Shortly after the death of longtime Montgomery lawmaker Thad McClammy, former state Rep. John Knight said he wasn’t sure anyone could fill his friend’s shoes in the Alabama House, but Knight hoped that McClammy’s daughter, Penni, would give it a shot.
She will. And she’ll be the only major party candidate on the ballot
Penni McClammy qualified on Tuesday to represent House District 76 — the only Democrat or Republican candidate to do so before the filing deadline for .
“While we are excited and ready to start and be a mouthpiece for the community, we also have a heavy heart, because he would have been here with us throughout this process,” Penni McClammy told the Montgomery Advertiser on Thursday.
Thad McClammy had decided not to run for re-election because of health issues, and he discussed with Penni the idea of her running. Penni, a respected attorney in Montgomery, was hesitant, Knight said, because of her father’s legacy.
“Those are big shoes to fill, but I don’t think there’s anyone else out there who could do it, just to be honest,” he said. “She’s been around him and seen what it takes, she knows the district better than anyone and they know her.”
A special primary election for the seat was scheduled for November, and a special general election is set for March 1, 2022.
