Sen. Tommy Tuberville, the Alabama Republican once known for his years coaching college football, is looking to be President Donald Trump’s latest gubernatorial ally.
Tuberville announced his run for governor Tuesday by launching a campaign website, less than a decade after he was simply the head football coach for University of Cincinnati.
The new website greets visitors with a pop-up of Tuberville gently tossing a football in the air while donning a suit. The words above his head read: “Coach Tommy Tuberville is Running for Governor!”
The site also proudly states his vow to uphold “conservative Alabama values” and features a compliment from Trump himself: “a great champion and man of courage.”
Tuberville was elected to the Senate in 2020 after Trump endorsed his bid over former Attorney General Jeff Sessions, whom Trump had picked to join his Cabinet but then fired after the 2018 midterm election.
Tuberville has not only become allies with Trump but also the Club for Growth, a fiscally conservative political organization focused on tax cuts and funded by billionaires Jeff Yass and Richard Uihlein.
Tuberville has come under scrutiny from Democrats and Republicans alike—especially after he launched a ten-month campaign to block military promotions during Joe Biden’s presidency to protest the Defense Department’s abortion policy.
The ex-coach was also publicly criticized when he botched basic historical facts during a 2020 interview after winning the Senate race. When asked how the GOP could use a Senate majority to pass legislation, Tuberville answered that he doesn’t care “if you’re a Republican or Democrat.”
“Our government wasn’t set up for one group to have all three branches of government—wasn’t set up that way,” Tuberville said, adding incorrectly: “You know, the House, the Senate, and the executive.”
The real three branches of government are the legislative (which includes the Senate and House), the executive, and the judicial.
He also claimed mid-interview that soldiers fought World War II “in Europe to free Europe of socialism.” The war, however, was waged against fascism. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, or U.S.S.R., actually fought alongside the United States as an ally.
He also incorrectly claimed that former Democratic presidential nominee Al Gore was called the president-elect for 30 days before the historic recount. This is also not true.
Tuberville also drew backlash in 2020 when he announced his plans to use his Senate office to fundraise for two Republican senators from Georgia, a move which is banned by Senate ethics rules.
If Tuberville wins, he would succeed Gov. Kay Ivey, a fellow Republican who is wrapping up her last and second term.
Some wary ex-opponents have accused Tuberville of not being a full-time Alabama resident, which he has denied.
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