McFeeters challenges Tuberville's "manhood" plans to file lawsuit challenging his residency.

February 2, 2026 – BIRMINGHAM – On Sunday the Alabama Republican Party Steering Committee rejected a ballot challenge brought by Tuberville's primary opponent – independent insurance agent Ken McFeeters. The 21-member committee ruled that the challenge was "frivolous" and dismissed it without a hearing.

"They did not deny my challenge because they proved he lived in Alabama, but because it was "factually defective," McFeeters told the Alabama Gazette on Monday. "I don't really know what that means."

"All I asked was for them to look into his residency," said McFeeters.

McFeeters claims that Tuberville's primary residence is in his home in Santa Rosa, Florida not his home in Auburn – a claim that Tuberville's 2020 Senate opponents also made, but with little success.

McFeeters said that he is not backing down.

"I am calling out his manhood," said McFeeters. "If he is a man of his word he will prove that he doesn't live in Florida. If he produces his tax returns, credit card receipts, and utility bills and they show that he lives in Auburn, I will step down. I will drop the law suit that I am in the process of filing, I will endorse him, and I will make a thousand dollar contribution to his campaign."

Tuberville's team reportedly provided documentation that Coach has an Alabama driver's license and that he registered to vote in Alabama in March 2019 and has not voted in Florida or anywhere else but Alabama.

Tuberville campaign chairman Jordan Doufexis told 1819 News that McFeeters' challenge was a "desperate" move.

"Finally, common sense has prevailed," said Doufexis. He dismissed McFeeters' challenge as a "hoax."

Tuberville faces both McFeeters and "Alabama" Will Santivasci in the May 19 Republican primary.

The 21-member steering committee similarly dismissed a residency challenge against former Alabama Republican Party Chairman John Wahl. His opponent claim that Wahl lives in Tennessee. The committee did side with the challenger in the case of Dean Odle. Odle – a Lee County pastor and schoolmaster - was accused of violating the "sore loser" plank of the Alabama Republican Party in 2022 when he is allegedly urged voters to vote for him as a write-in candidate against incumbent Governor Kay Ivey (R). Ivey had previously defeated Odle and seven other challengers in a hotly contested Republican primary.

The Alabama Gazette has not seen the court filing that McFeeters claims is imminent so we cannot comment on the details of the complaint.

If the court were to find in McFeeters' favor before the Republican primary field is formally set then Tuberville's name would be removed from the ballot and GOP primary voters would have no choice but to decide between McFeeters and Santivasci for governor. If the court decision comes after the primary – assuming that Tuberville wins the primary, but loses the court case – then the 21 member Republican Steering Committee that heard Sunday's challenge would have to choose who would replace Tuberville as the GOP nominee for Governor.

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