McClendon was born in Mobile, studied as an undergraduate at Birmingham Southern College,[2] and earned a bachelor's degree and a Ph.D. from the University of Houston.
[1][2] After his military service, McClendon taught clinical optometry at the University of Alabama, Birmingham and then entered private practice.
[4] In November 2014 he was elected to represent the 11th District in the State Senate,[5] and has held that position since January 2015; he was re-elected in 2018.
[7][8] In May 2019, he voted for the Human Life Protection Act, which makes abortion a crime in the state at any stage in a pregnancy, with no exemptions for rape or incest.
[9] Later that month, McClendon said on the Matt and Aunie morning radio show that cancer patients can just buy marijuana on the street if they need it.