James McGill announces run for Alabama State House
Former Russell County engineer James McGill officially announced his candidacy to run for the Alabama State House of Representatives in House District 80 Tuesday morning in a press release. McGill is seeking the nomination on the Republican ticket, which is vacant due to the passing of Representative Lesley Vance earlier this month. The seat will be filled during a Special Election that has been called by Governor Robert Bentley, scheduled for a Jan. 19 primary followed by the general election scheduled for April 12. “We need a strong, experienced conservative leader to represent us in the State House. I have a heart for this part of our state. This is my home and the people here are my friends and neighbors,” McGill stated. “I know how much we have to offer and I believe that I can provide the type of leadership that District 80 deserves.” Mcgill is an engineer and has served as the Director of Economic Development for the Russell County Chamber of Commerce for more than a decade where he had a track record of helping the area to grow. McGill points to Fort Mitchell’s commercial expansion and safer access to Fort Benning’s West Gate as examples of what he has helped to achieve. “It is critical that we continue the growth between lower Lee County, upper Phenix City and west Russell County. We need proven representation that can pull these three areas together and if we can do that, we can outgrow any region of the state,” McGill explained. “I know that I can make that happen.” Qualifying for the special election closes Tuesday, Nov. 17 at 6 p.m. EST. At the time of publishing, McGill’s only challenger is current Phenix City council member Chris Blackshear. Currently no Democrat had qualified, but Russell County Commissioner Tillman Pugh, who ran unsuccessfully against Vance in 2014, is considering it.
Robert Bentley calls for Special Election to replace the late Lesley Vance
Gov. Robert Bentley released one of his most solemn orders in recent memory Monday night, calling for a special election in House District 80 to replace the late Rep. Lesley Vance. Vance passed away last Tuesday at the age of 76, after a long struggle with what news reports have called “an extended illness.” The timeline for the special election, set for April 12, is as follows according to an announcement from the governor’s office: A Special Primary Election for the District 80 House seat will be held on Tuesday, January 19, 2016. Or, in the event that a Special Primary Election is not necessary because the major parties have only one candidate, the Special General Election will be held on Tuesday, April 12, 2016. If necessary because of one candidate not receiving a majority of the votes in the Special Primary Election, a Special Primary Runoff Election will be held on Tuesday, March 1, 2016. If a Special Primary Runoff Election is not necessary because one candidate receives a majority of the votes in the Special Primary Election, the Special General Election will be held on Tuesday, April 12, 2013. If a Special Primary Runoff Election is required, the Special General Election will be held on Tuesday, May 10, 2013. Major-party candidates have until Tuesday, November 17 at 5:00 p.m. to file to run for the seat. The state parties must certify their qualified candidates to the Secretary of State within 48 hours in order to appear on the ballot. “This timeline gives candidates time to qualify, allows voters time to learn about candidates, and allows time for those who are unable to vote in-person to arrange to vote by absentee ballot,” Bentley said in a release. “Representative Vance was a great man and a dedicated public servant. I know the next representative for District 80 will be a strong advocate for people in the district, just like Rep. Vance was during his time in the Alabama House of Representatives,” said Bentley. HD 80 covers parts of Lee and Russell counties, in the state’s eastern central region. “Today, the citizens of Russell and Lee Counties and the entire state of Alabama lost a great leader in the passing of Representative Lesley Vance,” Hubbard said last week. “Chairman Vance was a fine man and an effective legislator who nobly fought for his constituents for more than 20 years.” Vance was first elected to the Legislature in 1994, switching his party affiliation to Republican in 2010, giving the GOP a supermajority in the Alabama House.
