Key facts
- U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville is facing a residency challenge in his bid for Alabama governor.
- The challenge argues Tuberville does not meet the Alabama Constitution's seven-year residency requirement.
- Alabama Republican Party leaders will hold a hearing to determine his eligibility.
- Tuberville's campaign asserts he meets the residency requirement and has provided tax and voting records as evidence.
- Records indicate Tuberville owns property in Florida and voted there in 2018 before registering in Alabama in 2019.
U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville is facing renewed scrutiny over his residency as he campaigns for Alabama governor, with a challenge arguing he does not meet the state's seven-year requirement. The Alabama Republican Party is scheduled to hold a closed-door hearing to determine his eligibility.
Tuberville's former primary opponent, Ken McFeeters, filed the challenge, asserting that Tuberville does not reside in Alabama. Tuberville, who secured an endorsement from President Donald Trump and easily won his primary, has dismissed the challenge as a "joke" and stated he meets the necessary qualifications.
Property records indicate Tuberville and his wife own a beach home in Florida valued at $5.6 million. His campaign, however, maintains his residence is a home in Auburn, Alabama, purchased in 2017. Both homes have reportedly been placed in a revocable trust.
As evidence of his residency, Tuberville released redacted Alabama income tax returns from 2018 to 2024, listing an Auburn address and indicating a move to the state in August 2018. However, voting records show he cast a ballot in Florida in November 2018, prior to registering to vote in Alabama in March 2019, just before announcing his Senate bid.
McFeeters also pointed to Tuberville's Senate travel records, suggesting frequent trips to the Florida Panhandle further support the claim of Florida residency. Tuberville previously coached football at Auburn University before coaching stints at Texas Tech and the University of Cincinnati, and later worked for ESPN, where he discussed moving to Florida in a 2017 video.
The Alabama Constitution's residency requirement for governor is worded as "resident citizens of this state at least seven years next before the date of their election." Alabama Republican Party Chairman Scott Stadthagen is expected to announce the decision following Sunday's hearing. Tuberville won his primary with 85% of the vote. Tuberville faced similar residency accusations when running for the Senate in 2020 against Jeff Sessions.