Alabama GOP rivals clash over tax cut promise as nasty runoff race nears an end

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The race for the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor is heating up as Secretary of State blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.al.com/topic/wes%20allen/\">Wes Allen and former Alabama Republican Party Chairman blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.al.com/topic/john%20wahl/\">John Wahl exchange aggressive blows in the final stretch of their campaign.

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A Clash Over Authority

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Tensions peaked Thursday when Allen released an open letter signed by 24 GOP state lawmakers, challenging the validity of Wahl's platform. The legislators argued that Wahl is making \"impossible\" promises regarding tax cuts, noting that the lieutenant governor lacks the legislative authority to implement such measures. The letter states, \"It is important to know the truth when you cast your ballot and to be aware when a candidate is making promises to you that are impossible to keep.\"

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Wahl, however, pushed back on the critique, emphasizing the office's potential as a platform for advocacy. \"Let’s stop playing games,\" Wahl stated. \"Wes Allen and other Montgomery politicians know the Lieutenant Governor’s office is a powerful platform. They know candidates campaign on the policies they will fight for.\"

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The Path to the Runoff

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The contest remains highly competitive following the May 19 primary. Wahl, backed by an endorsement from President Trump, secured blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.al.com/politics/2026/05/john-wahl-wes-allen-headed-for-runoff-in-hard-fought-lieutenant-governors-race.html\">40.6% of the vote, while Allen trailed closely with 38%.

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Wahl has centered his campaign on promises to eliminate the grocery tax, phase out state income tax, and reduce property taxes. In contrast, Allen maintains that tax policy is the exclusive domain of the Legislature. The lieutenant governor presides over the state Senate, but typically lacks voting power unless a tie occurs—a rarity in a body currently holding 27 Republican seats out of 35.

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Questioning Records and Ethics

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The candidates have widened their focus to include each other's professional histories. Wahl has criticized Allen for his 2019 support of the Rebuild Alabama Act, which raised the gas tax. Allen defended the move as a \"responsible\" alternative to incurring state debt, asserting, \"I voted to not borrow money to put our grandchildren in debt.\”

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Negative campaigning has also spilled into ethical territory. Allen’s camp has attacked Wahl’s spending during his tenure as GOP chairman, alleging misuse of funds—charges Wahl has dismissed as \"absurd, dishonest, and deeply hypocritical.\" Conversely, Wahl has alleged that Allen has faced ethics complaints and criticized his campaign’s reliance on PAC funding. Allen explicitly denied ever being the subject of an ethics investigation.

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Allen, 50, has drawn on his experience as a probate judge and legislator, while 39-year-old Wahl blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.al.com/news/2026/01/trump-endorsed-alabama-gop-chairman-enters-lieutenant-governors-race-just-before-deadline.html\">entered the race late after receiving Trump's backing.

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The winner of the upcoming Tuesday runoff will advance to the November general election, where they are set to face Democratic nominee Jeffrey McClaughlin.

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