It’s beginning to start to get real, state of Alabama.
A little over a month ago, it was reported that former Auburn head football coach Tommy Tuberville was considering a run for governor in Alabama. Tuberville, who “stepped down” as Cincinnati’s coach in early December of last year, subsequently confirmed that he was giving a gubernatorial run in the state serious consideration.
Earlier this week, that consideration got $ignificantly more $eriou$.
While he’s yet to officially throw his hat into the ring for the 2018 race, the Opelika-Auburn News, citing campaign finance reports, is reporting that Tuberville on Tuesday “filed paperwork... to form a principal campaign committee to run for governor of Alabama as a Republican, and on Thursday reported that he had loaned his newly formed campaign $100,000.” The deadline to run as a major party candidate for the primary election is February 9 of next year, so, even as he’s expedited the process financially, Tuberville still has plenty of time to make a decision to run.
Tuberville is an Arkansas native who’s never held political office. Most famously, he was the head coach at Auburn from 1999-2008 after abruptly leaving Ole Miss, helping to guide the Tigers to a six-game winning streak over the rival Alabama Crimson Tide during his tenure.
So, how could Tuberville possibly sway long-time Tide diehards should he decide to run? He addressed that part of the political equation earlier this week.“If it wasn’t for me, you wouldn’t have Nick Saban.”
- Tuberville on why Alabama fans should vote for him
— Opening Drive (@openingdrive) March 29, 2017
Kind of hard to argue with that logic, actually.
And, if you’re from the state or simply interested, there’s a very good look HERE at a potential Tuberville platform should he officially decide to run. Spoiler alert: he wouldn’t seek an endorsement from Nick Saban.