Kenneth Paschal | |
|---|---|
| Member of the AlabamaHouseofRepresentatives from the 73rd district | |
| Assumed office July 14, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Matt Fridy |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Kenneth Lavoyd Paschal [1] December 9,1966 |
| Party | Republican |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | |
| Branch/service | |
Years of service | 1985–2006 |
| Rank | First Sergeant |
Kenneth Paschal (born December 9,1966) is an American politician from the state of Alabama. A member of the Republican Party,Paschal was elected to represent District 73 in the Alabama House of Representatives in a July 2021 special election. [2] He is the first black Republican elected to the Alabama Legislature in almost 140 years, [3] and the first to serve in the state legislature since W. P. Williams of Madison County served a two-year term from 1882 to 1884. [4]
Paschal served 21 years in the United States Army,retiring in 2006 as a first sergeant. [5] [6] [7]
Paschal worked with the Alabama Family Rights Association. [7] He also served on the Shelby County Republican Executive Committee and was a commander of the American Legion. [5] [6]
Paschal ran for state representative following Matt Fridy's resignation in order to join the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals. [6] [7] Among his other positions,Paschal campaigned against critical race theory. [6] He won the special election on July 13,2021,becoming the first black Republican elected to the Alabama Legislature since the Reconstruction era. [6] [7] Paschal was sworn in the following day. [8]
Paschal lives in Pelham,Alabama. [5] He is a member of the First Baptist Church of Pelham. [7]