United States Senator Tommy Tuberville officially announced today that he plans to run for governor of Alabama in 2026.
Now, Auburn men’s basketball coach Bruce Pearl is being mentioned as a potential candidate to replace Tuberville.
According to Semafor:
One person familiar with the situation said they heard Pearl plans to run — he’s chairman of the US Israel Education Association, and he was on Capitol Hill just last week. His X feed, meanwhile, isn’t what one would typically expect of a head college coach: One of his most recent posts calls for dismantling Iran’s nuclear program.
Despite his clear interest in some political issues, others are skeptical Pearl would ever get into the race and see him as a longshot given his success on the court.
After all, there’s a $6 million reason why he might decide to stay at Auburn, where Pearl led his team to the Final Four this spring. He was also honored earlier this year as the Associated Press co-coach of the year.
“The compensation is a little bit different,” Tuberville told Semafor before his Tuesday announcement. “I wouldn’t let him do it because he did such a good job at Auburn. We need him there.”
New: Auburn bball coach Bruce Pearl being talked about as potential candidate for Tuberville's Senate seat among Republicans. One person told @ShelbyTalcott he's planning a potential run
Others think it's a long shot: “The compensation is a little bit different,” Tuberville said
— Burgess Everett (@burgessev) May 27, 2025
