The 2016 United States Senate election in Alabama was held on November 8, 2016, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Alabama, concurrently with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives, and various state and local elections.
Incumbent Republican Senator Richard Shelby won re-election to a sixth and final term in office. The primaries were held on March 1. Ron Crumpton, a marijuana legalization activist, was the Democratic nominee. Shelby won re-election with 63.96% of the vote. Despite an overwhelming victory statewide, this marked Shelby's first and only race as either a Republican or Democrat in which he failed to carry Jefferson County, home of Birmingham, the state's largest city. In Jefferson, Crumpton took 51.99% (156,574 votes) to Shelby's 47.86% (144,136 votes); this shift was due in part to increased Democratic support in core urban areas across the nation.
Background Shelby was first elected to the Senate in 1986 as a Democrat and was easily re-elected in 1992 as such. He switched his party affiliation to Republican on November 9, 1994, one day after the Republicans won control of both houses in the midterm elections. He won his first full term as a Republican in 1998 by a large margin and faced no significant opposition in 2004 or 2010.
Republican primary Following the divisive Republican primary in Mississippi ahead of the 2014 election in which Senator Thad Cochran was almost defeated, it had been speculated that Shelby could also face a Tea Party primary challenger, due to his lengthy tenure and support for federal largesse. However, that did not happen, in part due to his large campaign war chest, which stood at $19.4 million as of September 2015. If Shelby had decided to retire, numerous high-profile Alabama Republicans were speculated to run, including U.S. Representatives Robert Aderholt, Mo Brooks, Bradley Byrne, Gary Palmer, Martha Roby, and Mike Rogers, State Treasurer Young Boozer, State Speaker Mike Hubbard, Lieutenant Governor Kay Ivey, State Senate President Pro Tempore Del Marsh, Secretary of State John Merrill, U.S. Appeals Court Judge William H. Pryor Jr., former governor Bob Riley, and Attorney General Luther Strange. Shelby announced in January 2015 that he would run for re-election.
Candidates
Declared Marcus Bowman, Uber driver John Martin, pilot and candidate for AL-02 in 2008 Jonathan McConnell, businessman Shadrack McGill, former state senator and candidate for Jackson County Revenue Commissioner in 2014 Richard Shelby, incumbent U.S. senator since 1987
Endorsements
Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror MarcusBowman JohnMartin ShadrackMcGill JonathanMcConnell RichardShelby UndecidedThomas Partners Strategies (R-McConnell)Thomas Partners Strategies (R-McConnell) January 29–30, 2016 1,299 ± 2.7% 1% 1% 2% 25% 55% 16%McLaughlin & Associates (R-Shelby)McLaughlin & Associates (R-Shelby) January 25–26, 2016 600 ± 4.0% 1% 1% 1% 9% 75% 13%Thomas Partners Strategies (R-McConnell) December 2015 – – 1% 2% 3% 15% 64% 21%McLaughlin & Associates (R-Shelby) November 2015 – – 1% 2% 1% 5% 71% 20%
Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror RichardShelby SomeoneElse UndecidedThomas Partners Strategies (R-McConnell) January 29–30, 2016 1,299 ±2.7% 55% 29% 16%Thomas Partners Strategies (R-McConnell) December 2015 ? ±?% 64% 15% 21%Thomas Partners Strategies (R-McConnell) October 2015 ? ±?% 53% 22% 26%
Primary results
