By Ramsey Archibald | rarchibald@al.com

Former U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions is now Attorney General of the United States, and his old Senate seat is up for grabs. That puts Alabama squarely in the middle of its first competitive Senate race in decades - and there are a whole lot of people aiming to take the seat.

AL.com previously explored the crowded GOP field, where 10 people are in the running, including frontrunners Mo Brooks, Roy Moore and incumbent Luther Strange. Now we're taking a look at the other side of the aisle.

The field includes some big names, such as Birmingham lawyer and former U.S. Attorney Doug Jones, who's best known for prosecuting the 16th Street Baptist Church bombers. And like the Republican field, there's at least one candidate who wants to keep a low profile leading up to the special election.

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Ramsey Archibald | rarchibald@al.com

Will Boyd

Dr. Will Boyd is no stranger to politics – he's chairman of the Lauderdale County Democratic Executive Committee and ran an unsuccessful but active race in 2016 as the Democratic nominee against Mo Brooks in north Alabama's 5th Congressional District.

A minister from Florence, Boyd is interested in letting voters know what he doesn't support, reporter Lee Roop writes.

“I’m not somebody who wants to take guns away,” Boyd said. “I’m not somebody who wants to kill babies."

Read more: Florence minister Will Boyd a pro-gun Democrat for Senate

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Ramsey Archibald | rarchibald@al.com

Vann Caldwell

Vann Caldwell was just 19 years old when he ran his first political campaign – an unsuccessful bid to become Talladega’s mayor. Running for public office is in his blood, AL.com reporter Howard Koplowitz writes.

He followed that loss with a few more unsuccessful campaigns, but won his first political victory in 2016 when he was elected Talladega County constable, Beat 5.

If elected, his top priority would be growing the economy, which he says would “cause a chain reaction" in helping his other major issues: Education and the military and homeland security.

Read more: 33-year-old constable Vann Caldwell seeks Democratic nomination for Senate

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Ramsey Archibald | rarchibald@al.com

Jason Fisher

Jason Fisher’s political journey began with a personal tragedy. The unexpected death of his wife five years ago left him as a single parent to a child with special needs. He was thrust into the complex health insurance system as a result, and he’s running for Senate on a mission to fix it.

Fisher was born in Iowa and moved to Alabama in 2004. He has worked in marketing and development, but hopes his experience with health care will help him as a senator. He doesn’t have much political experience, but he doesn’t see that as a bad thing.

"I feel like it was the right time for a new voice to be heard. The next generation of leadership has to step up and take control."

Read more: Orange Beach Democrat Jason Fisher runs for Senate on healthcare mission

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Ramsey Archibald | rarchibald@al.com

Michael Hansen

Michael Hansen so far seems to resonate with supporters online. And his platform sounds more like that of Bernie Sanders than Jeff Sessions, reporter Dennis Pillion notes. The 35-year-old, openly gay nonprofit exec from Birmingham has made a career in environmental advocacy. He supports increasing the minimum wage and transitioning to all renewable energy sources, among other policies.

And he's running for U.S. Senate. In Alabama.

He calls himself "Alabama's progressive candidate," a title he's proud of even in a state as conservative as Alabama. Hansen is confident he can appeal to more than just the Bernie Sanders crowd.

Read more: Birmingham nonprofit exec Michael Hansen touts higher minimum wage in U.S. Senate bid

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Doug Jones

Jones, like everyone on this list, faces the uphill battle of being elected as a Democrat in a deeply red state. He’s up for the challenge, however, and says it’s time we moved past the "meaningless rhetoric" used by "pandering" politicians.

Jones, a 63-year-old former U.S. Attorney, is best-known for the prosecution of Thomas Blanton and Bobby Frank Cherry. They were convicted of murder for killing four young girls in the 1963 Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombing.

Read more: Birmingham lawyer and former Clinton appointee Doug Jones seeks Democratic nomination for Senate

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Ramsey Archibald | rarchibald@al.com

Robert Kennedy Jr.

Robert Kennedy Jr. definitely has name recognition, even if he isn't one of those Kennedys. But he remains a bit of a mystery. When contacted by AL.com reporter John Sharp, he wouldn't confirm what he did for a living. He says he wants to keep a low profile.

He bills himself as a “conservative Democrat,” and is pro-gun. He’s the “faith, God, guns and freedom” Democrat. Kennedy has no prior political experience, but says he’s ready for the job.

I'm the best positioned of all the candidates in the entire field, whether Republicans or Democrats, to navigate through the bureaucracy,” he said.

Read more: 'Mystery' Senate candidate Robert Kennedy Jr. running as a 'conservative Democrat'

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Charles Nana

Perhaps more than any of the other Democrats in this field, Charles Nana knows what a Senatorial race takes. He finished second in last year’s Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, earning more than 100,000 votes.

The 51-year-old has his work cut out for him, this time. He lives in Birmingham but works in Nashville, and he’s facing a Democratic field that is potentially tougher than last time around. But he knows why he’s trying again.

"I'm trying to appeal to the goodness in each and every one of us,” Nana said.

Read more: Democrat Charles Nana to 'demand our leaders tell the truth' in senate campaign

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Ramsey Archibald | rarchibald@al.com

Republican candidates

Think that's a lot of names? The GOP field is even bigger. These are the 10 Republicans aiming running for the open seat.

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Ramsey Archibald | rarchibald@al.com

Brian McGee (dropped out)

McGee drops out, endorses Doug Jones

Brian McGee has a whole lot of experience in a whole lot of different careers. He's been a farmer, a soldier, a ditchdigger, a teacher, a small business owner and a nonprofit director. So why not Senator?

The 70-year-old Vietnam veteran thinks the United States should consider some form of mandatory service following high school.

"We have to come up with ideas that kids can provide some service and acknowledge that by living in this country, they've been given something," McGee said. "Being an American comes with responsibilities."

Read more: Vietnam vet Brian McGee seeks Democratic nod for Senate, pushes mandatory national service

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