August 17th , 2026 Len’s Political Note #832 Shomari Figures Alabama 02
2026 General Election
Six Republicans were roaming the recreated Alabama 02 district in preparation for the August 11th primary. All six are taking advantage of their state officials’ reaction to the US Supreme Court ruling earlier this year that struck down Louisiana’s Congressional map. The Court found that Louisiana’s second “Black” Congressional district was the product of a racial gerrymander. Louisiana followed by eliminating their second Black Congressional district. So did Alabama.
Alabama resurrected a congressional map that a lower court had said was racially discriminatory. The practical result was to eliminate a predominantly Mobile-based Black district that was about 50% Black and replace it with a district that was about 60% white in the southeast corner of the state. Incumbent Shomarie Figures decided to stay. He would test whether the percentage change would prevent him from being reelected.
The eight Republican candidates were just climbing over each other to be the Republican nominee. State Rep Rhett Marcus had the endorsements. Donald Trump endorsed his candidacy. So did US Senator Kate Britt. So did 32 members of the Alabama House of Representatives Republican caucus, among them the Speaker of the House.
Along the way, though, Rhett Marcus had made enemies. Dr. Randy Brinson, the President of the Christian Coalition of Alabama wrote:
“As a Congressional Candidate Forum was wrapping up in Eufaula on Tuesday night, when State Representative Rhett Marques and his campaign consultant, Angi Horn, began hurling F-bombs and profanity at Hampton Harris, a fellow candidate for the Republican nomination, in front of a group of startled guests and participants as they were leaving the forum. The confrontation was initiated when Angi Horn, a consultant to Rhett Marques, flashed a Facebook post from a supporter of Hampton Harris, over Marques gas tax votes in the legislature. Rhett Marques, obviously irate, called Hampton to his display table to directly confront him over the post. Immediately, Ms. Horn stuck her phone in his face and began to accost him. First, she asked him if he posted it and if he approved of it. She then proceeded to call him a F… ing liar or F… ing stupid. Then, Rhett Marques started cursing again in front of the others echoing the same line, are you F…ing stupid or a F…ing liar and ended the tirade with a message from Angi Horn that “you are going to pay for this”.”
Rhett Marques had the votes and won the Republican primary, but Republican disunity (a polite term for this dispute) gives Shomari Figures a chance to be reelected. The New York Times reports only one general election poll. Funded by the DCCC, the late June poll found Shomari Figures trailing Rhett Marques by a single point 45-44. As for the financial race. Shomari Figures had raised a total of $1.4 million to Rhett Marques’s $1.3 million. Margues spent on his competitive primary and had $200,000 cash remaining on July 22. Shomari Figures reported $700,000 in cash on that date.
Shomari Figures graduated from the University of Alabama in 2006, from that university’s Law School in 2010. Forty-one years before he received his BA, Vivian Malone Jones was the first Black graduate from the previously segregated University of Alabama. Thirty-eight years before Shomari Figures graduated from the Law School, the first Black law students received their law degree from that school, among them Shomari Figures’ father.
After a clerkship, Shomari Figures worked on Barack Obama’s reelection campaign in 2012 as a field organizer in Ohio. After the election, he served in the Personnel Office of the White House and then as the liaison to Attorney General Loretta Lynch. He went on to serve as Senator Sherrod Brown’s legislative counsel and then as a counselor to Attorney General Merrick Garland.
Shomari Figures came by his political interest naturally. His dad, Michael Figures, was a civil rights attorney who won a $7 million award from the United Klans of America, bankrupting the organization in a suit in which he represented the mother of a young man who had been lynched. Michael Figures was a state senator from 1978 to his death in 1996. He was succeeded by his wife, Shomari’s mom Vivian Davis Figures. When she replaced her husband in the Alabama legislature, Vivian Figures was a Mobile City Councilor.
In Congress with one term partly completed, Shomari Figures’ describes his goals for a second term. He would ensure access to health care. Finding ways for Alabama to participate in the Medicaid expansion allowed by the Affordable Care Act is crucial for individuals and for ensuring the existence of hospitals in rural Alabama. Education is next. Raising teacher pay, federal funding for modern technology, mental health professionals in schools, and closing the education cap for poor children are what he would work on. He would also improve economic opportunity and safety for the people of Alabama which he believes can be achieved through a Democratic House majority. If the new Alabama 02 votes Democratic, a Democratic House majority is likely.
Help Alabama 02 vote Democratic. Reelect Shomari Figures. DONATE to his campaign.
