2018 Alabama lieutenant gubernatorial election

2018 Alabama lieutenant gubernatorial election

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Candidate Will Ainsworth Will Boyd Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 1,044,941 660,013 Percentage 61.25% 38.69%

County results Congressional district results Ainsworth:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90% Boyd:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%

Lieutenant Governor before election Vacant Elected Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth Republican

The 2018 Alabama lieutenant gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 2018, to elect the Lieutenant Governor of Alabama, concurrently with elections to the United States House of Representatives, governor, and other state and local elections. Primary elections were held on June 5, 2018, with runoff elections held on July 17, 2018, in races which nobody cleared at least 50% of the vote. ^[1]

Incumbent Republican lieutenant governor Kay Ivey resigned on April 10, 2017, to become to the Governor of Alabama following the resignation of Robert Bentley. ^[2] Following Ivey's resignation, the office of Lieutenant Governor remained vacant until the 2018 election cycle. ^[3]

Republican state representative Will Ainsworth won a competitive primary and runoff against Alabama Public Service Commissioner Twinkle Cavanaugh, and pastor Will Boyd became the Democratic nominee without any opposition. ^{[4] [5]} Ainsworth comfortably won the general election. ^[6]

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Will Ainsworth, state representative from the 27th district (2014-present) ^[7]

Eliminated in primary

• Twinkle Cavanaugh, president of the Alabama Public Service Commission ^[8]
• Rusty Glover, state senator from the 34th district (2006-present) ^[9]

Withdrew before primary

• Mary Scott Hunter, member of the Alabama State Board of Education ^{[10] [7]}

Results

Republican primary results ^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Twinkle Cavanaugh	238,991	43.27%
	Republican	Will Ainsworth	205,017	37.12%
	Republican	Rusty Glover	108,338	19.61%
Total votes			552,346	100.00%

Republican primary runoff results ^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Will Ainsworth	176,873	51.48%
	Republican	Twinkle Cavanaugh	166,691	48.52%
Total votes			343,564	100.00%

General election

Post-primary endorsements

Will Ainsworth (R)

Organizations

• Alabama Association of REALTORS ^[11]
• Alabama Forestry Association ^[12]

Will Boyd (D)

Labor unions

• Alabama AFL-CIO ^[13]

Organizations

• Southeastern Carpenters Regional Council ^[14]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Will Ainsworth (R)	Will Boyd (D)	Undecided
Research Consultants (R) [15]	September 22, 2018	316	± 5.5%	53%	39%	8%
Cygnal (R) [16]	July 24–25, 2018	1,027	± 3.1%	53%	41%	6%

Results

2018 Alabama lieutenant gubernatorial election ^[17]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Will Ainsworth	1,044,941	61.25%
	Democratic	Will Boyd	660,013	38.69%
	Write-in		1,023	0.06%
Total votes			1,705,977	100.00%
	Republican hold

References

1. "2018 Election Information". Alabama Secretary of State. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
2. Ciammachilli, Esther (April 10, 2017). "Kay Ivey Moves From Lieutenant To Governor". WBHM 90.3 FM. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
3. "Alabama Democrats enter Election Day with newfound optimism". al.com. Associated Press. November 6, 2018. Retrieved November 12, 2025. Alabama hasn't even had a lieutenant governor since April 2017, when Kay Ivey was elevated from the position to become governor following Robert Bentley's resignation.
4. Koplowitz, Howard (July 18, 2018). "Will Ainsworth wins Alabama lieutenant governor runoff race; Twinkle Cavanaugh concedes". al.com. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
5. Sahlie, Will (October 17, 2018). "Alabama lt. governor candidate Will Boyd: 'I want us to be at the top in education'". Montgomery Advertiser. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
6. Garrison, Greg (November 7, 2018). "Alabama Lt. Gov. race: Ainsworth wins". al.com. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
7. Moseley, Brandon (January 8, 2018). "Candidates raise over $2 million in lieutenant governor's race". Alabama Political Reporter. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
8. "Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh switches to lieutenant governor race". WSFA 12. August 17, 2017. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
9. Law, Jeremy (February 23, 2017). "Alabama Senator announces 2018 Lieutenant Governor candidacy". Sylacauga News. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
10. Moseley, Brandon (June 1, 2017). "Mary Scott Hunter running for Lt. Governor". Alabama Political Reporter. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
11. "Alabama REALTORS® Announces Endorsements for 2018 General Election". Alabama Association of REALTORS. September 18, 2018. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
12. Bruce, Daniel (August 9, 2017). "Ainsworth Receives Top Conservative Endorsement for Lt. Governor". Yellowhammer News. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
13. Moseley, Brandon (August 6, 2018). "Alabama AFL-CIO announces endorsements". Alabama Political Reporter. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
14. "Alabama Endorsed Candidates for the Nov. 6 Elections". Southeastern Carpenters Regional Council. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
15. Stacy, Todd (September 27, 2018). "New poll shows Republicans winning six weeks out". Alabama Daily News. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
16. "Survey of Likely General Election Voters" (PDF). Cygnal. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
17. "Statewide Offices - General Election Results" (PDF). Alabama Secretary of State. November 27, 2018. Retrieved November 12, 2025.