Democratic primary
Candidates
Declared Ron Crumpton, marijuana legalization activist and nominee for the State Senate in 2014 Charles Nana, process engineer
Failed to qualify Reginald Hill, candidate for Huntsville School Board in 2012 and write-in candidate for AL-05 in 2014
Declined Stephen Black, non-profit executive Bobby Bright, former U.S. representative Sue Bell Cobb, former chief justice of the Supreme Court of Alabama Marsha Folsom, businesswoman, former First Lady of Alabama, and nominee for Alabama's 4th congressional district in 2000 Parker Griffith, former U.S. representative, and nominee for governor of Alabama in 2014 Walt Maddox, mayor of Tuscaloosa Terri Sewell, U.S. representative (running for re-election)
Primary results
General election
Candidates Ron Crumpton (D), marijuana legalization activist and nominee for the State Senate in 2014 Charles Nana (D) (write-in), process engineer (previously sought the Democratic nomination) Richard Shelby (R), incumbent senator
Predictions Source Ranking As of The Cook Political Report November 2, 2016 Sabato's Crystal Ball November 7, 2016 Rothenberg Political Report November 3, 2016 Daily Kos November 8, 2016 Real Clear Politics November 7, 2016
Polling {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;" |- valign= bottom ! Poll source ! Date(s)administered ! Samplesize ! Margin oferror ! style="width:100px;"| RichardShelby (R) ! style="width:100px;"| RonCrumpton (D) ! Undecided |- |SurveyMonkeySurveyMonkey | align=center| November 1–7, 2016 | align=center| 1,131 | align=center| ± 4.6% | align=center| 57% | align=center| 38% | align=center| 5% |- |SurveyMonkeySurveyMonkey | align=center| October 31 – November 6, 2016 | align=center| 971 | align=center| ± 4.6% | align=center| 58% | align=center| 37% | align=center| 5% |- |SurveyMonkeySurveyMonkey | align=center| October 28 – November 3, 2016 | align=center| 722 | align=center| ± 4.6% | align=center| 57% | align=center| 38% | align=center| 5% |- |SurveyMonkeySurveyMonkey | align=center| October 27 – November 2, 2016 | align=center| 621 | align=center| ± 4.6% | align=center| 58% | align=center| 37% | align=center| 5% |- |SurveyMonkeySurveyMonkey | align=center| October 26 – November 1, 2016 | align=center| 503 | align=center| ± 4.6% | align=center| 56% | align=center| 40% | align=center| 4% |- |SurveyMonkeySurveyMonkey | align=center| October 25–31, 2016 | align=center| 485 | align=center| ± 4.6% | align=center| 60% | align=center| 36% | align=center| 4% |- |Google Consumer SurveysGoogle Consumer Surveys | align=center| October 18–20, 2016 | align=center| 474 | align=center| ± 4.2% | align=center| 71% | align=center| 26% | align=center| 3%
Results
By county CountyRichard ShelbyRepublicanRon CrumptonDemocraticWrite-inVariousMarginTotal#%#%#%#%Autauga18,22074.03%6,33125.72%620.25%11,88948.30%24,613Baldwin74,02179.24%19,14520.49%2480.27%54,87658.74%93,414Barbour5,43653.14%4,77746.70%160.16%6596.44%10,229Bibb6,61275.90%2,08223.90%170.20%4,53052.00%8,711Blount22,16987.98%2,98011.83%480.19%19,18976.16%25,197Bullock1,16725.72%3,36474.15%60.13%-2,197-48.42%4,537Butler4,84056.87%3,66343.04%70.08%1,17713.83%8,510Calhoun32,97669.87%14,15229.98%690.15%18,82439.88%47,197Chambers7,86557.29%5,84542.58%180.13%2,02014.71%13,728Cherokee8,63681.80%1,91518.14%70.07%6,72163.66%10,558Chilton14,58281.31%3,32718.55%250.14%11,25562.76%17,934Choctaw4,03557.36%2,99242.53%80.11%1,04314.83%7,035Clarke7,15856.23%5,55843.