Alabama ALGOP Sets Hearing For Ken McFeeters on Senator Tommy Tuberville Florida Residency Challenge ​

By Staff Writer June 02, 2026

​In a surprising turn for the Alabama Republican Party (ALGOP), a formal ballot challenge targeting Senator Tommy Tuberville’s residency has been accepted for a full hearing. The challenge, brought forward by former gubernatorial candidate Ken McFeeters, questions whether Tuberville meets the strict seven-year state residency requirement necessary to run for governor of Alabama.

​Appearing on the the BCS. State of Alabama podcast with hosts Brandon Moseley and Christopher M Peeks, McFeeters detailed the upcoming proceedings and expressed surprise that the ALGOP steering committee deemed his challenge facially valid after previous standard procedural dismissals.

​The Core of the Residency Dispute

​The primary focus of McFeeters’ challenge rests on allegations that Senator Tuberville resides primarily in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, rather than in Auburn, Alabama.

​Constitutional Threshold: Section 117 of the Alabama Constitution mandates that a candidate for governor or lieutenant governor must be a legitimate resident of the state for at least seven years preceding the election.

​McFeeters intends to utilize the party's pre-hearing provision rules to subpoena key records and individuals to substantiate his claims. His evidentiary strategy includes targeting:

• ​Flight Logs and Driving Records: Reviewing travel data indicating consistent travel to and from Florida, alongside documentation regarding when Tuberville surrendered his Florida driver's license.

• ​Property and Tax Records: Investigating local homestead exemption filings and analyzing the timelines for when state tax payments were processed.

• ​Hotel and Accommodation History: Subpoenaing stay histories in Auburn to argue that Tuberville relies on local hotels rather than a permanent primary residence when in the state.

  
  

​Procedural Battles Within ALGOP

​The acceptance of this hearing highlights shifting operational dynamics inside the ALGOP. Historically, ballot and qualification challenges were reviewed directly by the executive committee. McFeeters noted that recent rule changes made it necessary to process a substantial volume of challenges through external legal counsel—specifically the firm Balch & Bingham.

​While critics initially suggested McFeeters’ challenge lacked sufficient accompanying evidence, he clarified that ALGOP documentation allows evidence to be preserved specifically for presentation during the actual hearing.

​The defense of Senator Tuberville will be managed by prominent election attorney Bert Jordan. McFeeters noted the difficulty of the impending procedural landscape:

​"Taking on Bert Jordan and Balch & Bingham is overwhelming. If we do it procedurally, they're going to destroy me. But if we do it for the truth, then I have a chance."

​Potential General Election Implications

​A central point of friction during the podcast discussion centered on the broader political risks this challenge poses to the Republican ticket. Party establishment figures have expressed concern that keeping the residency dispute alive creates an unnecessary vulnerability that could benefit Democratic challenger Doug Jones in the general election.

​McFeeters pushed back against assertions that a primary challenge hurts the party structure, arguing instead that resolving qualification issues internally prevents a far more disruptive legal scenario later in the cycle.

If ALGOP certifies a nominee whose qualifications remain under a cloud of doubt, external lawsuits from veteran groups or opposing campaigns could transition the matter from an internal party dispute into a state court battle.

​The upcoming hearing, scheduled to take place before the ALGOP steering committee, will serve as the final administrative venue to resolve the dispute before candidates are formally certified for the ballot.

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