Alabama's 1st Congressional District election, 2020 (March 3 Republican primary)

Elections in Alabama, 2020

• Primary date: March 3
• Primary type: Open
• Registration deadline(s): Feb. 14 (hand-delivered); Feb. 15 (postmarked); Feb. 17 (online)
• Online registration: Yes
• Same-day registration: No

• Early voting starts: N/A
• Absentee/mail voting deadline(s): March 2 (postmarked); March 3 (received)
• Voter ID: Photo ID
• Poll times: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

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Date of Alabama presidential primary: March 3

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On the ballot: U.S. Senate • U.S. House • State executive offices • Special state legislative • Supreme court • Appellate courts • Local judges • State ballot measures • School boards • Municipal • 

Click here for coverage of the July 14, 2020, Republican primary runoff.

2022 → ← 2018
Alabama's 1st Congressional District
Democratic primary Republican primary Republican primary runoff General election
Election details
Filing deadline: November 8, 2019
Primary: March 3, 2020 Primary runoff: July 14, 2020 General: November 3, 2020 Pre-election incumbent: Bradley Byrne (Republican)
How to vote
Poll times: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voting in Alabama
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Solid Republican Inside Elections: Solid Republican Sabato's Crystal Ball: Safe Republican
Ballotpedia analysis
U.S. Senate battlegrounds U.S. House battlegrounds Federal and state primary competitiveness Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2020
See also
Alabama's 1st Congressional District U.S. Senate • 1st • 2nd • 3rd • 4th • 5th • 6th • 7th Alabama elections, 2020 U.S. Congress elections, 2020 U.S. Senate elections, 2020 U.S. House elections, 2020 Alabama U.S. House racesAlaska U.S. House racesArizona U.S. House racesArkansas U.S. House racesCalifornia U.S. House racesColorado U.S. House racesConnecticut U.S. House racesDelaware U.S. House racesFlorida U.S. House racesGeorgia U.S. House racesHawaii U.S. House racesIdaho U.S. House racesIllinois U.S. House racesIndiana U.S. House racesIowa U.S. House racesKansas U.S. House racesKentucky U.S. House racesLouisiana U.S. House racesMaine U.S. House racesMaryland U.S. House racesMassachusetts U.S. House racesMichigan U.S. House racesMinnesota U.S. House racesMississippi U.S. House racesMissouri U.S. House racesMontana U.S. House racesNebraska U.S. House racesNevada U.S. House racesNew Hampshire U.S. House racesNew Jersey U.S. House racesNew Mexico U.S. House racesNew York U.S. House racesNorth Carolina U.S. House racesNorth Dakota U.S. House racesOhio U.S. House racesOklahoma U.S. House racesOregon U.S. House racesPennsylvania U.S. House racesRhode Island U.S. House racesSouth Carolina U.S. House racesSouth Dakota U.S. House racesTennessee U.S. House racesTexas U.S. House racesUtah U.S. House racesVermont U.S. House racesVirginia U.S. House racesWashington U.S. House racesWest Virginia U.S. House racesWisconsin U.S. House racesWyoming U.S. House racesSubmit

Jerry Carl and Bill Hightower advanced to a Republican primary runoff for Alabama's 1st Congressional District on March 3, 2020. Carl received 38.7% of the vote and Hightower received 37.5%. Chris Pringle received 19.2%. A candidate needed more than 50% of the vote to win the primary outright.

Incumbent Rep. Bradley Byrne (R), first elected in 2013, ran for U.S. Senate rather than seeking re-election to the House. From 1920-2020, only six people had held Alabama's 1st Congressional District, with representatives serving an average of 16 years.

Candidates largely avoided discussing one another and instead focused on their professional and conservative qualifications.

Carl was elected to the Mobile County Commission in 2012 and said he had been "a vocal fiscal hawk and advocate for pro-growth, job-creating policies." In a campaign ad, Carl described himself as an outsider. He focused on his experience running small businesses saying it made him a problem solver and comparing himself to President Donald Trump (R).

Hightower was a state senator for Alabama's 35th District from 2013-2018. He emphasized bills he introduced or sponsored during that time including proposals to ban the sale of fetal body parts and to institute term limits for Alabama state senators and representatives. His ads also referenced his Christian background and a Sunlight Foundation report listing him as having one of the more conservative voting records as a state senator.

Pringle was elected to represent Alabama's 101st District in the state House of Representatives in 2014. He said "[m]y background as a Realtor, a homebuilder and a general contractor, along with my experience as a state legislator, make me uniquely qualified for this position." He said he had a conservative background and a willingness to challenge Democrats.

Also running in the primary were John Castorani and Wes Lambert.

As of the primary election, ratings outlets called the general election for the district Safe or Solid Republican, and Democrats held a 232-197 majority in the U.S. House. Click here to learn more about what's at stake in the general election.

