Figures, Marques vie for Alabama’s most competitive congressional district

Alabama’s most competitive congressional race has drawn national funding and attention and by one measure has been getting tighter as next week’s election approaches.

U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures is seeking re-election to his second term in Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District, but the district looks much different from the one that elected him in 2024. 

That map spread the district from Mobile to Montgomery to the Georgia state line. But a U.S. Supreme Court ruling this spring known as Louisiana v. Callais weakened Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, raising the bar for proving racial discrimination. The nation’s high court then allowed the state to revert to a 2023 map, previously struck down by federal courts as racially discriminatory, that altered the district to take in southeast Alabama, and become more Republican. 

A special session of the Alabama Legislature in May set up an August special primary for four affected districts. 

The district now covers all of Lowndes, Montgomery, Macon, Russell, Bullock, Barbour, Pike, Crenshaw, Butler, Coffee, Dale, Henry, Houston and Geneva counties, and the northeast corner of Covington County and southern half of Elmore County. 

Republican nominee Rhett Marques, a state representative from Enterprise, won the Aug. 11 special primary election with more than 50% of votes in a field of six Republicans. 

The new district was rated R+7 and was expected to be a fairly easy Republican pick-up. But Figures has managed to outraise Marques, and the favorable national environment for Democrats prompted the non-partisan Center for Politics to move the district from “Likely Republican” to “Lean Republican” last week, and then to “Toss-up” on Tuesday. 

Alabama 2nd Congressional District race could have national implications

Miles Coleman, associate editor of the Center for Politics, said in a phone interview Tuesday that while the center is usually “flying blind” for the ratings, factors like fundraising, outside money, and Democratic enthusiasm in Alabama contribute to the shifting toward Figures. 

“With the cost of living being like the dominant issue, and basically Donald Trump widely being seen as not doing enough there, I think there could be more backlash against Republicans in just poor regions of the country. The South, you could see something like that,” Coleman said. “I think Democrats, because of that, might have a bit more upside in a region like the Deep South compared to a wealthier state like New York.”

The candidates

On the campaign trail, Figures has touted his work to improve access to healthcare, citing his efforts to ensure Jackson Hospital in Montgomery remained open. 

“When I first heard Jackson Hospital was closing, or that they were thinking of closing, the first thing I did was I got on a plane … and I convened the governor’s office, the city, the county, the Blue Cross Blue Shield representatives, the management group of the hospital and the operating group of the hospital to talk about what was going on,” Figures said during an August town hall in Montgomery with Democratic gubernatorial candidate Doug Jones.

According to his website, Figures also wants to invest more into education to improve academic outcomes for students, increase teacher salaries and “advocate for federal funding to modernize our schools.”

He has also attacked President Donald Trump, who endorsed Marques, on affordability issues. In September he introduced legislation to prevent Trump from importing 300,000 tons of beef under market value, a move that drew unusual rebukes to the president from farmers and politicians across the state.

In a statement Tuesday afternoon, Figures highlighted his congressional record and said he still represents “represent(s) 60% of the people and half of the counties in the new district.”

“We have a solid record of delivering for the district, and in less than two years in office, I’ve brought home nearly $20 million to help our struggling rural hospitals, build affordable homes, support our local law enforcement, and more. I’ve fought for relief for our farmers and free college tuition for the families of teachers, social workers, police officers and firefighters,” Figures said.

In September, Figures introduced a bill that would cover the full cost of higher education tuition, fees and books and job training opportunities for the dependents of educators, first responders and social workers who have at least 20 years of qualifying service.

Figures also criticized how the Trump administration has handled affordability.

“Republicans have to answer for why they are supporting reckless tariffs and a war that are driving up gas and diesel prices, which is costing us all and crippling our state’s largest industry – agriculture. People here are tired of what’s going on and this November they will voice that frustration,” Figures said.

In a written statement Tuesday afternoon, Marques said he would advocate for a more affordable Alabama, safer communities and veterans and active duty service members. The Trump-endorsed candidate has often compared the two campaigns as “craziness vs. commonsense,” launching a website as he gained an endorsement from the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB). 

Marques pledged to lower taxes, and “save our district, our state, and our country from falling to the destructive far-left.”

Under the 2023 map, Figures would have been drawn out of the 2nd district as a Mobile-native, but he recently moved to Montgomery to maintain residency. The U.S. Constitution says members of the United States House of Representatives must be 25 years old; a United States citizen for at least seven years and a resident of the state they would represent. 

