In a surprise move that quieted months of speculation, Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth announced Wednesday that he will not be running for governor in 2026. After years with his eyes on higher office, the state’s second-in-command declared on social media and in a formal statement that his next stop is not the Governor’s Mansion — but rather home and the private sector.
“After much prayer and many discussions with my family, friends, and supporters, I will not be a candidate for governor during the 2026 election cycle,” Ainsworth said in a statement posted to X and released through his office. “Kendall and I have decided that focusing on our children during their last years in high school and transitioning into the private sector makes the most sense for all of us at this time in our lives.”
The message, carefully worded and full of personal conviction, marks a sharp turn in the trajectory of one of Alabama’s most politically ambitious figures. Ainsworth, who once pledged to be “the most active, engaged, and hardest working Lieutenant Governor in the history of our state,” had long been viewed as a top-tier contender to succeed Gov. Kay Ivey.
But instead of mounting a campaign, he’s choosing to bow out.
Still, Ainsworth made clear he isn’t disappearing from Alabama’s political orbit.
“Serving as Alabama’s Lieutenant Governor has been the honor of my lifetime,” he said. “In the year-and-a-half remaining in my term, I will continue working night and day to meet the needs, improve the lives, and protect the conservative values of the Alabama citizens I took an oath to serve.”
And while the lieutenant governor may be stepping away from the ballot in 2026, he’s not stepping away from the political fight.
“While my name will not be on the ballot for governor in 2026, I will be on the campaign trail working alongside President Trump to help elect a strong, conservative governor and other Republican elected officials who will keep Alabama moving in the right direction,” he said.
For a man who once seemed destined to be governor, Ainsworth’s decision not to run leaves a vacuum — and no shortage of questions.
U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville now has a clear field toward the Governor’s Mansion — for now. But in Alabama politics, things rarely unfold the way early polling suggests a year out from the primary.
“My heart is deeply rooted in Alabama,” Ainsworth said. “My passion is in helping people, and neither of those truths will ever change. Even when I leave elected office, I will still get up every day with a drive to help Alabama grow.”
Time will tell if that drive finds its way back onto a ballot — or if Will Ainsworth just pulled off the rarest move in Alabama politics: a graceful exit.