Click on candidate names below to view their key messages:

Carl					Hightower					Pringle

This page focuses on Alabama's 1st Congressional District Republican primary. For more in-depth information on the district's Democratic primary and the general election, see the following pages:

Alabama's 1st Congressional District election, 2020 (July 14 Republican primary runoff)

Alabama's 1st Congressional District election, 2020 (March 3 Democratic primary)

Alabama's 1st Congressional District election, 2020

This election was a battleground race. Other 2020 battlegrounds included:

District Attorney election in Travis County, Texas (2020) New York's 22nd Congressional District election, 2020 Washington gubernatorial election, 2020 (August 4 top-two primary)

Election procedure changes in 2020

See also: Changes to election dates, procedures, and administration in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

Ballotpedia provided comprehensive coverage of how election dates and procedures changed in 2020. While the majority of changes occurred as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, some changes occurred for other reasons.

Alabama modified its primary runoff election date as follows:

• Election postponements: The primary runoff election, originally scheduled for March 31, 2020, was postponed to July 14.

For a full timeline about election modifications made in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, click here.

Candidates and election results

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Alabama District 1

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jerry Carl	38.7	38,490
✔		Bill Hightower	37.5	37,283
		Chris Pringle	19.2	19,126
		Wes Lambert	3.1	3,102
		John Castorani	1.5	1,468

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 99,469
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Chase Anderson Romagnano (R)

Candidate profiles

This section includes candidate profiles created in one of two ways. Either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey or Ballotpedia staff created a profile after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. Ballotpedia staff compiled profiles based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements.

Jerry Carl

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: Mobile County Commissioner (Assumed office: 2012)

Biography:  Carl attended Lake City Community College in Lake City, Florida until 1978. He has started and sold businesses in the healthcare equipment, real estate, and timber fields.

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Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

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In his campaign ads, Carl said running small businesses made him a problem solver who is tough and has a backbone like President Trump.

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Carl said during his time as county commissioner he had been "a vocal fiscal hawk and advocate for pro-growth, job-creating policies."

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Carl said, if elected, he would "get the wall built, end handouts for lawbreaking illegals, and make sure we never have a sanctuary city in Alabama."

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Carl said he would "stop socialists from pushing abortion on-demand and stealing our guns." 

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Show sources

Sources: Jerry Carl 2020 campaign website, "Issues," accessed February 23, 2020, YouTube, Jerry Carl's channel, accessed February 23, 2020, YouTube, "Tough," February 11, 2020, YouTube, "FULL DEBATE: Alabama District 1 Congressional Debate," November 21, 2019; Jerry Carl 2020 campaign website, "About," accessed February 23, 2020, Republican Party of Alabama official website, "Jerry Carl Mobile County Commission Candidate," July 2, 2012, Fox 10, "Mobile County Commissioner Jerry Carl announces run for Congress," February 27, 2019

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Alabama District 1 in 2020.

Bill Hightower

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: Alabama State Senate (2013-2018)

Biography:  Hightower graduated from the University of Southern Alabama in 1984 and received an M.B.A. from Vanderbilt University in 1990. As of the start of his campaign, he was a vice president of U.S. sales at Thermission, a company focused on zinc thermal diffusion coating.

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Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

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Hightower described himself as a conservative, Christian state senator and small businessman.

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Hightower said he was ranked one of the most conservative state senators in Alabama and touted specific bills he introduced or sponsored, including a ban on the sale of fetal body parts, provisions regarding faith-based adoptions, and legislative term limits.

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Hightower said he was pro-life, pro-2nd Amendment, and would help President Trump build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

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Show sources

Sources: Hightower 2020 campaign website, "Issues," accessed February 23, 2020, Hightower 2020 campaign website, "Videos," accessed February 23, 2020; Montgomery Advertiser, "Bill Hightower wants to change the governing process," May 13, 2018, Thermission website, "Contact," accessed February 23, 2020, Hightower 2020 campaign website, "About," accessed February 23, 2020

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Alabama District 1 in 2020.

Chris Pringle

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: Alabama House of Representatives (Assumed office: 2014, 1994-2002)

Biography:  Pringle graduated from the University of Alabama. He began work as a realtor with Southern Timberlands in the early 1990s and worked as a general contractor. Pringle was a candidate for state senate in District 34 in 2006 and ran for U.S. House in Alabama's 1st Congressional District in 2002.

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Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

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Pringle said "[m]y background as a Realtor, a homebuilder and a general contractor, along with my experience as a state legislator, make me uniquely qualified for this position."

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When announcing his campaign, Pringle said "I will go toe-to-toe with the liberal Democrats who are attempting to turn this great Republic into a Socialist disaster." 

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Pringle said he would help President Trump build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border to protect the country and stop illegal immigrants.

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Pringle said he was pro-life, had an A+ rating from the National Rifle Association, and was a supporter of President Trump.

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Show sources

Sources: Yellowhammer News, "State Rep. Chris Pringle announces congressional bid - 'I will go toe-to-toe with the liberal Democrats,'" accessed February 23, 2020, Youtube, Chris Pringle's channel, accessed February 23, 2020; Pringle 2020 campaign website, "About Chris," accessed February 23, 2020, Southern Timberlands website, "Chris Pringle," accessed February 23, 2020

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Alabama District 1 in 2020.

