Shomari Figures

U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures, one of two Alabama Democrats in Congress, is trying to win a second term in a district that has been reshaped dramatically by recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions.

Now, voters have chosen state Rep. Rhett Marques to be the GOP nominee to face off against Figures in November, as Republicans attempt to increase their hold in Congress.

“This is probably going to be one of the most highly contested races in the country,” Marques said Tuesday night in Enterprise. “It’s going to be the most watched.”

“I assure you it is incumbent upon all of us to go out and talk to people and make sure that we get the support.”

The matchup comes after years of court battles about Alabama’s congressional delegation and debates about whether local Black voters should realistically be able to elect a candidate of their choice.

In 2024, Figures won his first election with 55% of the vote, including many supporters in his hometown of Mobile.

Tuesday, he cited his record in Washington -- and criticized Marques’ vote in the Legislature for Alabama’s gas tax.

“I have delivered over $17 million to the district, including support for our hospitals and our law enforcement, and funds to build affordable housing and improve our water and transportation infrastructure,” Figures said in a statement.

“I have worked for the people of Alabama because that is who we should be working for. My opponent would be just another rubber stamp on the same policies that are making life more expensive for the people right here in Alabama.”

Earlier this year, after the Supreme Court overturned years of voting rights precedent, Republicans rushed to redraw four of Alabama’s seven congressional districts.

The new 2nd Congressional District does not include Mobile. The population of Black voters in the new district is 40%, and the district is estimated to lean Republican.

“It will be competitive, but tough,” said David Alan Hughes, an associate professor at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

“He’ll do well compared to other districts, but I would still be surprised if Shomari Figures can retain that seat,” Hughes said.

Democrats aren’t giving up

Figures did not have a challenger Tuesday and has been campaigning across the southern part of the state.

At a recent town hall in Lowndes County, he said if he stays in Washington, he will be able to protect and support Social Security, public education and healthcare.

“(District 2) is a worthy investment,” state Sen. Bobby Singleton, the new chairman of the state Democratic party, said over the weekend. “We’ll help put people on the ground and get the message out.”

National groups have pledged support to Figures and 25 other members of Congress endangered by redistricting.

“The only way we can get things back is if we vote our way back,” said Rep. Terri Sewell, the state’s other Black lawmaker in Congress.

Hometown advantage

Alabama’s Wiregrass region is largely rural and agricultural, save for Montgomery, Dothan and small cities around Fort Rucker.

Marques is from Enterprise. His district in the state legislature includes the town and other parts of Coffee County.

He has been endorsed by powerful interests in the region, including the Alabama Farmers Federation, the Alabama Forestry Association and the Home Builders Association.

He is also endorsed by President Donald Trump, a boon in counties in southwest Alabama carried by the president in 2024.

Data centers

In the district, companies are working on large developments in Lowndes and Montgomery counties to support data centers.

Figures has won support from several former Republican voters due to his cautious position on data centers.

Figures said he is not anti-technology, but wants local communities to be able to have a say.

“Do you think Donald Trump wants a data center next to his house?” he asked. “Do you think Tommy Tuberville wants a data center next to his house in Florida? No. So why should you and your house be treated any differently?”

If there is development, he said, communities should be able to pull taxes and investment from companies, citing Google’s work in Jackson County as a positive example.

Marques told AL.com recently that “there are plenty of places in Alabama for a data center.”

“It should be up to the local counties and municipalities,” he said, though he did not specify how Alabama may give local governments more control in local planning and tax discussions.