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U.S. House · Alabama's 6th Congressional District

Birmingham's suburbs and exurbs, including Shelby County, Tuscaloosa, and parts of central Alabama.

General election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

RESULT · UNOFFICIAL UNTIL CERTIFIED

Gary Palmer, projected winner

CandidateVotesShare
Gary Palmer149,92157.5%
Maurice Mercer110,95742.5%

About 98% of the expected vote counted. As of November 9. Winners take office next year. Counts can change until states certify. NBC News ↗

Sources re-checked September 25, 2026 · How we research

  • Incumbent Gary Palmer (R) defeated Case Dixon 85.7% to 14.3% in the August 11, 2026 Republican primary. Maurice Mercer defeated Ashtyn Kennedy, Keith Pilkington, and Jacob Bouma-Sims in the same-day Democratic primary. A new congressional map, signed after the Supreme Court's Louisiana v. Callais ruling, moved this district's primary from May 19 to August 11, 2026; the May 19 results were voided. Cook Political Report rated the district R+17 for 2026.[1]

On the November 3 ballot · 2 candidates

Gary PalmerRINCUMBENTPROJECTED WINNERU.S. Representative for Alabama's 6th Congressional District (since 2015)Full profile →Maurice MercerDFormer Pelham City Council member (2012–2025)Full profile →

Issue evidence — side by side

Recorded votes, documented positions and candidates’ own words are shown with sources. “In their own words” quotes a candidate on the topic without inferring a stance. Votes describe specific bills or motions; they do not establish overall support or opposition to a broad issue. A dash means our research has no evidence on that topic, not that the candidate has no position.

Protect legal access to abortion

  • Gary Palmer
    Recorded votes[37][38][39]

    Voted no on Women's Health Protection Act of 2021 (H.R. 3755, 2021-09-24). Voted no on Women's Health Protection Act of 2022 (H.R. 8296, 2022-07-15). Voted yes on Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (H.R. 36, 2017-10-03), which would have banned most abortions after 20 weeks.

  • Maurice Mercer
    —

Stricter gun laws

  • Gary Palmer
    Recorded votes[32][33][34][35]

    Voted no on Bipartisan Background Checks Act (H.R. 8, 2019-02-27), which would have required background checks on most private gun sales. Voted no on Assault Weapons Ban of 2022 (H.R. 1808, 2022-07-29), which would have banned the sale of many semiautomatic assault weapons. Voted no on Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (S. 2938, 2022-06-24), which expanded background checks for buyers under 21 and funded state red-flag programs. Voted yes on Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act (H.R. 38, 2017-12-06), which would have required states to honor other states' concealed-carry permits.

  • Maurice Mercer
    —

Expand immigration enforcement and deportations

  • Gary Palmer
    Recorded votes[16][17][18][19][20][21][22]

    Voted yes on Laken Riley Act (S. 5, 2025-01-22). Voted yes on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which funded expanded immigration enforcement, detention and border operations. Voted yes on Secure the Border Act of 2023 (H.R. 2, 2023-05-11). Voted no on American Dream and Promise Act of 2019 (H.R. 6, 2019-06-04; 2021-03-18).

  • Maurice Mercer
    —

Raise taxes on high earners or corporations

  • Gary Palmer
    Recorded votes[17][18][19][28][27]

    Voted yes on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03; 2017-12-20), which made the 2017 individual tax rates, including the 37% top rate, permanent. Voted no on Inflation Reduction Act (H.R. 5376, 2022-08-12), which added a 15% minimum tax on large corporations and a stock-buyback excise tax.

  • Maurice Mercer
    —

Expand public health coverage

  • Gary Palmer
    Recorded votes[17][18][19][24][25]

    Voted yes on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which reduced federal Medicaid spending and added Medicaid work requirements. Voted no on Breaking the Gridlock Act (H.R. 1834, 2026-01-08), which extended enhanced ACA premium subsidies. Voted yes on American Health Care Act (H.R. 1628, 2017-05-04), which would have capped federal Medicaid funding and ended enhanced funding for the Medicaid expansion.

  • Maurice Mercer
    Supports[3]

    Says he is passionate about "healthcare for all" and supports expanding access to affordable healthcare and protecting rural providers.

Faster transition away from fossil fuels

  • Gary Palmer
    Recorded votes[17][18][19][26][27]

    Voted yes on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which phased out Inflation Reduction Act clean-energy tax credits. Voted no on Build Back Better Act (H.R. 5376, 2021-11-19; 2022-08-12), which would have funded clean-energy tax credits.

  • Maurice Mercer
    —

Raise the minimum wage

  • Gary Palmer
    Recorded votes[36]

    Voted no on Raise the Wage Act (H.R. 582, 2019-07-18).

  • Maurice Mercer
    Supports[3]

    Says he would like to see the federal minimum wage raised.

Broad tariffs on imported goods

  • Gary Palmer
    Recorded votes[31]

    Voted no on Resolution disapproving tariffs on Canada (H.J. Res. 72, 2026-02-11), which disapproved the tariffs on Canadian imports.

  • Maurice Mercer
    —

Universal, publicly funded child care

  • Gary Palmer
    Recorded votes[26]

    Voted no on Build Back Better Act (H.R. 5376, 2021-11-19), which would have funded universal pre-K and child-care subsidies.