Noteworthy primary endorsements

This section includes noteworthy endorsements issued in the primary, added as we learn about them. Click here to read how we define noteworthy primary endorsements. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please email us.

Republican primary endorsements
Endorsement	Carl	Castorani	Hightower	Lambert	Pringle
Individuals
Former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Penn.)			✔
Organizations
Club for Growth PAC			✔

Timeline

2020

• March (click to collapse)

  March

  • March 3, 2020: Carl and Hightower advanced to a Republican primary runoff for Alabama's 1st Congressional District on July 14. Carl received 38.7% of the vote and Hightower received 37.5%.
  • March 2, 2020: Hightower released an ad titled "Words."

• February 2020 (click to expand)

  February

  • February 26, 2020: Club for Growth Action released an ad in support of Hightower titled "Fighter" with an ad buy of $133,450.
  • February 24, 2020: Carl released an ad titled "Pelosi."
  • February 20, 2020: FEC pre-primary reports showed Carl had $266,720 cash on hand followed by Hightower with $249,273, and Pringle with $101,809.26 as of February 12.

Campaign themes

See also: Campaign themes

Jerry Carl

Carl's campaign website stated the following:

“	Protecting the 2nd Amendment As an avid hunter, sportsman, and lifetime member of the NRA, Jerry Carl will fight to protect our 2nd Amendment rights, and the liberties enshrined by our forefathers. While gun-grabbing liberals work hard to take away our freedoms, Jerry will oppose any legislation that takes away your right to protect yourself and your loved ones. Supports national concealed carry reciprocity. Opposes legislation criminalizing the private transfer of firearms between friends and family members. Supports the due process rights of all Americans and will fight any attempts to put individuals on secret government lists barring them from owning a firearm. Fighting for the Unborn Jerry Carl is a devoted Christian and deacon at his church who is saved by God’s grace. He believes every life is worth fighting for – born and unborn – and will fight to protect all life from the moment of conception. Opposes any funding of Planned Parenthood and believes we must defund the abortion provider. Will fight to protect all life from the moment of conception and will fight the radical left which is promoting abortion through the third trimester. Supports promoting adoption services and will seek to remove the barriers which could place children in loving homes. Build the Wall As someone who has dealt with the effects of border security at one of the largest ports of entry in America, Jerry understands a country without secure borders is not a country at all. Simply put, Jerry believes we must build the wall and build it now. Congress has failed to act, and our porous border is allowing drugs, gangs, and individuals with no intention of contributing to society to freely flow into our country. Will vote to fully fund the wall along our southern border and supports any available resource being deployed to keep our country safe – concrete barriers, drones, increased patrol, fully funding of ICE. Supports establishing minimum sentencing requirements for those who enter the country illegally. Opposes any efforts that would provide amnesty to those who have illegally entered our country. Less Taxes Jerry Carl is a fiscal conservative who has consistently opposed tax increases as a County Commissioner. As a successful small-business owner, Jerry knows that more taxes don’t create more jobs, they hurt our economy and affect the family budgets of hard-working Americans. Will vote to make President Trump’s tax cuts permanent and fight the liberals who have proposed a tax rate of 90% on our job creators. Believes we can continue simplifying our tax code so it is flatter and fairer for all Americans. Wants to eliminate the Death Tax and expand deductions for retirement contributions. Less Spending Career politicians are spending our country into bankruptcy and causing our national debt to reach far into the trillions. As a small-businessman, Jerry believes Washington needs to live within its means, just like families and small-businesses do every day. Supports a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution. Believes Members of Congress should go without pay unless Congress passes a balanced budget on time. Will vote for legislation requiring an audit of the Federal Reserve. Infrastructure America’s roads, bridges, and waterways are crumbling because of neglect from Washington, and Alabama has a crisis on our hands if we can’t invest in our infrastructure needs soon. Our bridges and roads are not meeting the needs of our growing communities, and job creators will not invest in our communities if they don’t have the facilities they need to transport goods throughout Alabama and the country. Supports bipartisan legislation that will return Alabama’s tax dollars to our state to repair our roads, bridges, and waterways so badly in need of help. Will fight to build a new bridge between Baldwin and Mobile Counties easing traffic congestion and commute times. Fighting for our Servicemen and Women With family in the armed services, Jerry understands how important it is to keep the promises we made to our veterans and give them the healthcare and dignity they rightly deserve when they return home from service to our country. Will fight to help veterans navigate the federal bureaucracy of health care and believes we must continue expanding ways for veterans to receive healthcare from private doctors. Supports legislation for survivors of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) to receive treatment of their choice outside the VA system. Supports all efforts to fully fund and rebuild our nation’s military at levels our generals believe is needed and will vote to provide the pay increases our men and women in military uniform deserve. Healthcare Americans are struggling to keep up with today’s rising healthcare costs and Congress has failed to act after years of promises. A one-size-fits-all approach with increased government regulation is not the answer, and as a small-businessman who has built several businesses in the healthcare field, Jerry is uniquely suited to fix our healthcare mess. Repeal and replace Obamacare once and for all. Oppose any efforts that would create a big government, Medicare for all system and instead supports efforts for a personalized, patient-centered approach that ensures competition, covers pre-existing conditions, and lowers the costs of healthcare premiums. Allow small-businesses to work together and buy insurance across state lines so they are not hurt by costly state-mandated laws driving up premiums.	”
—Jerry Carl’s campaign website (2020)

John Castorani

Castorani's campaign website stated the following:

“	Second Amendment "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." The Second Amendment is the final guard against a tyrannical government. Moreover, it is the single best deterrent and protection of our God-given right to protect our lives and the lives of our loved ones. Without the Second Amendment, most other rights are meaningless, as the federal government has far superior arms than we as individuals or collectively could ever amass. I fully support the Second Amendment and the individual right to bear arms; to include proposing federal constitutional carry legislation to ensure that no matter where we go to enjoy our liberty - we are fully protected, without the assistance of others. Federal Spending The United States of America has for too long been operating our country, our business - at a loss. The citizens of this country must demand through their ballots that our representatives get the country's finances in order. No reasonable family would allow their household finances to be in such disarray. Why do we allow our representatives to handle our country's finances this way? The only way that we will ever truly get our country back - is by balancing the budget. A comprehensive examination of every departmental budget should be conducted by Congress in a bipartisan manner, with a common goal of eliminating waste, balancing the budget, and eliminating the national debt. Border and National Security Border Security: We are currently unable to protect our sovereignty because of the situation at the border. Illegal immigrants are abusing our asylum process. While the President has taken action to improve the conditions at the border, Congress must reform our laws for there to be a substantial change. Democrats refuse to address the issue at its source and are advocating for open border policies. This is wrong and unfair to legal immigrants, asylum seekers, migrants who are trafficked, and the Customs and Border Protection agents at the border. We must act now and demand that states also take action to protect our borders and immigration system. National Security: America is the leader of the free world and should not back down from this responsibility. We can never forget the atrocities of September 11th, and what occurs when you allow terrorists to operate freely in ungoverned areas such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Somalia. We must continue to take the fight to Al Qaeda, ISIS and other terror organizations. As a career Intelligence Officer specializing in counterterrorism, I have been honorably and successfully taking the fight to terror organizations around the world. The threat of terror organizations is not the only major concern we face on the global stage. We must be wary of China, Iran, North Korea and Russia. These countries and their world views pose legitimate threats to America and must be taken seriously. and there is no one better equipped to represent South Alabama on these issues. Healthcare I am focused on healthcare solutions that are private, portable and affordable. Obamacare was a massive government takeover of our healthcare system. It made our system even worse. Healthcare costs increased, taxes increased, choices dwindled, many Americans lost their insurance, and businesses and doctors are stuck facing a regulatory nightmare. It’s clear our healthcare system is broken, what we need is a free market, competitive, patient-centered healthcare system. We obtain that through incremental reforms that improve access, flexibility, choice and quality of care. I understand all too well the experience of being a patient in socialized medicine, both in the military and the VA. When no one is held accountable, and there’s no competition, the quality of care suffers and prices skyrocket. That’s why a single-payer system is not the answer.	”
—John Castorani's campaign website (2020)

Bill Hightower

Hightower's campaign website stated the following:

