Ben Robbins has announced his candidacy to seek the Alabama Republican Party’s nomination in the special election for District 33 of the Alabama House of Representatives.

The seat became vacant upon the death of State Rep. Ron Johnson (R-Sylacauga), who had held the seat since 1978.

Robbins — a Talladega County native, Sylacauga resident and local attorney — ran against Johnson in the 2018 GOP primary, narrowly losing out by 211 votes.

“Representative Johnson served Talladega, Coosa, and Clay Counties well for more than forty years,” Robbins said in a statement on Monday. “His seniority and institutional knowledge made him a significant figure in the halls of the Alabama House of Representatives. His leadership will be missed. He was a great friend to the people of our District.”

A release from his campaign outlined that Robbins will focus on job creation, education and improving vital infrastructure across the Yellowhammer State. The release added that he will work with legislative leaders to keep Alabama’s taxes low and find creative ways to incentivize job creation in an effort to solidify the state’s pro-business reputation.

“Our district is a wonderful place to raise a family,” Robbins stated. “We owe it to our children and grandchildren to leave them with more opportunities than we had, and I believe fresh ideas, bold leadership and true conservative values are the foundation of that success.”

Robbins serves on multiple community boards, including Habitat for Humanity, co-president of Leadership Sylacauga and past-president of the Talladega Rotary Club. He is also reportedly active with several local Chambers of Commerce and the Sylacauga Young Professionals.

The Republican special primary election for House District 33 will be held on October 6, with the general election scheduled for January 19.

Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn