For the first several years of my marriage, Coach Tommy Tuberville and the Auburn Tigers won the Iron Bowl. Not only did I have the joy of being a newlywed and a new mom during those years, but I had the privilege of relishing what I like to call “the Mike” years (Alabama coaches Mike DuBose, Mike Shula and Mike Price … well, not for long) before I had to endure the trophies and all the bling during “the Nick” years.
Those were the days! For six years, the weekend after Thanksgiving was met with giddy anticipation thanks to Tuberville and his Auburn football team. To this day, if my husband hears the phrase “fear the thumb,” his right eye twitches.
Back then, no one predicted that Coach Tuberville would eventually become U.S. Sen. Tuberville (R-Auburn). I wasn’t sure what to make of his run for the Senate back in 2019, but there are a lot of things I have really admired about his service to our country and state since he went to Washington, D.C.
As Alabama’s state government continues to follow the yellow brick road of mediocrity, there may be a bright light ahead — for once, it doesn’t appear to be a train.
Tuberville is rumored to be considering a run at being Alabama’s GOP candidate for governor in 2026. If his plan to run is accurate, conservatives would lose a valuable senator, but the Senate’s loss might be Alabama’s gain.
Like him or not, Tuberville has something that many congressional representatives are missing these days: a spine. It appears it is helpful to “we the people” if our representatives in Congress are vertebrates. Possessing a backbone should be a congressional requirement.
According to Conservative Review, Tuberville currently has a liberty score of 92%. In 2023, he was awarded the Alabama Policy Institute’s (API) Warrior Award. API began giving this award in 2019 in recognition of individuals who advocate fiscal and social conservative principles in the public and private square.
Tuberville has spent the last five years battling government overreach, championing pro-life issues, and supporting our nation’s military. He supported the Laken Riley Act, introduced the Born Alive-Abortion Survivors Protection Act, and introduced the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025. He is a proactive senator, so one could surmise he would be a proactive governor if elected. He continues to advocate the need to codify many of President Trump’s common-sense executive orders. And finally, he has encouraged Congress to “lock the clock” by passing the Sunshine Protection Act of 2025, which surely could be a bipartisan, kumbaya issue for everyone!
A Tuberville run would bring a jolt of energy to the governor’s race. Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth appeared to be the GOP heir apparent since Gov. Kay Ivey is term-limited. Yet even Ainsworth seems to be wavering on his gubernatorial run now, opting for an informal Facebook poll to determine who wants him to run for governor versus who wants him to run for U.S. Senate.
Competition is always beneficial, particularly in politics. Genuine public servants work hard to earn your vote, humbly admit where they have failed in the past, and intend to do better in the future. No politician needs to think that he or she has an election in the bag. Issues need to be debated. Positions must be stated. And after Ivey’s lackluster governance for the past several years, Alabama needs a proactive leader to set us on a better track. Our state is flailing on several fronts.
I don’t know if Tuberville is the answer to our gubernatorial woes. But he does seem like a candidate who could bring life to a currently uneventful Alabama gubernatorial race, given that he brought piss and vigor to a historically dull senate position.
One thing is certain, however – Alabama needs a proactive and conservative leader. Looking back at recent Alabama governors is like surveying a row of dumpster fires. Since 2011, we have had the likes of Robert Bentley, who resigned thanks to a scandal with enormous ick factor, and Kay Ivey, who appears to just be hanging out at the mansion until her time is up. The next governor we elect needs to be an energetic leader with the vision to know what Alabama needs and how to get there. Our next governor, if not literally, at least figuratively, needs to be a tiger.
Kristin Landers is a substitute teacher and freelance writer. Landers’ previous work includes serving as Communications Director for the Alabama Policy Institute and working for Citizens Against a Legalized Lottery (CALL) to defeat legalized gambling in the state of Alabama.
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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