Nov 5, 2024 Story by: Editor
Democratic nominee Shomari Figures emerged victorious in Alabama’s newly redrawn 2nd Congressional District on Tuesday, marking a significant win in a race that could influence the balance of power in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The Associated Press called the race at 10:55 p.m., with 96% of precincts reporting. Figures, a former Biden administration official, and Mobile native received 156,622 votes (54.5%) compared to 130,568 votes (45.5%) for Republican nominee Caroleene Dobson, a real estate attorney.
Before the race was officially called, Figures began his speech by honoring his family, including his wife, whom he described as sharing a “sense that we can make the government do good,” and his mother, Alabama Sen. Vivian Davis Figures, D-Mobile. Figures also paid tribute to his late father, Michael Figures, a former Alabama Senate President Pro Tem. “We were 14, 11, and 7 at the time my father died,” Figures said, “and she kept it going… and raised a very talkative and energetic… opinionated little boy and the next congressman from the state of Alabama.”
Figures expressed gratitude for his election but acknowledged there was work to be done in the district, particularly regarding healthcare access. “I still need that help to represent these communities… in the best effective way and the most effective way that we possibly can… we know what’s at stake.”
The 2nd District was redrawn last year after a federal court mandated the state to establish a second district where Black voters would have a strong chance to elect their preferred representatives. Stretching from Mobile County through the Black Belt and Montgomery to the Georgia border, the district leans Democratic according to the Cook Political Report.
Dobson’s campaign focused on economic issues, criticizing the Biden administration’s inflation handling and advocating for energy independence. Even before the race was officially called, Dobson noted her campaign’s strong performance, despite what she referred to as a “home-field advantage” for the opposing side. She highlighted key issues like inflation, “open borders,” and rising crime as critical to Alabama families. “As someone who was born and raised in the 2nd District my roots run deep,” she said, encouraging others to consider public service as “citizen servants working towards a better day for all Alabamians.”
Sen. Vivian Davis Figures reflected on the historical context of her son’s election, recalling that when he was born, his father was away fighting a voter fraud case. “Who would have thought that this would have been the son that would actually follow in his father’s footsteps to carry on that fight for justice for all?” she remarked emotionally.
Figures will replace Rep. Barry Moore, a Republican, who chose to run in the 1st Congressional District following the redrawing of the 2nd. Figures saw strong support in Mobile County, his home base, and made significant gains in Montgomery, while Dobson maintained her support in the district’s rural regions.
With Figures’ election, Alabama will, for the first time in history, have two Black representatives serving simultaneously in the U.S. House of Representatives. “With your support, we will make this district the most viable place that it can possibly be. We will make this district a shining light on a hill,” Figures said. Source: Alabama Reflector
