Fresh off a historic victory in House District 73’s special election earlier this year, State Rep. Kenneth Paschal (R-Pelham) on Tuesday announced that he will seek to serve a full term in the Alabama House of Representatives.
Paschal was successful in his bid to fulfill the remainder of former State Rep. Matt Fridy’s (R-Montevallo) term. His election to the lower chamber saw the first black Republican elected to the legislature since Reconstruction.
In announcing his bid to serve a full term, Paschal expressed gratitude to his constituents for placing confidence in him to serve them in Montgomery.
“I want to again thank the voters of Shelby County for the trust they placed in me during the three special elections,” said Paschal. “I’ve only represented District 73 for the past three months, but I’ve met so many great people and it has only reinforced my commitment to public service.”
“Today, I’m officially announcing that I will be running for a full term in 2022. As I’ve said all along, I’m running for God and country. That hasn’t changed,” he advised. “We need strong conservatives in Montgomery who will stand up for what we believe.”
Upon his election, Paschal was appointed by House Speaker Mac McCutcheon (R-Monrovia) to serve on the Constitution, Campaigns, and Elections Committee as well as the Military and Veterans’ Affairs Committee.
The retired, 21-year U.S. Army veteran was raised in the town of Eclectic and in 2006 moved to Shelby County. Paschal is a past commander of the American Legion and a member of the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce.
Additionally, he holds a seat on the Shelby County GOP Executive Committee and was recently appointed by Alabama Republican Party chairman John Wahl to serve as the state GOP minority outreach coordinator.
Paschal dedicates his time serving numerous pro-family organizations including the Alabama Family Rights Association, where he seeks to shield families from government overreach as well as to protect children and families from abuse. Since 2008, he has attended First Baptist Church in Pelham.
House District 73 is currently includes portions of Alabaster, Calera, Chelsea, Helena, Montevallo, Pelham and unincorporated Brantleyville. The primary election is set to take place on May 24, 2022.
Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL
