“...I came home to run for Congress so that I can put my experience to use for the people and communities that mean the most to me. People across the newly formed District 2 deserve to have a leader in Congress who will prioritize them and can effectively fight to get things done. For too long, many communities in the district have not been a priority in Washington and have had to do more with less. In this election, we can change our story...

“.... I have the experience to get the job done...I know how Washington works. I’ve build the relationships needed to work across party lines and do the most good.” (figuresforcongress.com)

BACKGROUND + EXPERIENCE

Shomari Figures was born + raised in Alabama’s “Port City” Mobile. His parents devoted their lives to public service. His father was a state Senator + lawyer who successfully litigated a lawsuit that bankrupted the Klan in the Mobile region. Figures’ mother succeeded her husband in the state Senate following his death + continues in that seat.

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Shomari Figures graduated from the University of Alabama with a bachelor’s in criminal justice + history in 2006 + a J.D. in 2010. After clerking for a judge in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, he worked on President Obama’s re-election campaign + later was on the White House staff. He worked in the office of Senator Sherrod Brown for three years + as Deputy Chief of Staff + counselor for US Attorney General Merrick Garland. In short, as a Congressman he will have had experience in all three branches of government.

ON THE ISSUES

On his website, Shomari Figures has elaborated on  his positions on health care, educational opportunity, the economy + safer communities. From Figures’s website: “The time I spent in the federal government was dedicated to advising leaders on issues that impact families across Alabama + across the nation. I worked on issues that supported students + teachers, expanded access to quality healthcare, increased job + workforce opportunities + building stronger + safer communities.”

POLITICS IN ALABAMA

Alabama 02 includes most of the Montgomery County metropolitan area + stretches into the southeastern portion of the state.

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Following a series of SCOTUS + US District Court decisions in 2023, AL 02 was created in response to historic racial gerrymandering by the state legislature. The new map created a 48.7 Black voting age population district. This action created a second “opportunity district” in Alabama where, in the words of former US Attorney General Eric Holder, “for the first time ever, Black voters in Alabama could have two members of Congress representing their interests at the same time.” The district's new configuration includes the heavier African-American communities of Butler, Macon, Monroe, Pike, + Russell counties + the capital, Montgomery.

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Under its new configuration, AL02 would have been one of 19 districts that voted for Joe Biden in 2020 while being won or held by a Republican. 2024 represents a historic opportunity to gain a Democratic House seat + in an area that has been one of the most Republican districts in Alabama the nation. However, the wealthy Republican candidate Caroleene Dobson is self-funding her campaign creating a substantial financial deficit for Shomari Figures. She appears to be an articulate, well-educated + formidable candidate with strong support from national Republicans (Stefanik, M. Flynn , etc.) + is embracing the MAGA agenda. Despite the favorable re-districting of AL 02 for Democrats, this race will most likely be strongly competitive.

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