Dakarai Larriett is running for the U.S. Senate as a Democrat

July 10, 2025 – MONTGOMERY, AL – U.S. Senate candidate Dakarai Larriett spoke with the Alabama Gazette about his campaign. Larriet is running for the Democratic nomination for Senate.

The last Democrat who ran for Senate, Rev. Will Boyd got just 30.9% of the vote when he ran against political newcomer Katie Boyd Britt. The Alabama Gazette asked: Given the poor performance of Democrats in the last two Senate races in Alabama how will this campaign be different?

"I am a different kind of candidate," said Larriett. "In these last two months since I qualified, we raised as much as Will Boyd did in the entire race."

"I have been networking across the state and the country," Larriett stated.

Larrietr said that Alabama historically has low voter turnout in midterm elections. To counter that trend he is "Engaging with young Black voters" and has even filmed a "Video with a Birmingham based rapper."

Larriett attended Birmingham's WJ Christian magnet school. He has a bachelor's degree from the University of Alabama. He spent a year at Howard and has a master's degree from New York University. Larriet is a successful businessman. If elected, he would be Alabama's first gay Black U.S. Senator.

Larriett has lived in New York City and said that he was excited about the energy brought by the Mondani campaign to Democratic politics in NY City and beyond.

"I am an education fanatic," said Larriett. "My mom was a teacher. My mom did a lot of work to get us in the best magnet school."

Larriett said that he found it difficult to find work in Alabama immediately after college so had to look for opportunity elsewhere.

"I made a career in supply," said Larriett.

Larriett said that he has not read all of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, "It is one thousand pages long."

Larriett said that he was worried about the effects that Medicaid cuts will have on Alabama's rural hospitals and that as many as "1 out of 5" Alabamians with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) could potentially lose their EBT card benefits under the bill.

"We can't just turn them off," Larriett said of SNAP beneficiaries.

"$300 million in cuts to Medicaid will have immediate impact," on rural hospitals said Larriett. When hospitals close they "Take good high paying healthcare jobs with them.

Larriett said that "The Trump Administration's attack on the judiciary is highly problematic."

Larriett also expressed his concerns about the provision that, "States cannot regulate AI."

Larriett warned that said that he is also concerned about the national debt.

"We spend over a $trillion a year on debt service that can't go away," said Larriett.

Larriett said that the U.S. should cut defense spending to address the debt issue.

"We have more aircraft carriers than the rest of the world combined," Larriett said.

Larriett said that the weapons procurement process is a lot of the problem with defense spending.

"I think a lot of it is spending with consultants and contractors," Larriett said.

The Alabama Gazette asked why not cut Medicaid – which is costing more than defense and is and is growing at a faster rate.

"I see Medicaid as an investment in our people," said Larriett. "We are closing so many rural hospitals."

Larriett also expressed concerns about the effect that Trump's mass deportations are having on farms and businesses.

"We need a plan that considers the needs of business and their staffing requirements," said Larriett. "There is not a plan in place."

Larriett said that there should be an immigration plan in place to help the U.S. "Keep pace with our labor needs so that there is not food rotting in the fields."

Larriett expressed his support for NASA, the return to the Moon, and a manned mission to Mars.

"I think these bold ambitious goals have a number of benefits," said Larriett. "We should be going to the Moon, and we should be going to Mars."

The Gazette asked Larriett is he supported Alabama's law preventing minors from having sex change surgeries and treatments.

Larriett said that he has been avoiding discussing those kinds of "divisive issues" but that he believes that the voters, "Are just so tired of us politicians in their bed rooms and doctors' offices. Those decision should be left to the doctors, the children, and their parents."

"I am a true patriot and I am honored to get out and meet my future constituents," Larriett concluded.

Larriett faces a crowded field for U.S. Senate. Businessman Kyle Sweetser and chemist Mark Wheeler have already announced in the Democratic primary. Attorney General Steve Marshall and former SEAL Jared Hudson are announced Republican candidates with Congressman Barry Moore expected to enter this race on August 15. Other possible Senate candidates that have been discussed include John Merrill, Doug Jones, Bruce Pearl, and even Nick Saban.

The Democratic primary is on May 19, 2026.