Former U.S. Representative Jerry Carl, R-Mobile, has filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission to run for Alabama’s 1st Congressional District in 2026. The seat is expected to be open as incumbent Representative Barry Moore, R-Enterprise, prepares to launch a campaign for the U.S. Senate.
Carl submitted his Statement of Candidacy on Thursday, marking his return to the political stage after losing to Moore in the 2024 Republican primary for the newly redrawn south Alabama district. The two were forced into the same race after court-ordered redistricting merged their districts.
Moore is widely expected to vacate the seat at the end of his term and announce a Senate campaign as early as this week, seeking the seat currently held by Senator Tommy Tuberville, who has said he will run for governor in 2026.
Carl, who served in Congress from 2021 to 2025, teased “a major announcement coming soon” in a post on X on Wednesday. He is not expected to formally launch his campaign until after Moore’s announcement next week.
Alabama’s 1st Congressional District spans the state’s nine southernmost counties, including Mobile and Baldwin, and has been a Republican stronghold for decades.
