Alabama's GOP dismisses a residency challenge to Tuberville's bid for
Alabama governor
[June 15, 2026]
By KIM CHANDLER
HOOVER, Ala. (AP) — The Alabama Republican Party said U.S. Sen. Tommy
Tuberville will remain the party’s gubernatorial nominee, rejecting a
claim on Sunday that he had not lived in the state long enough to run
for governor.
The unanimous decision came after the party's 21-member steering
committee heard a challenge filed by Tuberville’s former primary
opponent, Ken McFeeters. The challenge argued that Tuberville did not
meet the Alabama Constitution’s seven-year residency requirement.
“We looked at it with the facts. The contest was unsuccessful. And Coach
Tuberville will be our nominee for governor," said Scott Stadthagen, the
state Republican Party chair. Tuberville is often referred to as “Coach”
because of his background coaching college football.
Stadthagen did not take questions from the news media. The hearing was
not open to the public.
Tuberville has long faced accusations of living in Florida rather than
the state he represents in Washington. He has faced the same claim as he
runs for governor.
McFeeters did not immediately return a text message seeking comment.
“Does he live in Alabama? No,” McFeeters said before the hearing. “He
doesn’t live here.”
Tuberville, who easily defeated McFeeters in last month’s primary and
has been endorsed by President Donald Trump, called the accusation a
“witch-hunt” by the media.
“I’m thankful for the committee holding a hearing today to finally put
this ridiculous residency hoax to bed,” Tuberville said. “For the past
six years, I’ve proudly represented Alabama in the United States Senate.
When I’m not in D.C., Suzanne and I are at home in Auburn and yes,
sometimes, at our beach house on the coast.”
The party said Tuberville submitted state tax records, property and home
ownership records, driver's licenses, voter registration and other
corroborating material demonstrating his residency. The document said
McFeeters was given the opportunity to question Tuberville on the
witness stand about how much time he spends in Alabama and in Florida.
Property tax records show Tuberville and his wife own a beach home in
Florida valued at $5.6 million. His campaign has said his residence is a
home in Auburn. The 1,551-square-foot property has an appraised value of
about $291,780. The Auburn home was purchased by his wife and son in
2017. The senator’s name was later added to the property in 2024, and
the son’s name removed. Both the Auburn and Florida homes appear to have
recently been put in a revocable trust.
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Tuberville released heavily redacted Alabama income tax returns from
2018 to 2024 as evidence he meets the seven-year residency
requirement. The returns list a redacted Auburn address and indicate
the Tubervilles moved to the state in August 2018.
Voting records show Tuberville voted in Florida in November 2018. He
registered to vote in Alabama on March 28, 2019, about two weeks
before announcing his run for Senate.
McFeeters said Tuberville’s Senate travel records also show frequent
travel to the Florida Panhandle, which he said buttresses the idea
that he resides in the location.
In a seven-page document explaining their decision, party officials
cited Tuberville’s evidence, including his voting history in
Alabama. The officials said courts have determined voter
registration to be an important consideration when determining
domicile.
Tuberville was head football coach at Auburn University from 1999 to
2008. He then coached at Texas Tech and the University of
Cincinnati. He went to work for ESPN after retiring from coaching.
In a 2017 promotional video for ESPN, he talked about moving to
Florida after retiring from coaching.
The residency requirement in the Alabama Constitution is awkwardly
worded, which could muddy any legal dispute. It says the governor
and lieutenant governor “shall have been citizens of the United
States ten years and resident citizens of this state at least seven
years next before the date of their election.”
Tuberville faced similar accusations when he ran for Senate in 2020.
He was up against Jeff Sessions, who was running for the same seat
that he held before he became Trump's first attorney general.
Sessions aired a television advertisement describing Tuberville as a
“Florida Man.” Tuberville won 61% of the vote, compared with 39% for
Sessions, in a Republican primary runoff, and went on to defeat Doug
Jones, the Democratic incumbent.
Tuberville and Jones are headed to a rematch in the governor's race
in November.
Stadthagen said in a statement that, “it is time for the ALGOP to
firmly close and lock this chapter and turn our full attention
toward defeating liberal Democrat Doug Jones” and “keeping Alabama
the brightest red Republican state in the nation.”
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