Hoover, Ala.– US Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville He filed paperwork Monday to formally enter the 2026 race for governor of Alabama, saying he wants to be “the key employee to making our state better.”
Tuberville, who leveraged his fame from his football coaching days at Auburn University to win election to the U.S. Senate in 2020, Announced last year He intends to run for governor rather than seek another term in the Senate. He signed the papers at Alabama Republican Party headquarters on Monday to officially enter the race.
“It’s time to go home, build a team and worry about the state of Alabama and the people here. People deserve better every day they live here,” Tuberville said after filing campaign papers.
Tuberville’s entry into the race will likely discourage other Republicans from joining the field vying to replace Republican Gov. Kay Ivey. On the Democratic side, former U.S. Sen. Doug Jones, who lost to Tuberville in 2020, is also Running for governorsetting up a potential rematch in November.
Speaking with reporters on Monday, Tuberville said hiring entrepreneurs would be among his top priorities if the governor is elected.
“We have 500,000 people in this state who make less than $30,000 a year,” Tuberville said. “And that should be against the law. We have to get people better jobs. We have to incentivize people to work.”
The Republican said education, infrastructure and tackling fraud would also be a priority if elected, but he did not elaborate on specific proposals. He said he is not opposed to starting a state lottery but said it does not provide enough money for the state to rely on as a source of income.
Democrats questioned whether Tuberville meets residency requirements to be governor. The Alabama Constitution provides that governors must be “citizens and residents of this State” for at least seven years. Property tax records show Tuberville owns a $270,000 home in Auburn, where he claims a home equity exemption, and a $4 million beach house in Walton County, Florida.
“I’ve been a resident. It’s not a problem,” Tuberville said Monday.
When asked where he spent the most time outside of Washington, Tuberville said Auburn, adding that he’s not home much but “went to almost every football game there this year.”
Tuberville won his election to the Senate by portraying himself as a closely associated political outsider President Donald Trump. In 2023, Tuberville imposed a months-long blockade on military promotions due to his opposition to Pentagon policy Which provided travel funds and support for troops and their families seeking Miscarriage But they reside in states where they are now illegal.