Judge hears arguments challenging Alabama residency of GOP gubernatorial nominee Tommy Tuberville

FILE – Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WAKA) – Arguments involving a lawsuit challenging the Alabama residency of Republican nominee for governor Tommy Tuberville have been heard in a Montgomery County courtroom.

Montgomery County Circuit Judge Brooke Reid is hearing the case.

As Action 8 News has reported, the lawsuit was earlier this month by Brooke Lynn Dorgan and Justin Jude LeBlanc. Dorgan is a resident of Mobile County while LeBlanc is a resident of Jefferson County, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit claims that Tuberville hasn’t lived in Alabama for seven years, which is a requirement in order to run for governor under state law. It seeks to have Tuberville prove that he has been an Alabama resident since November 3, 2019, which is seven years before this year’s November 3 general election.

Tuberville has faced accusations that he has been a resident of Florida, where he owns a beach home in addition to a home in Auburn. Despite those questions from some, Tuberville won the Republican primary for governor with 85% of the vote in May.

His attorneys want the lawsuit dismissed and say it’s the Alabama Legislature, not a court judge, which has authority over elections.

“The people have decided who sits in the legislature. You have to accept the people’s voice now. They don’t want to accept the voice of the people. We do. We want to accept the voice of the people and we want to follow the Constitution of Alabama,” Joe Espy, an attorney for Tuberville, said.

“This is a very technical question of law,” Barry Ragsdale, an attorney for the plaintiffs, said. “We’ve got a judge that’s going to read it all and analyze it and I have faith that she’ll make the right decision.”

Tuberville faced similar claims by Ken McFeeters, who was an opponent of Tuberville’s in last month’s Republican primary. McFeeters received 9.5% of the vote in the primary. On Sunday, June 14, the Alabama Republican Party held a hearing that affirmed Tuberville was qualified to be Alabama governor based on tax forms, property records and other documents.

Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen had also been named in the lawsuit, due to the nature of his position overseeing elections. He has since been removed from the lawsuit.

READ LAWSUIT CHALLENGING TOMMY TUBERVILLE’S RESIDENCY