Former Alabama Democratic Sen. Doug Jones pictured.

Former Sen. Doug Jones this week launched his Democratic bid for Alabama governor.

The move sets up a likely rematch with Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville, who defeated Jones in the 2020 Senate race. Both men would need to win their primary elections next year to square off next November.

In a video posted on social media on Monday, Nov. 24, Jones confirmed what he called the "worst kept secret" in the deeply Republican state.

"Folks in Alabama deserve a governor who is going to fight for them," Jones, 65, said in the video on X. "What we’ve heard all along is that Alabama wants their next governor to be someone who lives here, who works here, who listens to the people of this state, who understands the people of this state."

In a statement released to USA TODAY on Tuesday, Nov. 25, Jones said he decided to run after he and his wife, Louise, listened to fellow Alabamians who encouraged him to run.

"We all know that this is a critical time for Alabama," Jones said. "It's hard to see people struggle with the cost of the most basic stuff in life − food, housing, and healthcare. Jobs aren't paying more. In rural communities and big cities, the gap between living costs and income keeps growing. We need to give Alabamians a real path, real relief, and economic opportunity."

An official campaign kick off, Jones said, is set next month.

Term limits prohibit current Gov. Kay Ivey, a Republican, from running again for the seat.

Tuberville, a former Auburn University football coach, announced his bid for governor in May.

The 71-year-old, who has served in the Senate since 2021 after beating then-incumbent Jones, led the team for nearly four decades before launching his political career. The win flipped the seat back to Republicans after Jones won it in a special election in late 2017.

Who is Doug Jones?

Born in Fairfield, Alabama, Jones was an Alabama senator from 2018 to 2021.

Jones pulled off an upset in late 2017, beating Republican Roy Moore in a special election for the seat of former Sen. Jeff Sessions.

At the time, he was the first Alabama Democrat elected to the Senate in more than two decades, USA TODAY previously reported.

Jones said Alabama residents need a governor who "treats this state with grace and dignity and not just like a rest stop on the way to the Florida beach."

This story has been updated to add new information.

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Worst kept secret': Former senator launches bid for Alabama governor

Reporting by Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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