66%140.11%1,60012.57%12,730Clay5,14778.84%1,37721.09%40.06%3,77057.75%6,528Cleburne5,55486.69%84713.22%60.09%4,70773.47%6,407Coffee15,74577.59%4,49822.17%490.24%11,24755.43%20,292Colbert15,86665.19%8,44334.69%280.12%7,42330.50%24,337Conecuh3,29852.26%3,00647.63%70.11%2924.63%6,311Coosa3,37865.29%1,78834.56%80.15%1,59030.73%5,174Covington12,69082.05%2,74017.72%360.23%9,95064.33%15,466Crenshaw4,39271.57%1,73428.25%110.18%2,65843.31%6,137Cullman32,00185.87%5,20713.97%570.15%26,79471.90%37,265Dale13,65274.46%4,62525.22%580.32%9,02749.23%18,335Dallas6,06032.82%12,38867.10%140.08%-6,328-34.28%18,462DeKalb20,34780.99%4,74918.90%270.11%15,59862.09%25,123Elmore27,59175.54%8,83324.18%1020.28%18,75851.36%36,526Escambia9,55567.11%4,62532.48%580.41%4,93034.63%14,238Etowah31,44172.27%11,98127.54%840.19%19,46044.73%43,506Fayette6,55581.28%1,49718.56%130.16%5,05862.72%8,065Franklin8,67075.17%2,85024.71%140.12%5,82050.46%11,534Geneva9,60683.99%1,80315.76%280.24%7,80368.23%11,437Greene91819.31%3,83480.63%30.06%-2,916-61.32%4,755Hale3,20840.80%4,65059.14%50.06%-1,442-18.34%7,863Henry5,50669.74%2,36629.97%230.19%3,14039.77%7,895Houston30,49472.89%11,21926.82%1200.29%19,27546.08%41,833Jackson15,74277.54%4,53822.35%210.10%11,20455.19%20,301Jefferson144,13647.86%156,57451.99%4530.15%-12,438-4.13%301,163Lamar5,63483.31%1,12516.63%40.06%4,50966.67%6,763Lauderdale27,09269.85%11,65230.04%430.11%15,44039.81%38,787Lawrence10,25471.01%4,17128.88%160.11%6,08342.12%14,441Lee36,68462.93%21,47536.84%1350.23%15,20926.09%58,294Limestone29,20373.94%10,23325.91%570.14%18,97048.03%39,493Lowndes1,83928.62%4,58071.27%70.11%-2,741-42.65%6,426Macon1,55317.25%7,44282.65%90.10%-5,889-65.40%9,004Madison97,79660.75%62,87039.05%3240.20%34,92621.69%160,990Marengo5,29449.39%5,41950.56%50.05%-125-1.17%10,718Marion10,75384.40%1,96115.39%270.21%8,79269.01%12,741Marshall28,53282.74%5,89817.10%550.16%22,63465.63%34,485Mobile97,91157.63%71,60242.15%3790.22%26,30915.49%169,892Monroe5,85457.83%4,25542.04%130.13%1,59915.80%10,122Montgomery36,47738.55%57,97261.27%1620.17%-21,495-22.72%94,611Morgan37,44875.15%12,32524.73%570.11%25,12350.42%49,830Perry1,49629.03%3,65670.94%20.04%-2,160-41.91%5,154Pickens5,38457.90%3,90842.03%60.06%1,47615.87%9,298Pike7,83560.74%5,03739.05%270.21%2,79821.69%12,899Randolph7,45475.39%2,42424.52%90.09%5,03050.87%9,887Russell9,40849.72%9,48750.14%260.14%-79-0.42%18,921Shelby75,34475.32%24,48324.48%2050.20%50,86150.84%100,032St. Clair31,27982.33%6,63517.46%800.21%24,64464.86%37,994Sumter1,65626.41%4,61173.53%40.06%-2,955-47.12%6,271Talladega20,44661.76%12,63238.16%290.09%7,81423.60%33,107Tallapoosa13,40169.72%5,80430.19%170.09%7,59739.52%19,222Tuscaloosa49,92361.14%31,60238.70%1300.16%18,32122.44%81,655Walker23,41980.68%5,55819.15%490.17%17,86161.53%29,026Washington5,83070.26%2,46329.68%50.06%3,36740.58%8,298Wilcox1,81932.02%3,85767.90%40.07%-2,038-35.88%5,680Winston8,81787.31%1,26912.57%120.12%7,54874.75%10,098Totals1,335,10463.96%748,70935.87%3,6310.17%586,39528.09%2,087,444 Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Jefferson (largest municipality: Birmingham)
By congressional district Shelby won six of seven congressional districts. District Shelby Crumpton Representative 65% 34%Bradley Byrne 66% 34%Martha Roby 66% 34%Mike Rogers 79% 21%Robert Aderholt 67% 33%Mo Brooks 73% 27%Gary Palmer 31% 69%Terri Sewell
References
External links Official campaign websites Richard Shelby (R) for Senate Ron Crumpton (D) for Senate