. May 24, 2022.
- Web site: Bowers for Senate. 2021-11-20. Bowers for Senate. en. March 31, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220331061237/https://bowers-for-senate.com/. dead.
- Web site: Browse Candidates for Senate. 2021-11-30. FEC.gov. en.
- Web site: August 25, 2021 . FEC Form 2 - Statement of Candidacy . live . December 15, 2021 . Federal Election Commission. https://web.archive.org/web/20211215212815/https://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/417/202108259466561417/202108259466561417.pdf . December 15, 2021 .
- Web site: 2022 Senate Race ratings . The Cook Political Report . January 14, 2021.
- Web site: Senate ratings . Inside Elections . January 18, 2021.
- Web site: 2022 Senate . Sabato's Crystal Ball . January 28, 2021.
- Web site: Alabama Senate Race 2022. April 1, 2022 . Politico.
- Web site: Battle for the Senate 2022. January 10, 2022 . RealClearPolitics.
- Web site: 2022 Election Forecast . Fox News . May 12, 2022 . May 12, 2022.
- Web site: 2022 Election Forecast . DDHQ . July 20, 2022 . July 20, 2022.
- Web site: 2022 Election Forecast . FiveThirtyEight . June 30, 2022 . June 30, 2022.
- News: Economist's 2022 Senate forecast . The Economist . September 7, 2022 . September 7, 2022.
- Results . docs.google.com .