“	Ranked among the most conservative legislators in Alabama. Bill Hightower, conservative Republican for Alabama's First Congressional District, supports limited government, lower taxes, and a balanced budgets. In the state senate he voted against every statewide tax increase, introduced legislative term limits, and even sponsored flat tax legislation. As a small businessman, Bill is guided by his belief in personal responsibility -- not a cycle of government dependence. He knows that Alabama wasn't built by people with their hands out, but rather by people putting their hands to work. In Congress, Bill will proudly stand with President Donald Trump and his efforts to continue growing our economy, cut wasteful government spending that is bankrupting future generations, and defend the sanctity and dignity of each and every life. Fiscal Conservative Opposes Obamacare and it's expansion in Alabama Fought to pass flat tax and term limits legislation for Alabama As State Senator, Bill voted against every statewide tax increase Standing up for South Alabama Passed common sense insurance reform Supported the Port of Mobile expansion Defending Life & Conservative Values Authored the law protecting faith-based adoptions Supports pro-life and pro-marriage values Alabama Principles. Conservative Results. Healthcare Our current healthcare system of Obamacare is broken, and we must fully repeal and replace it. I support a plan to overhaul healthcare in the form of block grants to the state to enable them to innovate and develop more efficient ways of delivering care. The fact is that Washington has mismanaged one of the most important personal decisions Americans make. As a result, we have exploding costs and eroding care that is hurting hardworking Alabama families. The radical, socialist ideas of liberals to socialize our healthcare system is exactly the wrong idea. We must innovate, not stifle our healthcare sector to ensure that costs are reduced, care is improved, and opportunities are opened for the people of south Alabama to receive the care they need. The goal should be putting patients and doctors back in charge of their own care. Second Amendment I am a proud constitutional conservative who understands that our Founders placed our Second Amendment where they did for a reason. Our Second Amendment is there to protect our First Amendment and as Lifetime Member of the National Rifle Association (NRA) I will proudly defend each and every American’s right to bear arms. Alabama's Coast We have a tremendous blessing and multiple opportunities because of our south Alabama coastline. But with that comes tremendous responsibility to protect our coast line, our ports, and our waterways to ensure that we maximize economic development in a responsible way. We need to help our fellow Alabamians who live along the coast. As a State Senator, I worked tirelessly as an advocate for our coastal communities, successfully passing Coastal Insurance Reform legislation to expand insurance premium price discounts, create grants for homeowner roof fortification, increase tax-free catastrophic event savings account levels, and assist homeowners by providing innovative financing fortification improvements. Strengthen Out Borders I agree with President Trump 100% - we must secure our borders, we must build a wall along our southern border with Mexico, and we must end the dangerous trafficking of humans and drugs that are endangering not just our border communities but every American community. As your next Congressman, I will proudly support President Trump’s efforts to build the wall and I will oppose Nancy Pelosi’s reckless open borders policies that are endangering Alabama communities. Taxes & Spending One of the greatest threats to our nation’s future and to the future we owe our children and grandchildren is the federal government’s unwillingness to cut wasteful spending and reduce the national debt. The fact that Washington, DC is taking so much of our hard-earned money to feed their wasteful habits is shameful. I believe that the people of Alabama, not the bureaucrats in Washington, know how to best spend our hard-earned money. I support President Trump’s victory to reform our tax code, but much more work is needed. I am committed to reducing our tax burden, eliminating wasteful spending, limited government, and being a watchdog in Congress for Alabama’s taxpayers. Creating Jobs I believe small government, low taxes and free enterprise creates the best environment for job growth. I also believe community colleges should play a key role in job training and economic development. I believe small businesses create jobs, not the government, and we need to repeal excessive regulations on our job creators. I believe that policies should be enacted that encourage personal responsibility, not government dependence. Protecting Life I'm pro-life. I know that life begins at conception and I believe in the dignity of each and every life. If we are truly a nation of opportunity and equality, then we must be a nation that values the dignity of each and every man, woman, and child. I have always been and will always be a proud voice for the unborn and will fight against the radical pro-abortion interests that have worked to dehumanize our most vulnerable – the unborn.	”
—Bill Hightower's campaign website (2020)

Wes Lambert

Lambert's campaign website stated the following:

“	Conservative. Business Owner. Outsider. Wes Lambert for U.S. Congress I am running for Congress because I believe we need a conservative, business outsider to manage our government in order to actually get the results and opportunities we are looking for. When all we have to choose from are career politicians who are looking for a promotion, it is time to raise our expectations. We keep sending politicians to DC and all we get as a result is a new layer of oversight. I don’t like my choices and I am not the guy that will just sit back and watch things happen. I hold myself to a very high standard and that’s what I expect of others. When I consider the common goals of this district, and the business decisions that need to be made to blaze the trail, I know I can make that happen because I do it every day. Yes, there are other businessmen in this race, but their approach is all politics. It is all the same sound byte and I’ve decided it is time for something different. It is time for me to stand up and make a difference. Conservative Champion I am a lifelong Republican. I am pro-life, I will stand strong for the Second Amendment and I believe that conservative principles, fiscal discipline and personal responsibility are what create the most opportunity for all citizens. When Trump entered the race for President, I paid attention and I supported him from the start. As a fellow conservative, business outsider I will focus on the bottom-line decisions that create the greatest return for our district. On the Economy As a business owner, I know that profitability is achieved by operating within a budget, cutting waste and improving practices that create efficiency. This is how we need our government to operate. In business, there are plenty of hoops to jump through as regulations change and expand. It is not just the policies, but the practices of politicians seeking to protect their career that slows down the process. Our politicians promise to make things easier, yet all we see are committees and excuses. As an outsider, the difference between Trump’s business approach and what has become the standard political approach is perfectly clear. I will make business decisions to get results for our district. On Healthcare It is unbelievable to me that my premium bills look the same as my mortgage bill and yet the level of coverage I have available to me and my family is reduced each year. As an employer, it is a significant challenge to offer benefits to employees that not only gives them what they need but doesn’t take away from my ability to offer fair and competitive salaries. Obamacare is not working, that seems to be something that almost everyone can agree to, yet we are still without a solution. We have got to reduce the burden of bureaucracy and open up a marketplace for effective competition. It is time to restore power to patients and healthcare providers for common sense solutions. On Immigration It affects our economy, our healthcare system and our national security and we need to build the wall. If elected to Congress, I will have the President’s back on this issue. On Leadership I believe that government should be run like a business, by someone who understands bottom-line decisions and common sense. Politicians have over-complicated the system for their personal gain and then they over-simplify their explanations so they can get re-elected. I will always be honest with the good, the bad and the ugly. I have no intention to make this my career, and that is why I strongly support term-limits. I will bring only the most relevant things to the table and work hard to get to the bottom line. Alabama's First District When I think about who we are and what makes our gulf coast community stronger, that is what really drives me to stand up and protect our best interests. Whether it is our agriculture or seafood industries, our port and shipping business, the infrastructure and transportation that improve our way of life or our thriving hospitality and tourism that attracts jobs and citizens to our area, these are the priorities I will carry with me as my focus in Washington. I am proud to have the opportunity to lead, support and preserve our local quality of life. It is time to get to the root of the problems. We deserve decisive action, momentum and a sense of urgency to drive results, and that is the way I am wired. I know I can make positive changes in the way decisions are made and I look forward to earning your vote to be your next U.S. Congressman.	”
—Wes Lambert's campaign website (2020)