On May 7, The Root, an online journal devoted to Black News, reported that several Black districts, in addition to Alabama 02, were endangered by the Supreme Court decision. Here is where these districts and a few others stand now.
Southeastern States that did mid-district redistricting
Alabama 02
See above
Alabama 07
Incumbent Democrat Terri Sewell is running for reelection in this district that was not fundamentally changed. The incumbent had $3.8 million in cash. No Republican comes close. Terri Sewell will be reelected.
Florida 10
Incumbent Democrat Maxwell Frost is running for reelection in this district that was not fundamentally changed. He has no Democratic primary opponent and no Republican opponent.
Florida 20
Democratic Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, a Black woman, resigned from Congress due to an ethics scandal. The district is no longer majority Black. It is, however, still majority Democratic. White Democrat, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the incumbent of Florida 25, is running here. She raised $3.3 million and is likely to win the primary and the general election. That would be one fewer Black Member of Congress from Florida, but would not affect the number of Republicans.
Florida 22
Democratic incumbent Lois Frankel represented this predominantly white district. The district was changed substantially and newcomer Pia Dandiya is the only Democrat in a race that could flip the district Republican, not affecting the number of Black Members of Congress from Florida.
Florida 23
Democratic incumbent Jared Moskowitz will now run in Florida 25. Lois Frankel will run in this district and be the favorite in a district that will continue to have a white representative.
Florida 24
Incumbent Black Democrat Frederica Wilson is retiring from this substantially changed district. One Republican and several Democrats are running for this seat. This seat should remain Democratic and continue to have a Black representative.
Florida 25
Incumbent Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a white woman, is running in Florida 20 where she is the favorite. Florida 25 is changed enough so that it is a now a toss-up district. Jared Moskowitz is running here as are several Republicans. Moskowitz has enough of a financial advantage so that the district is a Moskowitz-tilting toss up district. DONATE to Jared Moskowitz’ campaign.
Louisiana 02.
This district was not significantly revised. Democratic incumbent Troy Carter and a Democratic primary opponent are the only candidates in the race. Both are Black.
Louisiana 06
This district was significantly revised. Incumbent Cleo Fields announced he would not run. As of now, all the candidates for this seat are Republicans. This district will be represented by a white Republican.
North Carolina 12
Black Democratic incumbent Alma Adams is running for reelection. She won her primary in which almost 70,000 people voted. She is opposed by Republican financial executive Jack Codiga who won his primary in which fewer than 10,000 people voted. On June 30, Alma Adams had just under $500,000 in cash to Codiga’s $2.50. She will be reelected. The district will continue to have a Black Democratic representative.
Tennessee 05 (was not included in The Root article)
This district was revised sufficiently to be a factor in the Republican Primary defeat of Incumbent Andy Ogles That defeat will make it harder for Mayor Chaz Molder to flip the seat to the Democrats, although, according to the Washington. Post, the district’s Black population has been increased from 12% to 27%. Even if Molder is able to flip the district to the Democrats, the Tennessee 05 will continue to be represented by a white man. DONATE to Chaz Molder’s campaign
Tennessee 09
This district was revised substantially. According to the Washington Post, the Black population was reduced from 60% to 30% of those in the district. The incumbent, Steve Cohen, a white Democrat is retiring. State Rep Justin Pearson, a Black Democratic, is the nominee. He is not a favorite to defeat Trump endorsed white Republican Brent Taylor, but the combination of a record turn out of Black voters and grabbing a portion of the rest of the voters could create an upset. DONATE to Justin Pearson’s campaign.
States that did not undertake mid-decade redistricting
Georgia 02
This majority Black district was not changed. Incumbent Sanford Bishop is expected to be reelected.
Georgia 04
This majority Black district was not changed. Incumbent Hank Johnson is expected to be reelected.
Georgia 05
This majority Black district was not changed. Incumbent Nikema Williams is expected to be reelected.
Georgia 13
This mixed race district was not changed. Incumbent Lucy McBath, a Black woman, is expected to be reelected.
Mississippi 02
This Black majority district was not changed. 86 year old incumbent Bennie Thompson is expected to be reelected.
South Carolina 06
85 year old Black incumbent Jim Clyburn is running for reelection. Republican John Peterson is running against him. Jim Clyburn won his primary with nearly 85,000 people voting. Peterson won the Republican primary with 30,000 people voting. Furthermore, on June 30, Clyburn had $1.6 million in cash; Peterson had no money at all. Jim Clyburn is on his way to be reelected.
