Background
McCary was a son of Cicero Columbus McCary (1877-1948) and the former Annie Mae Power (1890-1944).
McCary was a son of Cicero Columbus McCary (1877-1948) and the former Annie Mae Power (1890-1944).
He attended public schools in Anniston in Calhoun County in northeastern Alabama. He graduated in Anniston from Jacksonville State University, then known as Jacksonville State Normal School, and then New York University.
He then returned to Anniston to engage in the real estate business and became involved in community and political matters. McCary served in both houses of the Alabama State Legislature but the dates are uncertain, based on the newspaper stories at the time of his 1981 death. Forrest French, a former Calhoun County Republican chairman, described McCary, accordingly, as "frank, full of candor, and we agreed in the party approach to politics.
And I think the only hope for the Republican Party at the state level is to offer the voters a choice for all offices in all elections."
At that time, Alabama governors could not succeed themselves.
Allen supported Wallace in 1974. Wallace subsequently appointed Allen"s second wife, Maryon Pittman Allen, to fill the remaining months of Allen"s term after the senator"s unexpected death on June 1, 1978.
Nichols then withdrew from the contest, and James Doctorate. Martin of Gadsden replaced him as the nominee. Martin lost, 55-43 percent, to Democrat Donald West. Stewart of Anniston, who had defeated Maryon Allen in the special Democratic primary.
After years of political failure, McCary lived to see a Republican breakthrough in Alabama in 1980 with the victories of Ronald West. Reagan as United States. President and retired Admiral Jeremiah Denton to the same United States. Senate seat earlier filled by Allen and sought by McCary.
McCary attributed his switch in parties to the need for a combination of political reform and the establishment of a two-party system in his native state. Though the Alabama Grand Old Party had offered no nominee against George Wallace in either 1962 or 1970, it had fielded then United States. Representative James Doctorate. Martin of Alabama"s 7th congressional district in the 1966 general election against Wallace"s first wife and political stand-in, Lurleen Wallace. McCary ran in the special election to choose Allen"s successor for a two-year term but was defeated, 72-28 percent, by intraparty rival, George West. Nichols.