Tuberville announces 2026 run for Governor

May 27, 2025 – AUBURN, AL – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) announced to a room full of friends and supporters that he is running for the Republican Party nomination for Governor of Alabama.

"I will be the future governor of the State of Alabama," said Sen. Tuberville.

Tuberville made the announcement, surrounded by supporters, many of them wearing COACH hats, at Byron's Barbecue in Auburn.

"I started my Senate run seven years ago in this same building," said Tuberville. "My wife, Suzanne and I moved here 25 years ago. We educated our two boys here. Its home."

"It is another day in the life of Suzanne and me," said Sen. Tuberville of the announcement. "I have got a lot of good friends here."

"I really hate giving up the Senate job with President Trump, but I have still got 18 months with President Trump to 'Make America Great Again."

Tuberville stressed the importance of passing the President's budget out of the Senate next week.

"Our country is in bad trouble," said Tuberville. "We have got to cut spending, and we have got to grow the economy in order to do that without hurting people."

Tuberville said that if Congress does not pass Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" which extends the Trump tax cuts from 2017 then, "taxes will go up $2000 or $3000 a month."

"It is going to be double duty for 18 months, but I want to do what is best for the state of Alabama," said Tuberville. "I am a builder."

"We have got to grow the economy to put people back to work," said Tuberville.

Reporters asked Tuberville why he is running for Governor.

"I want to do what is best for the state of Alabama," said Tuberville. "I want to give back."

Even though Tuberville is following three consecutive Republican governors (Bob Riley, Robert Bentley, and Kay Ivey) he promised that his governance will bring change to the state of Alabama.

"We are going to make Alabama Great Again," said Tuberville. "We are going to do things differently. We are going to have a great staff and hit the ground running."

"I have got another 18 months," said Tuberville who said that he has discussed this with President Trump. "He was very supportive." "We talked about it. I think he knew it before I did. Whatever you want to do I support you."

"He is loved in the state of Alabama," said Tuberville of President Trump. "He is supported by a large majority of the people of Alabama."

Tuberville promised to work hard both as a candidate and as a future governor.

"I am going to run hard," Tuberville promised. "We worked hard every day for a day and a half. We are going to do the same thing here."

Tuberville told the crowd that he is "Coach" not "Senator" and that he will remain "Coach" when he is Governor.

"I will be Coach to everybody even my granddaughter Rosie Grace is going to call me Coach," said Tuberville. "I am not doing this to be a Governor."

"We are going to grow Alabama," Tuberville promised. "We are going to bring back manufacturing. We are going to stop illegal immigration."

Reporters brought up the issue of Tuberville's second home in Florida.

"I have a house in Florida," said Tuberville. "Everybody knows that. A lot of people do that." "We have been here for 25 years."

Tuberville was elected to the Senate in 2020 over incumbent Senator Doug Jones (D-Alabama) in a landslide win. He has been an outspoken supporter of President Donald J. Trump (R) during his time in the Senate.

"Coach Tuberville, in my opinion, is one of the greatest football coaches in the nation. He is one of the greatest Senators we have ever had, and I am convinced that he will be one of the greatest governors in America," said Alabama Gazette contributor former State Representative Perry O. Hooper Jr. (R-Montgomery).

Tuberville is a native of Arkansas. He is a career teacher, coach, and sports broadcaster. He is a former head coach at Auburn University. Tuberville also coached at Texas Tech, Ole Miss, and Cincinnati. He was the defensive coordinator at Miami (where he won a national championship) and Texas A&M.

Birmingham area insurance agent Ken McFeeters is the other declared Republican candidate for Governor. Chad "Chig" Martin. Marin, who describes himself as a 'Wallace Democrat,' is the first Democrat to announce. He ran for the Democratic primary in 2022; but failed to make the Democratic primary runoff. Sources expect that there will be a crowded Democratic Primary field.

Tuesday's announcement means that Tuberville's U.S Senate seat will be open in 2026. Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall (R) is expected to qualify to run for the Senate

The Republican Primary will be on May 19, 2026.