Chris Pringle

Pringle's campaign website stated the following:

“	Chris Pringle was raised in the district, splitting time between his home in Mobile and a family owned farm in Washington County. Chris grew up hunting in those woods and fishing in our coastal waters. Today, Chris still enjoys time between his home in Mobile and the family farm in Washington County with his own son, Reeves. When Chris first ran to serve in the Alabama House of Representatives, he did so to find real solutions and because he believes in the legislative process. More than that, he knew then, as he knows now, how special this place is that we call home. Chris understands that we need leadership that can preserve our way of life that can only exist here. As the father of a high school sophomore, it is imperative to Chris that our children have ample opportunities here at home. His Background as a realtor, homebuilder and general contractor, along with his experience as a state legislator make Chris uniquely qualified for this position. After 25 years as a realtor specializing in timberland sales and acquisition, he knows firsthand how government can cripple local agriculture and small businesses. Chris has a proven record as a conservative reformer, cutting waste and bringing transparency to the government. As a State Representative, he has fought wasteful spending, worked to make state government more accountable, and taken on special interests. From getting the federal government out of our coastal fishing regulations to fighting for more ship building contracts and expanding our port, Chris will always put the needs of our district first. Pringle will stand with President Trump on illegal immigration and building the wall, fully repealing and replacing Obamacare, rebuilding our military, fighting for our veterans, defending the Second Amendment, protecting the sanctity of life, and keeping the American people safe. Chris Pringle stands on a solid foundation of faith and family. He is a graduate of the University of Alabama, a member of CCA, the Forestry Association, and the Treasure Forest Association. An avid outdoorsman, Chris enjoys hunting and fishing. Chris and Reeves attend church at St. Ignatius.	”
—Chris Pringle's campaign website (2020)

Campaign advertisements

This section shows advertisements released in this race. Ads released by campaigns and, if applicable, satellite groups are embedded or linked below. If you are aware of advertisements that should be included, please email us.

Jerry Carl

"Pelosi" - Carl campaign ad, released February 25, 2020

"Tough" - Carl campaign ad, released February 11, 2020

"Problem Solver" - Carl campaign ad, released February 3, 2020

"Just Jerry" - Carl campaign ad, released January 22, 2020

"Jerry Carl for Congress Radio Ad" - Carl campaign ad, released November 6, 2019

Bill Hightower

"WORDS" - Hightower campaign ad, released March 2, 2020

"UNO30D" - Hightower campaign ad, released February 14, 2020

"TRINITY30D" - Hightower campaign ad, released January 24, 2020

"SANTORUM ENDORSEMENT" - Hightower campaign ad, released January 20, 2020

"ON THE ISSUES" - Hightower campaign ad, released December 23, 2019

"The Conservative Fighter" - Hightower campaign ad, released December 19, 2019

"Personal Responsibility" - Hightower campaign ad, released July 18, 2019

• WORDS, Hightower campaign radio ad, released February 17, 2020

Wes Lambert

A sample ad from the candidate's Facebook page is embedded below. Click here to see the candidate's Facebook Video page.

Chris Pringle

"YOUR FAULT" - Pringle campaign ad, released February 18, 2020

"PERFECT PLACE" - Pringle campaign ad, released February 9, 2020

"One of Us" - Pringle campaign ad, released April 4, 2019

Satellite group ads

Click "show" to the right to see satellite group ads.
Supporting Hightower "Fighter" - Club for Growth Action ad, released February 26, 2020

Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls

If you are aware of polls conducted in this race, please email us.

Campaign finance

This section contains campaign finance figures from the Federal Election Commission covering all candidate fundraising and spending in this election. It does not include information on fundraising before the current campaign cycle or on spending by satellite groups. The numbers in this section are updated as candidates file new campaign finance reports. Candidates for Congress are required to file financial reports on a quarterly basis, as well as two weeks before any primary, runoff, or general election in which they will be on the ballot and upon the termination of any campaign committees. The chart below contains data from financial reports submitted to the Federal Election Commission.

Name	Party	Receipts*	Disbursements**	Cash on hand	Date
Jerry Carl	Republican Party	$2,344,517	$2,232,544	$111,973	As of December 31, 2020
John Castorani	Republican Party	$26,810	$26,810	$0	As of December 3, 2020
Bill Hightower	Republican Party	$1,323,944	$1,323,944	$0	As of September 30, 2020
Wes Lambert	Republican Party	$182,565	$182,565	$0	As of December 31, 2020
Chris Pringle	Republican Party	$491,716	$491,716	$0	As of June 17, 2020
Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2020. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC). * According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee." ** According to the FEC, a disbursement "is a purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit or gift of money or anything of value to influence a federal election," plus other kinds of payments not made to influence a federal election.

