By Jeff Devine, Dale County Chronicle
Senator Tommy Tuberville, the Republican U.S. senator from Alabama who is running for governor in 2026, is facing another challenge, this time in the form of a lawsuit that challenges whether he meets the state’s residency requirements to appear on the ballot.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Ken McFeeters filed the legal complaint Tuesday in Covington County Circuit Court, naming both Senator Tommy Tuberville and the Alabama Republican Party as defendants. McFeeters argues that Tuberville has not lived in Alabama continuously for the seven years required under the state constitution to qualify for governor. McFeeters contends that Tuberville’s primary residence is at a multimillion-dollar home in Florida rather than the Auburn residence the senator lists locally.
The lawsuit comes after McFeeters previously brought a challenge to the Alabama Republican Party, which reviewed and dismissed the complaint earlier this year, allowing Tuberville to remain on the primary ballot. McFeeters said he is now asking a court to require Tuberville to show clear proof of his residency to voters and, if necessary, keep his name off the ballot. Some lawyers, including those representing Tuberville, however, argue there is room for interpretation in the Alabama Constitutional requirement for residency.
Senator Tuberville’s campaign has rejected the claims, with a spokesperson describing the lawsuit as a publicity stunt, and Tuberville himself has publicly dismissed the residency concerns as unfounded.
The legal fight highlights lingering questions about the senator’s eligibility under the Alabama Constitution, which states that candidates for governor must have been resident citizens of the state for at least seven years immediately preceding the election. Legal experts say the language of the residency requirement can be subject to interpretation in court.
Tuberville, a former college football coach first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2020, announced his bid for governor in 2025 and is widely considered a leading contender for the Republican nomination. His campaign has attracted significant attention amid the contentious dispute over where he truly lives.
The lawsuit adds new uncertainty to a race that is already closely watched across Alabama, as courts now will have to consider whether Senator Tommy Tuberville meets the constitutional residency threshold before voters do at the polls.