  • Maurice Mercer
    —

Require documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote

  • Gary Palmer
    Recorded votes[23]

    Voted yes on SAVE Act (H.R. 22, 2025-04-10).

  • Maurice Mercer
    —

Require Congress to approve U.S. military action abroad

  • Gary Palmer
    Recorded votes[29][30]

    Voted no on War Powers Resolution on Venezuela (H. Con. Res. 64, 2025-12-17), which would have directed the removal of U.S. forces from hostilities against Venezuela absent congressional authorization. Voted no on War Powers Resolution directing removal of forces from Iran hostilities (H. Con. Res. 86, 2026-06-03), which directed the removal of U.S. forces from hostilities against Iran absent congressional authorization.

  • Maurice Mercer
    —

Research notes & limits

Biography corrected: Mercer was nominated, not named, Public Servant of the Year (per his Ballotpedia profile). Palmer's birthplace is omitted because Ballotpedia (Haleyville) and Wikipedia (Hackleburg) disagree and his house.gov biography page could not be fetched.

Sources · 42

Researched 2026-09-25. Green citations are official government records.

  1. 1.United States House of Representatives elections in Alabama, 2026 · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
  2. 2.Gary Palmer · Ballotpedia Reference
  3. 3.Maurice Mercer · Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey Candidate's own words
  4. 4.Gary Palmer · Wikipedia Reference
  5. 5.Q&A: New environment chair to focus on China, minerals · POLITICO E&E News (via Rep. Palmer's official site) · 2025-07-25 News report
  6. 6.Spending Cuts and Debt · Office of Rep. Gary Palmer · 2026-06-11 Candidate's own words
  7. 7.Palmer Votes to Defend 2nd Amendment Rights · Office of Rep. Gary Palmer · 2017-12-06 Candidate's own words
  8. 8.Palmer: Obamacare Repeal Offers Voters a Choice · Office of Rep. Gary Palmer · 2016-01-06 Candidate's own words
  9. 9.Roll Call 663 — On Passage: H.R. 38, Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017 · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives · 2017-12-06 Official record
  10. 10.H.R. 22 — SAVE Act (119th Congress) · Congress.gov Official record
  11. 11.Gary Palmer · Ballotpedia Reference
  12. 12.Meet Gary | Congressman Gary Palmer · Office of Rep. Gary Palmer Official record
  13. 13.Gary Palmer · Wikipedia · 2026-10-21 Reference
  14. 14.Alabama 6th election results 2026 · NBC News News report
  15. 15.H.R. 722, the Life at Conception Act (Life at Conception Act) — sponsors and cosponsors · Congress.gov Official record
  16. 16.Roll call: Laken Riley Act — final passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-01-22 Official record
  17. 17.Roll call: One Big Beautiful Bill Act — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-05-22 Official record
  18. 18.H.R. 1 (119th Congress) — One Big Beautiful Bill Act: text and summary · Congress.gov Official record
  19. 19.Roll call: One Big Beautiful Bill Act — final passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-07-03 Official record
  20. 20.Roll call: Secure the Border Act of 2023 — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2023-05-11 Official record
  21. 21.Roll call: American Dream and Promise Act of 2019 — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2019-06-04 Official record
  22. 22.Roll call: American Dream and Promise Act of 2021 — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2021-03-18 Official record
  23. 23.Roll call: SAVE Act — proof-of-citizenship voter registration · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-04-10 Official record
  24. 24.Roll call: Breaking the Gridlock Act — ACA subsidy extension · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2026-01-08 Official record
  25. 25.Roll call: American Health Care Act — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2017-05-04 Official record
  26. 26.Roll call: Build Back Better Act — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2021-11-19 Official record
  27. 27.Roll call: Inflation Reduction Act — final House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2022-08-12 Official record
  28. 28.Roll call: Tax Cuts and Jobs Act — final House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2017-12-20 Official record
  29. 29.Roll call: War Powers Resolution on Venezuela · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-12-17 Official record
  30. 30.Roll call: War Powers Resolution directing removal of forces from Iran hostilities · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2026-06-03 Official record
  31. 31.Roll call: Resolution disapproving tariffs on Canada · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2026-02-11 Official record
  32. 32.Roll call: Bipartisan Background Checks Act — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2019-02-27 Official record
  33. 33.Roll call: Assault Weapons Ban of 2022 — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2022-07-29 Official record
  34. 34.Roll call: Bipartisan Safer Communities Act — final House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2022-06-24 Official record
  35. 35.Roll call: Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2017-12-06 Official record
  36. 36.Roll call: Raise the Wage Act — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2019-07-18 Official record
  37. 37.Roll call: Women's Health Protection Act of 2021 — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2021-09-24 Official record
  38. 38.Roll call: Women's Health Protection Act of 2022 — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2022-07-15 Official record
  39. 39.Roll call: Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2017-10-03 Official record
  40. 40.Maurice Mercer · Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey Candidate's own words
  41. 41.Maurice Mercer - candidate profile · BirminghamWatch News report
  42. 42.Alabama's 6th Congressional District results 2026 · NBC News News report