Sen. Tommy Tuberville sat down for an interview with Alabama Public Television’s Capitol Journal this week and talked about his decision to run for governor.

The recorded interview will be broadcast Friday night at 7:30 on APT and repeated Sunday at noon.

Alabama Daily News watched the interview and published a story about some of what Tuberville talked about with Capitol Journal host Todd Stacy.

Tuberville said that if he becomes governor he will push for reduced regulations on businesses and lower taxes, moves that he said would boost Alabama’s economy.

As for legislation on a lottery and expanded legal gambling in Alabama, the senator said he did not plan to take an active role.

“The governor shouldn’t have anything to say with that,” Tuberville said.

“I’m one vote, the people vote that in, I don’t have anything to do with that, (so) the Legislature has got to make their mind up of the direction they want to go and what they want to do.”

Legislation to allow a lottery or other forms of expanded gambling requires a constitutional amendment that voters would have to approve. The governor does not have to be directly involved.

Gov. Kay Ivey has been involved in the lottery and gambling issues.

Ivey appointed a study group on gambling that issued a report on how expanded gambling would affect the state.

In 2024, the governor supported legislation to allow voters to decide on whether to allow a lottery, sports betting, casinos, and a statewide gambling commission.

The Alabama House passed a comprehensive gambling bill last year, but a scaled back, compromise version eventually fell one vote short in the Senate.

This year, Sen. Greg Albritton, R-Atmore, was unable to round up the votes to pass a gambling bill and did not introduce it.

Alabama voters have not had their say on a lottery plan since rejecting Gov. Don Siegelman’s lottery plan in 1999.