I was there - the truth about Tommy Tuberville’s Alabama residency: opinion

This is an opinion column

I first sat down with Coach Tommy Tuberville for lunch in Auburn back in 2018. Following a successful college football coaching career that spanned several of the country's top programs, Coach told me he was ready to retire in Auburn—the same place that served as home for his family during his tenure at Auburn University. Like any professional wrapping up a long, demanding career, he was weighing his next move.

It didn't take long to realize that retirement was unlikely to stick. As he told me then, “I can’t play golf every day. I need something to do that has purpose.”

At the time, Alabama was navigating a major political shift. The resignation of Governor Robert Bentley had led to Governor Kay Ivey stepping into the role, setting the stage for what many expected to be a heated 2018 gubernatorial cycle. During our talks, I encouraged him to consider public service, knowing he was a staunch conservative eager to make an impact on the state's future.

Coach was intrigued. We spent the following months engaging with groups like the Alabama Farmers Federation and the Alabama Forestry Association. While his coaching pedigree earned him meetings, few viewed a potential run for office as a serious endeavor. Eventually, as Governor Ivey’s momentum grew, Coach backed off, offering the famous line: “Nobody can beat Grandma.”

Setting the record straight

Political discourse today often overlooks the reality that this was all transpiring in 2018—two full years before Tommy Tuberville secured his seat in the U.S. Senate.

I was there to witness him moving into his home on Cherry Street in Auburn—the very same address found in the tax records he has since released. This isn't hearsay; I helped carry furniture into that house and watched the moving trucks arrive from Cincinnati, Ohio. I saw his wife, Suzanne, getting the kitchen ready. That was a family planting roots in Auburn, Alabama.

Given that, I find the recent skepticism regarding Coach Tuberville’s Alabama residency requirements baffling. Reasonable people can argue policy or support different candidates, but they shouldn't ignore basic facts. The reality is that Tommy Tuberville moved to Auburn in 2018, and he was actively exploring a run for governor that same year. I saw it happen firsthand.

Filtering out the noise

Critics have pointed to the fact that Coach owns a home in Florida, but that is hardly unusual. Many Alabamians own vacation properties or second homes in other states without forfeiting their status as residents here. Owning a place in Florida doesn't negate where a person has truly established their household.

Even the chatter regarding his voting history in Florida comes off as an administrative hiccup during a complex relocation rather than a calculated scheme. People moving states often struggle with the timing of vehicle registrations and record transfers, but there is no allegation of him voting in multiple states during a single election. To use a single ballot as proof that someone doesn't live where they actually reside is a stretch.

The Alabama Republican Party Steering Committee will handle the current challenges, and I trust that process. However, from my perspective, this controversy is clearly driven by politics, not geography. Voters are welcome to debate whether Tommy Tuberville is the right choice to lead the state, but his residency status shouldn't be part of the argument. I was there when he moved to Auburn, and those are the facts.