Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) is seriously considering a run for Alabama governor in 2026, telling reporters he is “50/50” on a second term in the Senate.

Tuberville, first elected to the chamber in 2020, has been discussing his political future with Senate colleagues, he told the Washington Examiner on Tuesday, including members of GOP leadership and Republicans who once served as governor.

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“You got to talk to people who have been there, done that,” he said.

Tuberville plans to make his decision in the spring as the primary field in Alabama begins to take shape. Possible GOP contenders including Will Ainsworth, the state’s lieutenant governor, and John Merrill, the former secretary of state, have said they will decide in the same time frame.

“I’m not done up here yet. I’m still thinking hard about this,” said Tuberville, suggesting what can be accomplished with Republicans in control of Washington is weighing on his decision.

Republican leadership held a floor vote this week on his bill preventing transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports, but the legislation failed 45-51 without Democratic support.

“We’ve got the majority now, and I’d hate to really leave it, but at the end of the day, you gotta think about what you’re gonna do,” he added.

Tuberville would have greater latitude as the chief executive of Alabama. Two years ago, he mounted an unsuccessful blockade of military nominees in protest of the Pentagon’s abortion travel policy.

He ultimately dropped the blockade after 10 months and withering pressure from both parties.

At age 70, Tuberville may also be weighing how far he can get in a chamber that is based on seniority.

“Well, if you’re the CEO of a state, you can help more in a certain amount of time,” he said. “I’m not going to be up here forever, even if I do stay.”

“I mean, I want to play golf and go fishing and hunting and all those things,” Tuberville added.

Tuberville’s retirement from the Senate would scramble the political establishment in Alabama, where Gov. Kay Ivey (R-AL) is term-limited.

The state is reliably red, meaning his seat is likely to remain in Republican hands. He defeated Sen. Doug Jones, the last Democrat to hold the office, by 20 points in 2020. 

It could, however, funnel some of the Republicans considering a run for governor into the Senate race.

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Tuberville has not yet spoken with President Donald Trump about a gubernatorial run but said he has received encouragement in his home state.

“It’s encouraging that I’d have a good opportunity to win, but I also can win this one, this seat,” he said. “I’ve worked hard to get this seat so it’d be hard to, you know, give it up.”