Senator Tommy Tuberville Faces Backlash for Anti-Islam Comments in Alabama Governor Race

Senator Tommy Tuberville Faces Backlash for Anti-Islam Comments in Alabama Governor Race
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U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville, R-Alabama, sparked controversy during an interview on “The Benny Show” when asked about Democratic voters moving to Alabama, Alreporter.com reported. Tuberville warned, “don’t be expecting a free lunch… bring your lunch with you, because you’re not gonna be welcome if you bring that Communist, Islamic atmosphere with you.”

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights group, condemned Tuberville’s remarks as “anti-Islam” and invited him to visit an Alabama mosque to engage with Muslim constituents. CAIR-AL Staff Attorney Britton O’Shields emphasized that American Muslims have long contributed positively to Alabama’s community through fellowship and charity.

CAIR’s 2025 Civil Rights Report highlighted a sharp rise in anti-Muslim incidents nationwide, with 8,658 complaints in 2024—the highest since 1996—a 7.4% increase from the previous year. The report links many incidents to viewpoint discrimination related to protests against the Gaza conflict.

Alabama, despite its small Muslim population, has experienced Islamophobic threats, including a 2024 email threatening violence against Mobile’s Masjid Baitul Haqq mosque. CAIR called for a hate crime investigation then, warning that rhetoric like Tuberville’s can fuel real-world dangers for Muslim communities in the state.