MONTGOMERY, Ala. — On Tuesday, Alabama’s Attorney General, Steve Marshall, announced that he will not be pursuing the governorship in the upcoming 2026 election, thereby taking his name out of consideration among potential candidates for the state’s top position.
Marshall, who is a member of the Republican Party, shared that he reached this decision last month after discussions with his wife, Tammy. He emphasized, “Definitely not running for governor. Tammy and I talked a lot over the year and then made the decision over Thanksgiving that it just didn’t seem to be a good next step for us.”
The current governor, Kay Ivey, has held office since 2017 and is nearing the end of her term, which is expected to open the door for a competitive field of candidates in the 2026 governor race. Marshall, having served as Alabama’s attorney general since 2017, was frequently mentioned as a possible contender for this role.
Despite stepping back from the race for governor, Marshall clarified that his political career is far from over, stating, “It’s just I am definitely not going to seek the role of governor and then we’ll see what plays out.”
He also mentioned that he has been in talks with individuals from the incoming Trump administration, although he intends to remain in his current position as attorney general. “They’ve been gracious to talk about what may be next there, but I made the commitment to the folks in Alabama to be here for this term. I’m very lucky and love being attorney general. And so, my intentions are to stay in this role and continue to do what we’ve done for the last eight years,” he added.
Throughout his tenure as attorney general, Marshall has collaborated with other Republican leaders to challenge numerous policies initiated by the Biden administration through various lawsuits. Notably, his office pioneered the implementation of nitrogen gas as a method of execution in Alabama. The state became the first in the nation to utilize this new execution method in 2024, with plans for additional nitrogen executions scheduled for 2025.