Satellite spending

See also: Satellite spending

Satellite spending, commonly referred to as outside spending, describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.

This section lists satellite spending in this race reported by news outlets in alphabetical order. If you are aware of spending that should be included, please email us.

• Club for Growth PAC spent $5,425 in 2019 in support of Bill Hightower in the form of emails, mailers, and press releases.
• Club for Growth Action spent $133,450 on February 19, 2020 to purchase TV air time for an ad in support of Hightower titled "Fighter" released on February 26. On February 27, the group purchased an additional $5,200 worth of air time for TV ads.

Debates and forums

January 23 candidate forum

On January 23, four Republican candidates—Carl, Castorani, Hightower, and Pringle—and two Democratic candidates—Kiani Gardner and Rick Collins—participated in a candidate forum hosted by the Baldwin County Chamber Coalition at Baldwin Realtors in Robertsdale.

Click the links below for summaries of the candidate forum from:

• The Onlooker
• AL.com
• WKRG News 5

January 18 debate

On January 18, 2020, Carl, Castorani, Hightower, Lambert, and Pringle participated in a debate hosted by the Baldwin County Republican Party at the Daphne Civic Center in Daphe.

Click the links below for summaries of the debate from:

• AL.com
• WKRG News 5

November 21, 2019, debate

On November 21, 2019, Carl, Castorani, Hightower, Lambert, and Pringle participated in a debate hosted by the Mobile County Republican Party at the J.C. Davis Municipal Auditorium in Chickasaw.

Official recording, November 21, 2019, debate - WKRG News 5

Click the links below for summaries of the debate from:

• AL.com
• WKRG News 5

Primaries in Alabama

A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Alabama uses an open primary system, in which registered voters do not have to be members of a party to vote in that party's primary.

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

Runoff elections in Alabama

In Alabama, a primary election candidate for congressional, state, or county office must receive a majority of the vote (more than 50%) to be declared the winner. If no candidate wins the requisite majority, a runoff election is held between the top two vote-getters.

As of 2020, the Alabama Secretary of State office stated that "if you vote in a primary election and want to vote in a primary runoff election, you must vote in the primary runoff election of the same political party that you chose in the primary election. However, if you did not vote in a political party's primary election and would like to vote in the primary runoff election, you may choose which political party's primary runoff election you would like to vote in."

What's at stake in the general election?

U.S. House elections were held on November 3, 2020, and coincided with the 2020 presidential election. All 435 House districts were up for election, and the results determined control of the U.S. House in the 117th Congress.

At the time of the election, Democrats had a 232-197 advantage over Republicans. There was one Libertarian member, and there were five vacancies. Republicans needed to gain a net 21 seats to win control of the House. Democrats needed to gain seats or lose fewer than 14 net seats to keep their majority.

In the 2018 midterm election, Democrats had a net gain of 40 seats, winning a 235-200 majority in the House. Heading into the 2018 election, Republicans had a 235-193 majority with seven vacancies.

In the 25 previous House elections that coincided with a presidential election, the president's party had gained House seats in 16 elections and lost seats in nine. In years where the president's party won districts, the average gain was 18. In years where the president's party lost districts, the average loss was 27. Click here for more information on presidential partisanship and down-ballot outcomes.

General election race ratings

See also: Race rating definitions and methods

Ballotpedia provides race ratings from four outlets: The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, Sabato's Crystal Ball, and DDHQ/The Hill. Each race rating indicates if one party is perceived to have an advantage in the race and, if so, the degree of advantage:

• Safe and Solid ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge and the race is not competitive.
• Likely ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge, but an upset is possible.
• Lean ratings indicate that one party has a small edge, but the race is competitive.
• Toss-up ratings indicate that neither party has an advantage.

Race ratings are informed by a number of factors, including polling, candidate quality, and election result history in the race's district or state.

Race ratings: Alabama's 1st Congressional District election, 2020
Race tracker	Race ratings
	November 3, 2020	October 27, 2020	October 20, 2020	October 13, 2020
The Cook Political Report	Solid Republican	Solid Republican	Solid Republican	Solid Republican
Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales	Solid Republican	Solid Republican	Solid Republican	Solid Republican
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball	Safe Republican	Safe Republican	Safe Republican	Safe Republican
Note: Ballotpedia updates external race ratings every week throughout the election season.

District analysis

See also: The Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index

See also: FiveThirtyEight's elasticity scores

The 2017 Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district was R+15, meaning that in the previous two presidential elections, this district's results were 15 percentage points more Republican than the national average. This made Alabama's 1st Congressional District the 79th most Republican nationally.

FiveThirtyEight's September 2018 elasticity score for states and congressional districts measured "how sensitive it is to changes in the national political environment." This district's elasticity score was 0.90. This means that for every 1 point the national political mood moved toward a party, the district was expected to move 0.90 points toward that party.

