Dr. Mark Shirey of Southern Vision Care on Tuesday announced his candidacy for the Alabama House of Representatives, District 100.
The seat Shirey is seeking is currently occupied by State Rep. Victor Gaston (R-Mobile), who recently announced that he would forgo reelection to the legislature.
Shirey holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in medical technology and a doctorate of optometry from the Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, TN.
He owns a single doctor optometry practice in West Mobile, where for 16 years he has provided the community with eye care services. According to the announcement, Shirey has consistently involved himself in Republican politics.
In his former role as president of the Alabama Optometric Association, Shirey coordinated with state leadership to write legislation that paved the way for expanded access to eye care services across Alabama. The optometrist has received a number of awards in recognition of his service.
In announcing his campaign bid, Shirey indicated that his business acumen would serve him well in his capacity as a legislator.
“After much thought and prayer, I am pleased to officially announce my candidacy for District 100 of the Alabama House of Representatives. In today’s political climate, we are seeing more and more political games versus leadership,” declared Shirey. “This needs to change. I am running because we need more business minded people in Montgomery who will fight for the people that they were elected to serve.”
He concluded, “As an optometrist and owner of a business, I know first hand the importance of transparency and integrity. These two qualities are what we need in Montgomery. I want to serve the people of West Mobile and Alabama to continue recruiting and retaining high quality jobs to our area, work to improve our infrastructure so that our Port and Airport can be a leader in imports and exports in America, and work to improve our education system.”
House District 100 encompasses Mobile County. The primary election is scheduled to take place May 24, 2022.
Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL
