The Alabama Republican Party has confirmed that U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville will remain its candidate for governor, dismissing allegations that he failed to meet the state’s residency requirements. The decision was reached unanimously by the party’s 21-member steering committee following a challenge from Ken McFeeters, Tuberville’s former primary opponent.
McFeeters contended that Tuberville did not fulfill the Alabama Constitution’s mandate of a seven-year residency in the state. Despite these claims, party chair Scott Stadthagen announced, “We looked at it with the facts. The contest was unsuccessful. And Coach Tuberville will be our nominee for governor.” Stadthagen, however, did not entertain questions from the press, and the proceedings were closed to the public.
Tuberville, who has been criticized in the past for allegedly residing in Florida, responded to the allegations by branding them as a “witch-hunt” by the media. He stated, “I’m thankful for the committee holding a hearing today to finally put this ridiculous residency hoax to bed.” Tuberville added that he and his wife, Suzanne, reside in Auburn when not in Washington, and occasionally visit their beach house on the coast.
In support of his residency claim, Tuberville presented various forms of documentation, including state tax records, property documents, driver’s licenses, and voter registration evidence. These were assessed by the committee, with McFeeters having the chance to question Tuberville about his time spent in Alabama versus Florida.
Records reveal that Tuberville and his wife own a $5.6 million beach property in Florida, while asserting that their main residence is a house in Auburn valued at approximately $291,780. This Auburn property was initially purchased by his wife and son in 2017, with Tuberville’s name added to the deed in 2024. Both properties are reported to be in a revocable trust.
Additionally, Tuberville provided heavily redacted Alabama income tax returns from 2018 to 2024 as proof of his seven-year residency compliance. Despite voting in Florida in November 2018, he registered to vote in Alabama in March 2019, shortly before announcing his Senate candidacy.
McFeeters argued that Tuberville’s frequent travels to the Florida Panhandle, as shown by Senate travel records, supported the notion of Florida residency. However, in a seven-page document, party officials emphasized Tuberville’s voting history in Alabama, noting that voter registration is a key factor in determining domicile.
Tuberville, known for his past role as head football coach at Auburn University, faced similar residency challenges during his 2020 Senate campaign against Jeff Sessions. Despite being labeled a “Florida Man” in campaign ads, Tuberville won the primary runoff and eventually defeated Democratic incumbent Doug Jones.
The upcoming gubernatorial race will see Tuberville face off once again against Jones. Stadthagen commented that the party aims to move forward and focus on defeating the Democratic candidate, maintaining Alabama’s status as a strong Republican state.