District election history

2018

See also: Alabama's 1st Congressional District election, 2018

General election

General election for U.S. House Alabama District 1

Incumbent Bradley Byrne defeated Robert Kennedy Jr. in the general election for U.S. House Alabama District 1 on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Bradley Byrne (R)	63.2	153,228
		Robert Kennedy Jr. (D)	36.8	89,226
		Other/Write-in votes	0.1	163

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 242,617 (100.00% precincts reporting)
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Alabama District 1

Robert Kennedy Jr. defeated Lizzetta Hill McConnell in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Alabama District 1 on June 5, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Robert Kennedy Jr.	80.7	27,651
		Lizzetta Hill McConnell	19.3	6,592

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 34,243
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Alabama District 1

Incumbent Bradley Byrne advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House Alabama District 1 on June 5, 2018.

		Candidate
✔		Bradley Byrne

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2016

See also: Alabama's 1st Congressional District election, 2016

Heading into the election, Ballotpedia rated this race as safely Republican. Incumbent Bradley Byrne (R) was unopposed in the general election, as no Democratic candidates filed to run. Byrne defeated Dean Young in the Republican primary on March 1, 2016.

U.S. House, Alabama District 1 General Election, 2016

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Bradley Byrne Incumbent	96.4%	208,083
	N/A	Write-in	3.6%	7,810
Total Votes				215,893
Source: Alabama Secretary of State

U.S. House, Alabama District 1 Republican Primary, 2016

Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Bradley Byrne Incumbent	60.1%	71,310
Dean Young	39.9%	47,319
Total Votes		118,629
Source: Alabama Secretary of State

2014

See also: Alabama's 1st Congressional District elections, 2014

The 1st Congressional District of Alabama held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 4, 2014. Incumbent Bradley Byrne (R) defeated Burton LeFlore (D) in the general election.

U.S. House, Alabama District 1 General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Bradley Byrne Incumbent	68.2%	103,758
	Democratic	Burton LeFlore	31.7%	48,278
	N/A	Write-in	0.1%	198
Total Votes				152,234
Source: Alabama Secretary of State

State profile

See also: Alabama and Alabama elections, 2020

Partisan data

The information in this section was current as of February 21, 2020.

Presidential voting pattern

• Alabama voted Republican in all seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.

Congressional delegation

• Following the 2018 elections, one U.S. Senator from Alabama was a Democrat and one was a Republican.
• Alabama had one Democratic and six Republican U.S. Representatives.

Alabama executives

• Republicans held 11 of Alabama's 15 state executive offices. Elections for the other offices are nonpartisan.
• Alabama's governor was Republican Kay Ivey.

Alabama legislature

• Republicans controlled the Alabama State Senate with a 27-8 majority.
• Republicans controlled the Alabama House of Representatives with a 77-28 majority.

Alabama Party Control: 1992-2025
Six years of Democratic trifectas  •  Fifteen years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02	03	04	05	06	07	08	09	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25
Governor	R	D	D	R	R	R	R	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R
Senate	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R
House	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R

Alabama quick stats

• Became a state in 1819.
• 22nd state admitted to the United States.
• Members of the Alabama State Senate: 35
• Members of the Alabama House of Representatives: 105
• U.S. senators: 2
• U.S. representatives: 7

More Alabama coverage on Ballotpedia:

• Alabama elections, 2020
• Presidential voting trends in Alabama
• United States congressional delegations from Alabama
• Public policy in Alabama
• Influencers in Alabama
• Alabama fact checks
• Almanac of American Politics Alabama profile
• More...

Demographic data for Alabama
	Alabama	U.S.
Total population:	4,853,875	316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):	50,645	3,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:	68.8%	73.6%
Black/African American:	26.4%	12.6%
Asian:	1.2%	5.1%
Native American:	0.5%	0.8%
Pacific Islander:	0.1%	0.2%
Two or more:	1.7%	3%
Hispanic/Latino:	4%	17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:	84.3%	86.7%
College graduation rate:	23.5%	29.8%
Income
Median household income:	$43,623	$53,889
Persons below poverty level:	23.3%	11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Alabama. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

See also

• Alabama's 1st Congressional District election, 2020 (March 3 Democratic primary)
• Alabama's 1st Congressional District election, 2020
• United States House elections in Alabama, 2020 (March 3 Democratic primaries)
• United States House elections in Alabama, 2020 (March 3 Republican primaries)
• United States House Democratic Party primaries, 2020
• United States House Republican Party primaries, 2020
• United States House of Representatives elections, 2020
• U.S. House battlegrounds, 2020

External links

Suggest a link

• Search Google News for this topic

Footnotes

[show]

Alabama's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Katie Britt (R)

Tommy Tuberville (R)

Representatives

District 1

Barry Moore (R)

District 2

Shomari Figures (D)

District 3

Mike Rogers (R)

District 4

Robert Aderholt (R)

District 5

Dale Strong (R)

District 6

Gary Palmer (R)

District 7

Terri Sewell (D)

Republican Party (7)

Democratic Party (2)

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