Former Auburn Tigers football coach Tommy Tuberville is set to be a part of political history during the 2026 election cycle as one of several US senators who will be leaving Capitol Hill for power in their home state.
"GOP Sen. Tommy Tuberville, a former Auburn University football coach, opted against seeking a second Senate term and launched his 2026 bid for Alabama governor Tuesday. That came after Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet, who has served in the Senate for 16 years and briefly ran for president in 2020, announced his gubernatorial campaign last month. And in Tennessee, Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn has said she is seriously considering a bid for governor," NBC News's Scott Wong and Alexandra Marquez wrote.
"Plus, on the other side of the Capitol, there are at least a dozen current members of the House who are already running or weighing a run for governor.
"For members of Congress, trading the partisan gridlock of Washington — and the status of being one of 100, or one of 435 — for the top executive post in their home states can prove extremely alluring."
Whether Alabama is truly Tuberville's home state was the subject of questions before his official announcement this past week.
"With Tuberville’s expected announcement, questions over his ability to meet the state’s seven-year residency requirements for governor are expected to grow. Tuberville remains confident he meets the requirements laid out in the Alabama Constitution. Records obtained by Alabama Daily News show he has had a homestead exemption on his Auburn home since 2018, which could be one factor used to determine residency in the race," the Alabama Daily News's Alex Angle relayed.
Tuberville is all cleared for takeoff now with his 2026 gubernatorial run kicked off in earnest.
With a close relationship to President Donald Trump, it'll be interesting to see what a Tuberville governorship would bring.
Clearly, he didn't feel fulfilled by his role in the US Senate. We'll see what change he wants to bring the people of Alabama directly.