Why It Matters
The outcome of a June 14 proceeding before the Alabama Republican Party could determine whether U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville remains on track to be the party’s nominee for governor of Alabama. State constitutional law requires gubernatorial candidates to have resided in Alabama for a minimum of seven years — a threshold that opponents say Tuberville has not clearly met.
If the party body rules against Tuberville, his primary challenger Ken McFeeters — who captured less than 10 percent of the May 19 vote — would become the Republican nominee by default.
What Happened
The Alabama Republican Party notified McFeeters that it would convene a formal hearing on June 14 to address his residency challenges against Tuberville. McFeeters filed three separate challenges with the party and one civil suit in Covington County; the lawsuit was thrown out on May 18 for want of jurisdiction, the day before primary voters went to the polls. A prior challenge filed with the party was also rejected in February.
McFeeters said the party’s decision to proceed with a hearing caught him off guard. “I was totally, completely floored,” he said in public remarks, calling the steering committee’s willingness to take up the matter “a hell of a sacrifice.”
ALGOP Chairman Scott Stadthagen confirmed the hearing in a public statement. The party is represented by the Birmingham firm Balch & Bingham LLP.
The residency questions hinge on Tuberville’s documented ties to Florida during years when Alabama law would require him to have been a state resident. Tuberville first relocated to Alabama in 1999 to take the head coaching position at Auburn University. Yet records show that a homestead tax exemption on an Auburn-area property was claimed by his wife and son in 2018 — the same year that, according to reporting by AL.com, Tuberville and his wife voted in Florida. A Florida driver’s license remained active in Tuberville’s name through 2023. Florida authorities declined to fulfill a public records request for his tax filings.
By the Numbers
- 421,754 — votes Tuberville received in the May 19 Republican primary, representing 85.5% of ballots cast
- 47,166 — votes McFeeters received, or 9.6% of the total
- 7 years — minimum residency period the Alabama Constitution mandates for governor candidates
- 1999 — year Tuberville arrived in Alabama to coach at Auburn
- 2023 — year his Florida driver’s license was no longer active
Tuberville’s Defense
Tuberville’s campaign is preparing a formal response ahead of the hearing. Campaign chair Jordan Doufexis said the team “will submit a comprehensive response demonstrating that he is a resident citizen of Alabama and has been for well beyond the period required.”
Tuberville is represented by Birmingham attorney Bert Jordan, a partner at Balch & Bingham who has also served as counsel to the three most recent Alabama governors — a notable coincidence given that the party itself retains the same firm.
Zoom Out
Disputes over candidate residency are not confined to Alabama. Several states in recent election cycles have seen similar legal and party-level challenges when high-profile figures run in states where their personal and professional ties are mixed. What distinguishes this case is that the challenge arose after a decisive primary result — an unusually late stage at which to relitigate a nominee’s eligibility.
Tuberville’s career trajectory, moving between states as a college football coach before entering the U.S. Senate, reflects a pattern common among national figures who establish political roots in places where they held professional positions rather than lifelong homes.
What’s Next
The Alabama Republican Party’s steering committee will convene June 14 to weigh whether Tuberville satisfies the state’s seven-year residency standard. A ruling against him would elevate McFeeters to the Republican nomination for governor despite the wide margin separating the two candidates at the ballot box. Given the litigation history already surrounding the matter, any committee decision is likely to prompt further legal action from one side or the other.