U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures, D-Mobile, joined by U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Birmingham, and U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., rallied supporters in Montgomery on Thursday for what is described as Alabama’s most competitive congressional race next month. Figures also held a campaign event in Enterprise Thursday night and spoke at a rally in Dothan earlier, where he was joined by Senator Booker, Democratic gubernatorial nominee Doug Jones, and former U.S. Sen. John Tester. He continues to campaign across the Wiregrass region for the upcoming general election.
Speaking to a crowd of at least 250 people in Montgomery, Figures addressed the redistricting efforts earlier this year that reshaped the boundaries of the 2nd Congressional District. These changes reduced the district’s Black population, resulting in what Figures described as a "more Republican-leaning seat." He stated that those behind the redistricting tried to make the district unwinnable and to predetermine the election's outcome. This redistricting followed the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, which significantly weakened Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, a provision that prohibits racial discrimination in voting laws.
Figures was initially elected to Congress in 2024 under boundaries that were approved by a federal court. His election, alongside Sewell’s re-election that same year, marked a historic moment as the first time two Black Alabamians simultaneously served in the U.S. House of Representatives. Alabama's population is approximately 27% Black. Figures is set to face Rep. Rhett Marques, R-Enterprise, in the general election. The Cook Political Report, a non-partisan newsletter, currently rates Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District as likely Republican. However, Figures has reportedly outraised Marques in campaign funds, and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has purchased advertising spots in the race.
Before Figures took the stage in Montgomery, Representative Sewell opened the rally by urging attendees to vote. She framed the election as an opportunity to combat actions attributed to the Trump administration, such as cuts to healthcare programs, and attributed affordability issues to the president. Sewell endorsed Figures, stating he would fight for constituents daily.
Senator Booker, speaking after Sewell, told the crowd that circumstances were echoing history from the 1960s. He characterized the period as a moral moment for the country. He also referenced challenges to voting rights and fair representation, and described efforts to change Supreme Court rules that could disenfranchise voters, harkening back to a post-Reconstruction era.
Following the rally, Representative Sewell emphasized that Montgomery is central to the Civil Rights Movement. She highlighted the community's understanding of the importance of fighting back and expressed confidence that strong voter turnout, particularly in Montgomery, could ensure Figures' return to Congress. Figures, in turn, encouraged those living in Sewell's district to vote for her, noting her district also became more competitive after redistricting. Sewell will face Republican nominee Ammie Akin next month for Alabama’s 7th Congressional District, which the Cook Political Report identifies as solidly Democratic.
Beyond the Montgomery event, Figures stated he is seeing widespread excitement around the state. He specifically cited this excitement in Montgomery, Dothan, Enterprise, Tuskegee, Union Springs, and Luverne. The Alabama Democratic Party is currently fielding its largest slate of candidates since 2018. Additionally, Democratic-leaning counties across the state reportedly saw an increase in voter turnout during the May Primary Election.
