Alabama GOP dismisses challenge to Tuberville candidacy

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MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — The Alabama Republican Party on Sunday dismissed a challenge that questioned U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s eligibility to run for governor.

The Alabama Republican Party Candidate Committee dismissed the challenge filed by Ken McFeeters accusing Tuberville of not meeting the seven-year residency requirement to run for governor. Tuberville’s campaign and McFeeters confirmed the decision on Monday.

“Finally, common sense has prevailed, and this made-up ‘residency’ hoax will be put to bed for good,” Tuberville’s campaign chairman Jordan Doufexis said. The campaign issued a statement saying it provided the party with “definitive proof that Sen. Tuberville has continuously lived in Alabama since 2019.”

McFeeters, who is running against Tuberville for the Republican nomination for governor, filed the challenge last week. He said he believes Tuberville lives in a multimillion-dollar beach home in Florida instead of a smaller home that he has listed as his residence in Auburn, Alabama.

McFeeters said Monday that he is considering filing a lawsuit “to require him to release documentation showing he’s domiciled in Auburn and not his $6 million beach house.”

Property tax records show the former Auburn University football coach has a home in Auburn, Alabama, with an appraised value of $291,780 on which he claims a homestead exemption. He also has a beach home in Walton County, Florida, with an estimated market value of $5.5 million, according to property records. Tuberville’s wife and son initially purchased the home in 2017. The senator’s name was later added to the property.