Auburn City Councilman Jay Hovey on Friday announced his candidacy to seek the Republican nomination for the Alabama State Senate, District 27.

Hovey, a Lee County native, is a mortgage loan originator at AuburnBank. While attending school at Auburn University, Hovey served as a student firefighter for the city of Auburn.

According to a release, the candidate has served for years in numerous community leadership capacities. Hovey in 2020 was appointed by Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth to hold a seat on the Alabama Small Business Advisory Commission, where he is currently in his second term of service.

The which Hovey is seeking is presently occupied by State Sen. Tom Whatley (R-Auburn), who is running for reelection.

“A region of our significance deserves representation in Montgomery we can be proud of. It is time for a change to someone who can build bridges, facilitate connections and has service to constituents as his primary motivation,” asserted Hovey. “I believe that someone is me.”

Hovey reflected on his service as city councilman and indicated that his election to the legislature’s upper chamber would prove beneficial for the district.

He concluded, “I am proud to be a part of such a wonderful and vibrant community, and it has been an honor and privilege to represent my neighbors, family and friends as councilman. The opportunity to extend that service further would allow me to expand positive impact on our region.”

District 27 includes portions of Lee, Tallapoosa and Russell Counties. The primary election will take place on May 24, 2022.

Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL