Pro-Trump Senator to Leave His Seat Open as He Pursues a New Political Challenge
Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama will not be defending his U.S. Senate seat in 2026.
Instead, Tuberville – a supporter of President Donald Trump – will be running for governor of Alabama, according to Fox News.
“I’m doing this to help this country and the great state of Alabama,” Tuberville said. “I’m a football coach, I’m a leader, I’m a builder, I’m a recruiter, and we’re going to grow Alabama.”
Tuberville was elected to the Senate in 2020. Incumbent Republican Gov. Kay Ivey cannot run again due to term limits.
Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) announces he is running for Governor of Alabama.
“Today I will announce that I will be the future Governor of the great state of Alabama.”
“I’ve still got 18 months to go with President Trump to Make America Great Again. We’ve got a lot of work… pic.twitter.com/SfxTyRYEkh
— RedWave Press (@RedWave_Press) May 27, 2025
On his campaign website, Tuberville said he is “standing up for Alabama values” and “fighting back against woke ideology.”
“My record over the last four years in Washington has proven that I’m not afraid to say it like it is. I believe, as Alabamians do, that men are men and women are women. Allowing men to compete in women’s sports is wrong,” Tuberville said on the site.
“Poisonous ideologies like Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), which teach our kids to hate each other, should have no place in our government or our schools. And zero taxpayer dollars should go towards abortions,” he added.
“Like President Trump, I’ll continue to protect common sense and stand up for our shared conservative values in Montgomery,” he wrote.
As Governor, I will work with President Trump to Make America Great Again and put Alabama First🇺🇸 https://t.co/b5Cp3lF65T
— Tommy Tuberville (@CoachForGov) May 27, 2025
Politico labeled Tuberville the “frontrunner,” noting other possible GOP candidates were shying away from the contest.
According to WAFF-TV, Republican Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth has already decided he would not seek Ivey’s post.
As noted by The Hill, Tuberville is the second GOP senator to announce he will not seek re-election in 2026. Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky announced that this would be his final term.
Republican Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, who is also term-limited, has said in recent weeks he might run for the U.S. Senate if Tuberville did not.
“If that seat becomes open, the Senate’s been sort of an overlay interest for what I’ve had at attorney general, the work we’ve done federally, many of the issues that we’ve been involved with, if that’s an open seat, I think we’ll be prepared to pivot quickly and make an announcement on whether or not we’d run,” Marshall said.
Auburn University men’s basketball coach Bruce Pearl’s name is also making the rounds, but Tuberville has said he does not believe Pearl would ultimately run.
“I wouldn’t let him do it because he did such a good job at Auburn,” he said. “We need him there.”
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