Trump ally Tuberville announces run for Alabama governor

Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville on Tuesday announced his 2026 run for Alabama governor.

Tuberville, a top Senate supporter and ally of President Donald Trump, launched a campaign website that touts his "conservative Alabama values."

And the senator made his first appearance after announcing his candidacy on Fox News' "The Will Cain Show."

"I'm doing this to help this country and the great state of Alabama," Tuberville said in his Fox News Channel appearance. "I'm a football coach, I'm a leader, I'm a builder, I'm a recruiter, and we're going to grow Alabama."

WHY TOMMY TUBERVILLE IS TAKING AIM AT MAINE'S GOVERNOR 

Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alalbama on Tuesday announced his 2026 candidacy for governor. (Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The move by the former longtime college football coach — who spent 10 years as head coach at Auburn University in Alabama — ended weeks of speculation about his ambitions to run for governor in his homestate.

Just a week ago, Fox News confirmed that Tuberville told donors at recent private meetings that he would be launching a gubernatorial campaign.

And a source familiar told Fox News a couple of weeks ago that an endorsement from Trump would be a "done deal" if Tuberville decided to run for governor.

Tuberville, who was elected to the Senate in 2020, is running to succeed term-limited GOP Gov. Kay Ivey. And his move sets up an open Senate seat in Alabama in the 2026 midterm elections.