Reed Ingram to challenge Greg Wren for Alabama House of Representatives’ seat

Nov. 26--Montgomery County Commissioner Reed Ingram announced Monday morning he will run for the state House of Representatives' seat currently held by Rep. Greg Wren, R-Montgomery, setting up a GOP primary in the east Montgomery/Pike Road House district.

Ingram, also a Republican, said in a phone interview Monday that if elected, he hopes to encourage economic development and to support farmers in the area.

"Jobs are really big," Ingram said, outlining his priorities as "making it easier for businesses to get their business licenses, (and) making it friendly for businesses to land in this region in the state."

Ingram, the owner of Reed Ingram Motors on East Boulevard, was first elected to the Montgomery County Commission in 2004. He ran unopposed for his seat in 2012.

Wren, an insurance agent currently in his fourth term in the Legislature, sits on the House's General Fund budget committee and serves as vice chairman of the House Insurance Committee. Campaign finance records show he has about $11,000 in his campaign chest. He said Monday he would run for re-election, but planned to focus on the troubled General Fund budget for the coming legislative session, which begins Jan. 14.

"There's plenty of time for campaigns," Wren said. "There's precious little time to deal with the state budget."

Currently a boot-shaped district with its heel in Montgomery County and a shaft in Elmore County, House District 75 will be re-centered around Pike Road for the June 2014 primary, due to redistricting. Much of the new territory will come from House District 76, currently represented by Rep. Thad McClammy, D-Montgomery.

Ingram did not criticize Wren directly Monday.

"I feel like I can contribute more," Ingram said. "I've just never seen him in my district ... I don't think he's a bad representative. I just think I could do a better job, (with) boots on the ground."

Ingram said a number of people had encouraged him to run for the House seat, but that he approached the decision to run cautiously.

"We've been working on this for over 90 days," he said. "During the last week, we pulled the trigger because the polling numbers look so good."

Wren said he would focus on his voting record of "reducing state government" and pushing education and budget reform.

"I have a proven voting record and a leadership record," Wren said. "No on-the-job training is needed."

If successful in the primary and November's general election, Ingram would be the second Montgomery County commissioner elected to the House in a year. Last week, Dimitri Polizos, R-Montgomery, won a special election to fill out the term of former Rep. Jay Love, R-Montgomery.

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