John Wahl, Wes Allen headed for runoff in hard fought lieutenant governor’s race
Voters are electing a lieutenant governor to replace Will Ainsworth, who has served two terms.
Ethan Parker 
The race to replace term-limited Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth is heating up. Former Alabama Republican Party Chairman John Wahl and current Secretary of State Wes Allen have emerged from a crowded field and are now headed toward a high-stakes runoff for the GOP nomination for lieutenant governor.
The Road to the Runoff
Wahl and Allen successfully navigated a seven-candidate primary on Tuesday to secure their spots in the June 16 runoff election. The primary field included several notable contenders, such as Agriculture and Industries Commissioner Rick Pate, commercial real estate developer Nicole Jones Wadsworth, Cullman County deputy sheriff Pat Bishop, Montgomery physician Dr. Stewart Tankersley, and George Childress.
Campaign Dynamics
Wahl entered the race in January following an endorsement from President Trump, which remained a central point of discussion as voters received text messages from Trump on Monday reinforcing that support. Wahl stepped away from his five-year tenure as GOP state chairman to pursue the lieutenant governor's seat.
His opponent, Wes Allen, brings significant experience to the runoff. Elected as Secretary of State in 2022, Allen previously served as a probate judge in Pike County for nine years and held a seat in the state House of Representatives, where he represented Pike County and parts of Dale County.
Looking Ahead
The eventual Republican nominee will face off against Democratic candidate Phillip Ensler, a state representative from Montgomery who secured his party's nomination by defeating Darryl D. Perryman on Tuesday.
