Jared Hudson courts Autauga County voters at Prattville GOP forum

Jared Hudson brought his U.S. Senate pitch to Autauga County on Saturday, using a Prattville-area GOP forum to sell himself as an outsider who would fight for Alabama families, jobs and the American Dream. The former Navy SEAL and Blount County reserve deputy appeared at Politics in the Park with his family as Republican voters sized up a field that is already drawing serious attention ahead of the May 19 primary.

The Autauga County GOP hosted the event at the Pine Level Community Center in Pine Level from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., turning the gathering into part rally, part family outing. Along with several Republican candidates for statewide and local races, the day featured food trucks, inflatables and face painting, a setup that put Hudson in front of voters in a low-key setting rather than on a stage built for a formal campaign speech.

Hudson officially qualified with the Alabama Republican Party on January 16, and he has since framed his candidacy around lowering the cost of living, keeping communities safe and putting Alabama first. His campaign has aligned him with President Donald J. Trump and conservative priorities, while portraying him as a challenger to Washington politics. In Prattville, that message was aimed at voters who will help decide who replaces Sen. Tommy Tuberville, who is leaving the Senate race to run for governor.

The contest is already crowded. Ballotpedia lists six Republicans running for the open seat and identifies Hudson, Attorney General Steve Marshall and U.S. Rep. Barry Moore as the names drawing the most polling and media attention. Hudson’s campaign also points to its fundraising totals as proof that the race is competitive, reporting $853,414.12 raised and $427,930.70 cash on hand in filings covering May 28, 2025 through Dec. 31, 2025.

Hudson’s local footprint is growing, too. On April 15, his campaign said it had 79 county captains across all 67 Alabama counties, including Karla Knight and Frank Wilkes in Autauga County. That organizing push gives added weight to appearances like the one in Pine Level, where Hudson was not just introducing himself to GOP voters but testing how far a message built on security, prosperity and conservative identity can carry in a county that will help shape the early Republican math in Alabama’s open Senate race.