GOP Rep. Barry Moore will defeat fellow Republican Rep. Jerry Carl in an Alabama primary for the state’s newly redrawn 1st Congressional District, CNN projects.
It is rare to see two incumbents run against each other, and the member-on-member matchup comes as House Republicans oversee a historically narrow majority and face a tough fight to retain control of the chamber in the 2024 elections.
“It definitely complicates Speaker Johnson’s efforts to keep the House in Republican hands,” said David Hughes, an associate professor of political science at Auburn University at Montgomery. Hughes noted, however, that changes to congressional maps in other states have the potential to offset the loss for Republicans.
Under a new map approved by a federal court, Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District – which Moore has represented – was redrawn in a way that will significantly boost its Black population, making it a pickup opportunity for Democrats.
The new 1st District is a highly conservative area in southern Alabama – and Moore will be on a path to win the general election in November. The new district contains parts of what have been the 1st and 2nd Districts.
Both candidates had touted conservative credentials in the race.
Carl’s campaign described him as a “tough, strong conservative” and said, “Like President Trump, he doesn’t take no for an answer and will fight for our conservative values.”
Moore’s campaign described him as a “true conservative,” and emphasized his embrace of Trump. Moore is also a member of the far-right House Freedom Caucus.
Moore serves on the House Judiciary and Agriculture committees, and Carl is on the House Appropriations and Natural Resources committees.