Democrat Shomari Figures and Republican Caroleene Dobson will face off in November for Alabama’s newly drawn 2nd Congressional District seat.
The two candidates won their respective runoffs Tuesday, setting the stage for a general election campaign that Democrats are closely eyeing. A Democratic win would give the party an additional seat in the state’s congressional delegation and help Democrats in their effort to regain control of the U.S. House.
Last summer, in Allen v. Milligan, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that the proposed Alabama congressional district map was gerrymandered, discriminating against Black voters. The state initially refused to redraw the map, defying a federal court order.
But a new map was eventually drawn, allowing another nearly majority Black district in Alabama and setting the stage for the competitive primaries. The new district leans Democratic and Democrats turned out in greater numbers Tuesday, casting about 10,000 more votes in the party’s runoff than in the Republican contest.
Figures is the son of state Sen. Vivian Figures and former state Sen. Michael Figures. He served in the White House and the Department of Justice during the Obama administration’s second term. He later served as deputy chief of staff and counselor to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland during the Biden administration.
“Thank you to the people of District 2. At the end of the day this race is not about me,” Figures said in a statement. “This race has always been about the people and places that call our community home. It’s about our teachers, public service workers, people in uniform, our seniors, and the children of our District. To all of those who have placed their trust and confidence in me, thank you. Now, we move forward with a unified party and mission to win in November.”
Dobson is a self-proclaimed “lifelong advocate for conservative values” and an attorney who graduated from Baylor Law. She currently practices real estate law at the Maynard Nexsen law firm.
“Thank you to each and every Republican voter in the Second District of Alabama. I am humbled by your outpouring of support and eagerness to join us in fighting for Alabama families. Because you believed in me and in my vision for our district, we are one step closer to saving our country, Dobson said in a statement.
“We can win in November, but I can’t do it alone. This is just the starting line; now the fight really begins. In November, I will be up against a candidate who is for an open border, illegal immigration, and sanctuary cities; I’m for building the wall, securing the border, and ending illegal immigration. He wants to take your guns; I will protect your right to own a gun and protect your family. He will raise your taxes; I vow to keep them low and will fight to decrease them even more.”
While campaigning, both candidates have made their stances clear on various hot-topic issues.
Figures on the issues
Figures is focusing on education, health care, economic opportunity and community safety.
He wants to push Alabama to expand Medicaid, one of 10 states that have yet to do so. He also wants to expand health care networks throughout the state in rural areas and increase funding for community health care centers, addressing disparities in maternal health care for Black women and infants and people in rural areas. He is also a supporter of reproductive rights, pledging to protect in-vitro fertilization in the state.
Democratic runoffShomari Figures wins Democratic nomination in Alabama’s newly drawn 2nd Congressional District
Figures has pledged to increase pay for Alabama educators, as well as increase funding and resources to equip schools with modern technology while also expanding broadband and internet services in the district. This is an effort to close the achievement gap in the state after the COVID-19 pandemic. He also plans to increase access to mental health professionals and counselors in schools.
To support the economy, he has pledged to increase wages to help struggling families due to the increasing costs of health care, child care, and housing. He also plans to grow workforce development efforts, support small businesses via tax incentives, and lead recruitment efforts to bring new businesses into the district.
Figures plans to increase community safety and combat gun violence by addressing it with a holistic approach and proposing legislation to protect Alabamians from discrimination. He will also continue the ongoing fight to protect and expand voting rights in the district.
Dobson’s campaign focuses on immigration, the economy, the Second Amendment, energy, and anti-abortion advocacy.
Dobson on the issues
She supports building former President Donald Trump’s border wall between the United States and Mexico. She is also in favor of reducing regulatory red tape, saying it stifles business growth and innovation. She has also promised to vote to reinstate Trump’s Regulatory Bill of Rights.
Dobson has promised to support policies that allow for Second Amendment freedoms.
Republican runoff:Caroleene Dobson wins Republican nomination in Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District
She supports Alabama’s energy independence, saying the Biden administration’s energy policies have negatively affected the country. She wants to implement an affordable, reliable, and secure strategy that uses multiple forms of energy, including coal and natural gas.
Dobson holds anti-abortion views. She has advocated for policies that support life beginning from conception. She also said she believes in the “sanctity of marriage between one man and one woman.”
The general election will be Nov. 5.
Victor Hagan is the Alabama Election Reporting Fellow for the USA TODAY Network. He can be reached at vhagan@gannett.com or on X @TheVictorHagan. To support his work, subscribe to the Advertiser.
