The Republican Party of Alabama has dismissed challenges to U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s campaign for Alabama governor and former Alabama Republican Party Chair John Wahl’s candidacy for lieutenant governor.
Both men faced allegations that they did not meet the seven-year residency requirement for their respective offices. GOP gubernatorial candidate Ken McFeeters filed a challenge against Tuberville last month. Former Rep. Gil Isbell, R-Gadsden, challenged Wahl’s candidacy a few days later.
“This challenge was plainly filed as a political hit job to discredit and disqualify my campaign,” Wahl said in a statement. “It mirrors the same tactics recently used against Sen. Tommy Tuberville and reflects the broader pattern of political warfare we’ve seen directed at President Donald Trump. Voters saw through those attacks, and they will see through this one too.”
Isbell and McFeeters both shared that the party dismissed their challenges with the Alabama Reflector on Monday. The notices did not lay out reasons for the dismissals.
“In my opinion, these individuals acted as Democrats do in many cases, not wanting to hear the evidence of the truth,” Isbell said in a statement sent on Monday. “So as usual, the Steering Committee does what they do: play favorites and play politics. My question is: Do they care to know the truth or even hear it?”
McFeeters was not immediately available for further comment Monday. A spokeswoman for the Alabama Republican Party declined to comment Monday.
Jordan Doufexis, Tuberville’s campaign chair, said in a statement that “common sense has prevailed and this made-up ‘residency’ hoax will be put to bed for good.”
“I thought we were done with this after his opponents and the liberal media used this same line of attack in 2019, and Coach went on to hammer incumbent Sen. Doug Jones during the 2020 Senate campaign by 20 points — but apparently a desperate primary opponent didn’t get the message this time around,” the statement said.
Former U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions, a Republican, attacked Tuberville over the residency allegations during the 2020 Republican primary for U.S. Senate, which Tuberville won.
The party notified Isbell, along with Wahl and Bryan Taylor, the attorney representing Wahl against Isbell’s challenge, that it will not consider the challenge after reviewing the documents Isbell submitted, alleging that Wahl did not meet the residency requirement for the office.
Isbell added that he does not “harbor any ill will” toward Wahl and that he likes him, before rehashing the reasons he claims he made when he filed the paperwork with the party in the hopes of getting Wahl removed as a candidate.
Taylor sent an email on Monday to announce the decision made by the steering committee on Sunday.
Tuberville has long faced questions about his residency in the state. He moved to Florida in 2017 but has said a homestead exemption claimed on a property by his wife and son in October 2018 was proof of residency. Tuberville voted in Florida after the exemption was claimed, and his name did not appear on the Auburn deed until May 2024. The Washington Post reported in 2023 that he had sold most of his properties in Auburn.
McFeeters alleged in his complaint that travel receipts suggested that Tuberville was spending most of his time in Florida. A Tuberville spokesperson dismissed the complaint as “a ridiculous PR stunt.”
Last month, Isbell said that he filed documentation with the party accusing Wahl of not meeting the constitutional residency requirements for lieutenant governor. Isbell said he presented a traffic citation in which Wahl presented a driver’s license from Tennessee, along with evidence that Wahl allegedly registered to vote in the state.
Taylor said in his statement that Wahl is eligible to remain as a candidate.
“There is absolutely nothing in the Constitution that precludes a candidate for governor or lieutenant governor from having more than one residence, including a second residence in another state,” Taylor said of Wahl.
Read more at AlabamaReflector.com.