A former aide to Gov. Kay Ivey has announced his campaign for House District 74.
Daniel Sparkman, Ivey's press secretary until last week when he resigned to run for the seat, announced Wednesday he would campaign for the seat formerly held by the late Rep. Dimitri Polizos.
Polizos died suddenly last month from a heart attack.
Sparkman has worked in the governor's office for the past five years, serving as assistant press secretary and press secretary to Ivey and in other roles for former Gov. Robert Bentley.
Prior to his service in state government, Sparkman spent the first 11 years of his career as a journalist, working in local television news at WVUA in Tuscaloosa and at WSFA in Montgomery.
Sparkman is a graduate of Booker T. Washington Magnet High School in Montgomery, and he earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Alabama, where he double-majored in journalism and political science.
He is currently pursuing a master's degree in public administration from Auburn University at Montgomery.
Sparkman is married to Abby Hodge Sparkman.
The couple has one son, who was born in January. They are members of Montgomery's First United Methodist Church. Daniel and Abby serve on the Advisory Team of Mary Ellen's Hearth, a non-profit organization in Montgomery offering hope, help and healing to homeless women and their children.
Sparkman said he hopes to live up to Polizos' example as a representative for the Montgomery legislative district.