Tommy Tuberville is thinking about running for governor.
Alabama’s senior U.S. senator told media outlets on Tuesday that he hasn’t ruled out giving up his senate seat and running for the state’s top office in 2026. Tuberville told Punchbowl News’ Andrew Desiderio that he would make up his mind by May.
APR reported back in September that rumors were swirling among lobbyists and campaign managers about Tuberville possibly exploring a gubernatorial run, or simply walking away from his U.S. Senate seat. Sources told APR at the time that people close to Tuberville had made several calls to gauge support from important donors and to get a feel for the responsibilities that go into the day-to-day running of a state.
“If you’re the CEO of the state, you can help more in a certain amount of time,” Tuberville also told Alabama Daily News on Tuesday.
While that’s true, the job would also involve considerably more interaction with constituents, various public appearances and state government responsibilities than Tuberville has in his current gig. And while it would be less travel, it would also mean that Tuberville had to reside in Montgomery.
And that’s only if he could get the job.
While most experts believe that Tuberville would enter the governor’s race as the favorite, based on simply his name ID, that doesn’t really mean much in this state. In fact, judging by other contested statewide races in recent history, it might make him a longshot to win.
Alabama voters aren’t known for making the expected choice – a fact Tuberville, who unseated longtime Sen. Jeff Sessions, should know well. That is especially true when it comes to choosing a governor when there’s no incumbent in the race.
For certain, though, should he choose to run, Tuberville will be put through the ringer in a multi-candidate, wide-open race. Unlike his battle with Sessions, where he was rarely pressed for hard answers and never was tested by a damaged opponent who had the sitting president lobbing bombs into his campaign, Tuberville and his family will face a full-fledged vetting.
Should the field of challengers include expected candidates Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth, Ag Commissioner Rick Pate and former VA Commissioner Kent Davis, Tuberville, for the first time in his political career, will face candidates who aren’t damaged, are well funded and have very strong bases of support going into the race.
Still, though, should he decide to enter the race in May, he’ll immediately become the frontrunner. And he’ll open up a very lucrative Senate seat.
