Martin to run for House seat as Republican (updated)

Published 9:17 pm Monday, August 19, 2013

Chairwoman Carol Harrison (center) addresses those attending the Chilton County Republican Party meeting Monday night at the county courthouse.

Chairwoman Carol Harrison (center) addresses those attending the Chilton County Republican Party meeting Monday night at the county courthouse.

Jimmy Martin announced Monday he will run for the Alabama House of Representatives District 42 seat as a Republican in 2014.

Martin told those attending the Chilton County Republican Party meeting Monday night, “I’ve always been conservative, I was just on the wrong ticket.”

Martin served three terms as a state representative from the Democratic Party before Republican and now-state Rep. Kurt Wallace defeated him in 2010.

Martin said he had planned to change from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party before the election in 2010, but family allegiances kept him where he was.

In November 2011, Martin’s brother, Chilton County Probate Judge Bobby Martin, announced his plans to change parties and run for re-election as a Republican in 2012.

Jimmy Martin said Monday he has been called “a very conservative voter,” even before he changed parties.

“I feel honored because I’ve had quite a few people approach me over the time about running, so that’s why I decided to get back in it,” Jimmy Martin said. “I want to go back to where I can work for and serve the people.”

Wallace said Monday he plans to run for re-election in 2014.

“I appreciate the last three years,” Wallace said. “I appreciate your vote. We’re going to tell you what we’re going to do, and we’re going to do it.”

Carol Harrison, chairwoman of the Chilton County Republican Party, said the group is glad to have the Martins as members, as well as Wallace serving the county at the state level.

“I’m glad that we’ve got good candidates that want to run in the Republican Party,” Chairwoman Carol Harrison said. “We’re proud to have all of them we can have. I think we’ll have a good race.”

Ray Bryan and Adam Thompson, both Republican candidates for the office of Alabama State Auditor in 2014, spoke briefly about their campaign platforms during Monday’s meeting.

The next Chilton County Republican Party meeting will be Monday, Nov. 18 at 6:30 p.m.