National Republican group launches effort to unseat Alabama Democrat Shomari Figures
Shomari Figures was first elected to Congress in 2024.
Mason Reed 
National Republicans are intensifying their push to flip the congressional seat currently held by Alabama Democrat Rep. Shomari Figures. The National Republican Congressional Committee recently expanded its target list for the upcoming election cycle following adjustments to congressional maps by various state legislatures, including Alabama.
Political Battle Lines
The committee is pulling no punches in its efforts to challenge Figures, who first secured his seat in 2024. Committee spokesman Reilly Richardson stated on Monday that Figures has consistently voted against the values of Alabama residents. Richardson further claimed the Congressman supports a platform centered on high taxes, open borders, and policies regarding athletics that the organization opposes.
In response, the Democratic National Campaign Committee has pledged its own resources to defend the incumbent. U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Washington, expressed confidence in Figures’ reelection, characterizing Republican efforts to redraw the district as a cynical attempt at racial gerrymandering that she expects voters to reject this November.
The Road to the 2nd District
Before facing off against Figures, Republicans must first navigate a special primary election on August 11 to determine their nominee for the 2nd Congressional District. The field of candidates includes Hampton Harris, Christian Horn, Rhett Marques, David Matthews, Joshua McKee, and James Richardson. Marques, a sitting state lawmaker, has already secured an endorsement from President Donald Trump.
The electoral landscape in Alabama has been defined by significant shifts over the last decade. Following a U.S. Supreme Court mandate that Alabama establish two majority-minority districts, the state saw the creation of the 2nd District that Figures eventually won. However, the legal environment shifted again in 2026 after the Supreme Court’s ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, which tightened the standards for majority-minority district protections under the Voting Rights Act.
With Republicans currently holding a narrow working majority in the U.S. House of Representatives—219 seats to the Democrats' 212—the outcome of this race carries significant weight for the balance of power in Washington.
