‘Coach Tuberville will be our nominee for governor:’ GOP makes decision on gubernatorial challenge

Tommy Tuberville is officially staying on the ballot. Following a unanimous decision by the Alabama GOP steering committee on Sunday, Tuberville remains the party’s nominee for governor after a residency challenge was officially cleared.

A Unanimous Verdict

The resolution came after a private hearing at a law firm in downtown Birmingham, where both sides presented their arguments. Alabama GOP Chairman Scott Stadthagen announced the committee's decision, confirming that the challenge launched by Ken McFeeters was unsuccessful. "We looked at this with a blank page, nonpartisan, we looked at this with the facts," Stadthagen said during a brief press conference. "The contest was unsuccessful and Coach Tuberville will be our nominee for governor."

The Residency Dispute

McFeeters had sought to disqualify the former coach, alleging that Tuberville does not reside at his Auburn property and instead splits his time between Florida and Washington, D.C. Under state law, candidates must meet a seven-year "resident citizen" requirement to seek the governorship.

In a detailed seven-page document outlining the decision, the party clarified that while McFeeters raised objections, he failed to provide evidence proving an alternate residence. Conversely, the committee found sufficient evidence that Tuberville has met the residency threshold. A critical piece of evidence was Tuberville’s 2019 registration to vote in Alabama. "The evidence is conclusive" that Tuberville has been a resident citizen of Alabama since at least November 2019, according to Stadthagen.

Legal and Political Context

The proceedings, which lasted about 40 minutes, were closed to the public—a move that drew criticism regarding transparency. "It’s a private entity, not a public meeting," noted J. Evans Bailey, lead counsel for the Alabama Press Association, calling the party's policy choice a matter of dispute.

Tuberville’s defense team previously released redacted tax returns to bolster claims that he began paying taxes and residing in Auburn as of 2018. The defense highlighted his consistent Alabama voter registration, driver’s license, and property ownership as evidence of his commitment to the state.

While records indicate Tuberville voted in Florida as recently as November 2018, he registered to vote in Alabama on March 28, 2019, shortly before his entry into the Senate race. McFeeters, whose previous legal attempts to challenge the candidacy have been dismissed, also made headlines recently by proposing he would step aside for $6 million in funding for an Alabama lobbying group.

With this hurdle cleared, the path is set for the general election. Tommy Tuberville will now face Democratic candidate and former Sen. Doug Jones this November.