But the Constitution does not require a member of the U.S. House to live in the district that elects them. Marques alluded to Figures not being from the district, making the Republican the better candidate for the job. 

“I am proud to have the support of local grassroots organizations that know the values, priorities, and needs of our area…” he said. “Crisscrossing this district to bring our common-sense message directly to hardworking Alabamians has been an honor, and I’m working hard to earn every single vote on Tuesday.”

Figures has attacked Marques for voting to increase the state gas tax in 2019 as part of the Rebuild Alabama Act, which had broad support in the Legislature, and criticized him for his ties to Trump, telling al.com that “he’s in trouble because gas is high and he’s part of the reason why.” 

Once the map changed, the district was considered more Republican-leaning. As the race has progressed and candidates have maintained national support, the non-partisan Center for Politics has gradually shifted its rating towards Figures. On Tuesday, the rating changed from “Leans Republican” to “Toss Up.” 

Coleman said that having Democratic gubernatorial nominee Doug Jones on the ticket also helps Figures. Jones is the last Democrat to win statewide office in his 2017 U.S. Senate victory over former Alabama Supreme Court Justice Roy Moore. The Callais decision and its gutting of the Voting Rights Act could end up helping Figures, he said. 

“I wonder if with the Voting Rights Act being kind of really curtailed by the Supreme Court over the summer, if that’s going to lead to any kind of enthusiasm with the African American vote,” Coleman said. 

Figures and Marques have received support from other members of Congress while campaigning. Last week, U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., campaigned with Figures in Montgomery and Dothan.

“He’s brought millions and millions of dollars back to Alabama to help create jobs, help expand business opportunity, help people, and that’s what he stands for,” Booker said in a press conference after the rally. “So I could be anywhere in the country. I get lots of invitations. I had to be here for Shomari because we need him back. And when I say we, the people of Alabama really need him back in office.”

U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, also joined Figures in Montgomery on Tuesday evening for a rally encouraging people to vote so Democrats will have the majority in Congress.

“We don’t have the numbers right now, and the goal is to at least get the numbers in the House so we can stop some of the harm that is happening to everybody,” Crockett said. “We can stop it right there. We would have the votes to be able to stop the harm, and they (Republicans) wouldn’t be the ones dictating what bills actually make it to the floor.”

Figures said last week national support is “reflective of two realities.”

“The first reality is that this is a seat that we can win. This is not a long shot. This is not a pipe dream. This is something that we know what it takes to win it, and we know we can do it if we just show up to vote,” Figures said. “The second reality is that we are unified. You hear a lot of noise that tries to divide us and try to pull us apart, but this is showing us that this issue is of concern in the north, as far north as New Jersey.”

U.S. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., joined Marques at a Dothan campaign stop last week aimed at law enforcement support. Trump has repeatedly endorsed Marques online and at an Oct. 2 rally in Mobile.

Fundraising

Coleman said Figures’ fundraising in the third quarter and outside spending in the race has indicated a shift towards Democrats. 

In Alabama congressional races, incumbents hold fundraising advantages

“You have to read between the lines sometimes. These organizations probably do their own kind of internal polling and they wouldn’t be spending if they didn’t see the race as competitive,” he said.

According to the Federal Election Commission, Figures has raised $2.7 million and spent $1.5 million through Oct. 14.

Through Oct. 14, Marques has raised $1.7 million, spent $1.5 million and had $178,000 left on hand, according to FEC filings. 

Pre-general election finance reports show Figures outraised Marques. According to the report, Figures raised $297,900 through Oct. 14 while Marques raised $81,000.

Both candidates have brought significant outside money to the race. Although Figures has raised more cash than Marques, Republican-backed political action committees (PACs) have poured in funding in support of Marques and in opposition to Figures. 

PACs like MAGA, Inc., and No Going Back, both backed by President Donald Trump; the Alabama-based Civic Renewal Fund; Utah-based Defending Our Values PAC; Alabama Christian Conservatives; South Carolina-based Thank You for Your Attention to This Matter PAC; and Maryland-based Defending America’s Future have spent nearly $4.9 million in support of Marques and in opposition to Figures combined, according to FEC filings through Oct. 14.

Outside spending in support of Figures and in opposition to Marques total more than $1.9 million, according to FEC filings through Oct. 14. The funding comes from PACs like Project 218, Georgia-based Black Voters Matter Action PAC, Chicago-based Progressive Turnout Project, Pennsylvania-based AB PAC and D.C.-based Rolling Sea Action Fund. 

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) has also been supportive of Figures’ campaign sponsoring ads for the campaign.