MONTGOMERY — A Montgomery County judge on Thursday dismissed a lawsuit that sought to bar U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville from the Alabama gubernatorial ballot by arguing he does not satisfy the state's seven-year residency requirement.
Judge cites jurisdictional limits
Montgomery County Circuit Judge Brooke Reid dismissed the case on jurisdictional grounds after concluding she did not have the authority to rule on a party nominee's eligibility prior to the general election. Reid, a Democrat, said she had "wrestled" with the legal questions presented but found no direct precedent resolving the dispute.
"wrestled"
The ruling clears the way for Tuberville, who has represented Alabama in the U.S. Senate since 2021, to remain the Republican nominee on the November ballot as he faces Democratic candidate Doug Jones in a rematch of their 2020 Senate race.
Reactions from both campaigns and plaintiffs
Attorneys and campaign officials reacted quickly. Joe Espy, who represented Tuberville in the suit, praised the decision. Jordan Doufexis, chairman of Tuberville's campaign, called the case a "bogus lawsuit" and highlighted that the dismissal came from a Democratic judge who "followed the law."
"Doug Jones' residency hoax just got sacked for a loss as a Democrat judge in Montgomery dismissed yet another desperate lawsuit from 'DC Doug's' Democrat proxies," Doufexis said in a campaign statement.
The two voters who filed the suit are represented by attorney Barry Ragsdale, who said he plans to appeal Reid's decision. Ragsdale maintains the plaintiffs have evidence they believe would show Tuberville maintains a primary residence in Florida rather than Alabama.
"Everyone who has viewed the credible evidence knows that Tuberville really lives in a $5 million gated mansion on the beach in Florida and not in that tiny house behind a strip mall in Auburn," Ragsdale said.
What the case means for the election timeline
By dismissing the case on jurisdictional grounds rather than on the merits, Reid left open the possibility that Tuberville's residency and eligibility could be litigated later, whether on appeal or through another legal route. For now, however, her decision means the campaign will proceed without a court-ordered removal from the ballot.
- Judge: Brooke Reid, Montgomery County Circuit Court
- Defendant/nominee: U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R), in Senate since 2021
- Legal issue: Whether Tuberville meets Alabama's seven-year residency requirement for governor
- Next steps: Plaintiffs' attorney plans to appeal
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Decision date | July 9, 2026 |
| Legal basis for dismissal | Jurisdiction — court declined to rule on nominee eligibility pre-election |
| Potential follow-up | Appeal filed by plaintiffs' attorney |
The dispute adds another legal element to a gubernatorial contest that already carries statewide attention. For voters and election officials, the immediate practical effect is that Tuberville remains the Republican nominee and will appear on the ballot in November while the legal challenge moves to the next stage.
Beyond the courtroom, the exchange underscores how high-profile races increasingly intersect with litigation over ballot access, residency and qualifications. The plaintiffs have signaled they will continue pursuing the matter through the appeals process; campaign officials for Tuberville framed the suit as an attempt to short-circuit voters' choice.
As the appeal process unfolds, candidates and campaigns will continue preparing for the general election, and Alabamians will watch whether the courts ultimately weigh in on the residency question ahead of November.
