The Alabama Republican Party unanimously dismissed the residency challenge against U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) on Sunday, confirming him as the party’s nominee for governor after a formal hearing in Birmingham.
ALGOP Steering Committee Chairman Scott Stadthagen served as the hearing officer at the closed-door proceedings held at the offices of Balch & Bingham LLP. Both sides presented evidence and sworn testimony during the hours-long hearing before the Candidate Committee reached its decision.
“We instructed the committee members to set aside politics and partisanship and base their decision solely upon clarity and common sense,” Stadthagen said. “Coach Tuberville provided the evidence necessary to establish beyond any doubt that he fully meets the residency requirements to serve as governor, and the challenge failed to present any evidence that proved otherwise.”
Tuberville called the challenge a “ridiculous residency hoax” and turned his attention to the general election.
“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,” Tuberville said. “This entire witch-hunt could have been avoided if the media and Democrats had just asked a few of our neighbors about this, but they don’t care about the truth.”
Tuberville framed the challenge as part of a broader effort to derail his campaign. “They’re giving me the Trump treatment because they know they can’t beat me on the issues. Their only plan is to try to keep me off the ballot. Well, that didn’t work out too well for them with President Trump and it isn’t going to work in Alabama either.”
Primary opponent Ken McFeeters filed the challenge alleging Tuberville does not meet the Alabama Constitution’s requirement that gubernatorial candidates maintain seven years of continuous residency. Tuberville won the Republican primary in May with roughly 85% of the vote.
The committee’s written decision found Tuberville’s evidence “conclusive,” citing Alabama tax returns filed annually since 2018, an Auburn home purchase in October 2018, an Alabama driver’s license and voter registration obtained in March 2019, and voting records from the 2020, 2022, and 2024 elections.
Stadthagen called on the party to move forward. “It is time for the ALGOP to firmly close and lock this chapter and turn our full attention toward defeating liberal Democrat Doug Jones, increasing our supermajorities in both chambers of the Legislature, reclaiming the congressional seat that federal judges wrongly denied us, and keeping Alabama the brightest red Republican state in the nation.”
Sawyer Knowles is a state and political reporter for Yellowhammer News. You may contact him at [email protected].
