By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
The Alabama Republican Party announced that it has closed candidate qualifying for both Alabama House of Representatives District 4 and Senate District 26 on Tuesday, October 10 at 5:00 p.m. Senate District 26 represents Montgomery County and House District 4 represents Limestone and Morgan counties.
The following individuals qualified to run in the special Republican Primary for the House District 4 seat: Tom Fredricks; Parker Duncan Moore; and Tom Willis
DJ Johnson qualified to run for the Senate District 26 seat as a Republican. Since Mr. Johnson is the only Republican to qualify for the seat, the state will not hold a special Republican primary and Johnson will advance to the special general election.
Also on Tuesday, the Alabama Democratic Party closed qualifying for the two special elections. Five Democratic candidates qualified with the Alabama Democratic Party to run in the special election for Senate District 26. Qualified candidates for Senate District 26, all from Montgomery, are Deborah Anthony, Fred F. Bell, “Coach” David Burkette, Tony Q. Cobb, Jr., and John Knight. John Knight, D-Montgomery, is a member of the State House of Representatives. They will face each other in the Democratic primary. The winner will advance to the special general election against Republican D.J. Johnson.
Only one candidate qualified to run for State House District 4. Juanita Allen Healy of Decatur. As she has no primary opponent, Ms. Healy will advance to the special general election, where she will face the eventual winner of the special Republican primary.
“Alabama Democrats are enthusiastic about keeping this Senate seat, and picking up this House seat. Rank and file Democrats are excited about the prospect of electing legislators who will put people first, and not the special interests,” said Alabama Democratic Party Chairwoman Nancy Worley.
Senate District twenty six became vacant when Senator Quinton Ross, D-Montgomery, left the Senate to become the President of Alabama State University. Ross is a former Senate House Minority leader.
The House District four seat was vacated when state Representative Mickey Hammon, R-Decatur, pled guilty on fraud charges. Hammon is a former House Majority Leader.
The eventual winners of both seats will only be elected for the remainder of the terms that Hammon and Ross were elected to in 2016, which means they will still have to face the voters again in the 2018 regular election.
