By Steve Flowers
Coach Tuberville will Probably Make a Good Governor
July 23, 2025:
For the last few years after every Civic Group or Chamber banquet I spoke to, I would typically open the floor for questions and invariably the most prominent inquiry was who is going to run for Governor in 2026.
Alabamians love the Governor’s race. Always have and it stays the same. Also, they seemed to know that Governor Kay Ivey was term limited, and the brass ring of Alabama politics was going to be open. It appeared that we were going to be in for a donnybrook brawl, like we used to have in bygone days every four years when the Governor could not succeed themselves.
Then, about six months ago, when it became apparent that our Senior U.S. Senator, Coach Tommy Tuberville, was going to leave his safe senate seat to come back to Alabama to run for Governor, all the anticipation evaporated. The early potential, serious candidates vanished and headed for the hills. He was, and remains virtually unbeatable in the May 19, 2026, Governor’s race.
After the Tuberville proclamation, or even before his May 27 announcement, the question posed to me was, “Why would Tuberville leave the U.S. Senate to be Governor of Alabama?” My answer has been, Coach Tuberville’s allure to the governorship is because it is more suitable for him. His entire career has been as a CEO. He has made his life being “THE” Head Coach. He is used to blowing a whistle, and 100 players come to attention and meet him at midfield and await orders. The U.S. Senate is made up of 100 Prima donnas who have their own agendas and are islands and are territorial, devious, cunning, and clannish. They are prepared to play on a team and sit on the bench and wait 10 to 20 years to earn seniority until they can speak or be chairman of the committee or, in football analogy, get to carry the ball. If someone blows a whistle at them, they look at them like they are crazy – especially someone who is as conservative as Coach Tuberville. He just does not fit into the game in Washington.
He is a Head Coach and used to being a Chief Executive Officer. In my opinion, he will be a good governor. Like most successful leaders, he knows how to delegate rather than micromanage. He sees the big picture.
Tuberville will be unconventional in his approach, and many of the people he places in key roles will be new to state government. Those who know him well predict he will pick the best and brightest from business and industry to serve in his cabinet. He will run the state like a business much along the lines of what President Trump has done in Washington.
Tuberville’s greatest potential achievement will be as an industrial developer. He will be a hands-on recruiter of manufacturing corporations looking to locate in Alabama. He is a natural recruiter. He is unbeatable in one-on-one recruiting. If you meet him, you like him.
He will have an excellent working relationship with the state legislature. Speaker of the House, Nathaniel Ledbetter, is one of his closest political allies. They will make a good team. He will also work well with Senate President Garlan Gudger (R-Cullman) and the Senate.
Since Coach Tuberville’s victory in the Governor’s race is a foregone conclusion folks are already speculating who will be in his cabinet.
Jordan Doufexis has been the Coach’s right hand from nearly the moment he announced his Senate run. Doufexis has a razor-sharp political mind and understands Alabama politics and our conservative electorate. He is a Lee Atwater-level talent. A proud native of Sand Mountain with Greek roots, Doufexis has earned the Coach’s trust and respect and demonstrated his leadership abilities by running Tuberville’s Senate office. A future Governor Tuberville will probably name Doufexis as his Chief of Staff.
One to watch is the Coach’s former economic advisor, Emory Cox of Pell City. Cox departed Tuberville’s office in January after four years of loyal service when he was appointed as a senior member of President Trump’s White House economic staff. Young Mr. Cox is a brilliant economic mind and suave communicator. Many would be surprised to see Cox leave his prestigious White House post, but his love for Alabama and commitment to serving the state runs deep. He would make an outstanding gubernatorial cabinet member.
See you next week.
Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at steve@steveflowers.us.
