On this week’s episode of The Voice of Alabama Politics, Bill Britt was joined by Susan Britt and Josh Moon for a discussion of Alabama’s 2026 Republican primaries, a utility reform proposal and two political comeback efforts.
Undecideds dominate GOP primaries
The show opened with polling from the February 1-4 Alabama Poll conducted by pollster Michael Lowry, showing large blocs of undecided voters in the U.S. Senate and lieutenant governor races.
Attorney General Steve Marshall leads U.S. Representative Barry Moore 26-17 in the Republican Senate primary, but 43 percent of likely Republican voters remain uncommitted. In the lieutenant governor race, Secretary of State Wes Allen leads former Alabama Republican Party Chairman John Wahl 23-6, with 59 percent undecided.
“The headline isn’t who’s ahead,” Bill Britt said. “It’s who hasn’t decided.”
Susan Britt said the high number of undecided voters signals low consolidation. “These voters aren’t locked in,” she said. “That means organization and contact will matter more than endorsements.”
President Donald Trump has endorsed Moore and Wahl, though both trail in the poll. Moon cautioned against overinterpreting early surveys. “At this stage, name recognition is everything,” Moon said. “When nearly half the electorate hasn’t chosen, that’s volatility—not stability.”
The panel also discussed campaign spending. Moore recently received support from a cryptocurrency-aligned super political action committee that spent $5 million, potentially reshaping the race.
“Endorsements shape narratives,” Bill Britt said. “Money shapes exposure.”
“If more than a third of voters say they’ve never heard of Moore, $5 million can fix that quickly,” Moon added.
Energy reform targets cost shifting, Public Service Commission structure
The panel discussed the Alabama Affordability Protection Plan, a bipartisan package that would change how large-scale energy expansion costs are handled.
The first part would require data centers to pay for grid upgrades tied to their operations, preventing utilities from shifting those costs to residential and small-business customers.
“At its core, this is about who pays,” Susan Britt said. “Families shouldn’t be subsidizing private expansion.”
Supporters say the proposal would modernize incentive structures without raising taxes or base utility rates. Lawmakers say they want to protect Alabama’s below-national-average energy rates while allowing growth.
The second part would convert the Alabama Public Service Commission from an elected body to an appointed one. The governor, the Speaker of the House and the Senate president pro tempore would appoint commissioners, subject to Senate confirmation. The bill would set qualification standards and prohibit utilities from using ratepayer funds for lobbying.
“This is structural reform,” Moon said. “It changes the oversight model entirely.”
Most states use appointed utility commissions, Bill Britt said, raising the question of whether regulation should be tied to campaign politics.
Brooks’ tax record resurfaces
The panel also examined former U.S. Representative Mo Brooks’ bid to return to the Alabama House.
Archival records show that during his 12 years in the state House, Brooks voted more than 100 times in favor of tax increases, including income, corporate and gas tax increases in 1984.
“There’s a clear contrast between the Montgomery record and the Washington rhetoric,” Bill Britt said.
Brooks later described himself in Congress as a staunch anti-tax conservative. Moon said voters will decide whether those earlier votes matter. “Political comebacks depend on memory being short,” he said. “Records aren’t.”
Jobs bill tied to historical horse racing
The program concluded with discussion of legislation affecting historical horse racing machines at VictoryLand in Macon County and Mobile Greyhound Park in Mobile County.
The bill would replace a 3-5 percent tax on wagers with an 8 percent tax on net revenue. VictoryLand Chief Executive Officer Lewis Benefield said the change could create up to 1,000 additional jobs in Macon County.
“This isn’t about expansion,” Bill Britt said. Supporters argue it is modernization.
The panel agreed that with economic development, tax policy and regulatory structure in play, the 2026 elections may hinge on persuading voters who remain undecided.
The Voice of Alabama Politics airs weekly and is available on YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram and major podcast platforms.
