Republicans pick nominee for Alabama US House district they redrew after Supreme Court ruling

DOTHAN, Alabama (AP) — Republicans seeking to capture Alabama's 2nd Congressional District after reconfiguring the district to benefit their party will announce their nominee on Tuesday to face incumbent U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures, a Democrat running for re-election despite the challenges. The district was among several in the South that were altered to favor Republicans following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that significantly weakened the Voting Rights Act.

The contest is seen as crucial in determining the balance of power in the House as Republicans endeavor to maintain their slim majority in the November midterms. Six Republicans are vying to unseat Figures, who currently holds an unopposed position. Four other Alabama districts affected by the GOP's redistricting will also hold nominee selections.

Figures, who won the seat in 2024 after years of legal battles under the Voting Rights Act, was the first Black representative from Alabama since the 1960s, marking the state's first two Black representatives in Congress. The Supreme Court recently overturned a majority-Black district in Louisiana, prompting Alabama Republicans to capitalize on the decision and approve legislation to overturn primary results, enabling Tuesday's special primary elections.

Six candidates are competing to regain a seat that had historically been solidly red. During a recent forum in Dothan, the GOP candidates discussed various topics, but the general election appeared to be the primary focus.