“We got to do a lot for everybody. We got 5 million people. It’s going to be a team of 5 million people. I’m not running to be governor and to be able to drive around and people call me governor. They’re gonna call me coach. … We’re gonna do it for the people of Alabama.”
I was praying for a competitive gubernatorial race in Alabama for the 2026 cycle – not because I believe that democratic competitions produce genuine self-governance nor good, honest and true outcomes – but because the competitive democratic races are almost always much more entertaining than the noncompetitive ones.
I admit this isn’t exactly the most noble of motives for a prayer, but a man wants what he wants in this fallen world. I suppose I’ve been covering politics long enough now that I’ve learned to appreciate the sizzle regardless of the stakes.
Alas, my ignoble prayers were righteously answered with the swift and dominant ascent of Coach Tommy Tuberville to the top of the ticket as pretty much a sure thing in the 2026 election cycle.
I guess that’s it for any competitive gubernatorial race. Maybe the lieutenant governor’s race or the competition for Tuberville’s open U.S. Senate seat will provide the sizzle I seek.
Either way, Tuberville will probably be Alabama’s next governor. As the song says, “You can’t always get what you want” – though maybe Tuberville running unopposed is exactly what Alabamians need.
Unsurprisingly, no one wants to challenge Tuberville’s bid to be Alabama’s next governor. I don’t blame them. Will Ainsworth was smart to step aside. Tuberville has the name ID. He has the money. He has the Trump connection – and don’t forget he’s a darn good retail politician too – probably one of the most charming I’ve ever personally witnessed. A true recruiter. Tuberville knows how to talk to the people of Alabama, and most Alabamians love him for it.
Word to the wise: You don’t win votes in this state by pretending to be the smartest guy in the room on every potential issue – leave that to obnoxious talk radio hosts and overwrought opinion columnists.
No, you win votes in Alabama by getting to know folks where they’re at and vice versa.
One can easily call populist politicians and everyday folks dumb, but I often suspect the average “dumb” Alabamian and their populist champions are much more savvy to how democracy actually works in practice than the smart set who idealize democracy into something it simply ain’t.
Maybe the average “dumb” Alabamian has learned to see through the kayfabe of our democracy and is now bored with the show while wary of its usual rotten fruits (could this explain why Alabama’s voter turnout rates are so low?)
Maybe the average Alabamian understands that there is a vast array of choices beyond his control made by political consultants, donors, and media figures long before he ever gets to entertain the illusion of his own choice at the ballot box.
Maybe this is why most political races in America, and especially Alabama, are uncompetitive and have been for some time – people are either getting wise to the democratic farce or are simply resigned to playing their small part in the elite-managed propaganda games we call democracy.
Indeed, most Alabamians seem just fine with a familiar face like Tuberville’s rising unchallenged to the gubernatorial chair. It’s not like most folks were going to show up to vote anyway, though Tuberville’s name alone could boost turnout despite the lack of serious competition.
Some from Alabama’s smart set say Tuberville running unopposed makes Alabama’s democracy essentially Russian, which is like bad or something.
Who knew the popularity of a former football coach and sitting U.S. Senator could be so dangerous as to Russify democracy in the Heart of Dixie? Putin is smiling. Pass the vodka!
But Americans need not look overseas to autocratic foreign lands to find a lack of democratic competition. They can just look at America.
American democracy has always provided the illusion of choice to the average man without giving him much say-so in how he is actually governed. Alabama has always trended to being a one-party state, too – once Democrat, now Republican. I guess that’s just how God made us. It’s homegrown.
That said, maybe an uncompetitive governor’s race could allow for better governance in Alabama, contrary to the expectations of true believers in democracy – but that all depends on what Coach decides to do with his open lane during the campaign and then the governor’s office.
Instead of wasting his time and money on the campaign trail, putting on a competitive show, maybe Coach can use those resources traveling this great state to build a common-sense, Alabama-first governing coalition – one with a shared vision where all 5 million Alabamians feel like they’re on the same team.
Joey Clark is a native Alabamian and is currently the host of the radio program News and Views on News Talk 93.1 FM WACV out of Montgomery, AL, M-F 12 p.m. - 3 p.m. His column appears every Tuesday in 1819 News. To contact Joey for media or speaking appearances, as well as any feedback, please email [email protected]. Follow him on X @TheJoeyClark or watch the radio show livestream.
The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of 1819 News. To comment, please send an email with your name and contact information to [email protected].
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