Figures and Daniels, the two Democrats running for Alabama’s newly redrawn congressional district, emphasized their experience in a debate that aired Tuesday night. Figures, who previously worked as deputy chief of staff and counselor to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, will face off against state House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels in the Democratic runoff to decide the party’s nomination for Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District. Democrats are hoping to win the Deep South seat, which was redrawn by a federal court to give Black voters greater representation. The judges ruled that Alabama should have a district where Black voters make up a substantial part of the electorate.
The winner of the Democratic runoff will go up against the Republican nominee in the November general election. The Republican nomination is being contested between former state senator Dick Brewbaker and attorney Caroleene Dobson as Republicans aim to maintain control of the seat. Daniels, a former teacher and business owner, was elected to the Alabama Legislature in 2014 and became the state House Minority Leader in 2017, making history as the first Black man to hold the position. He highlighted his track record of getting legislation passed, including a law that exempts overtime pay from state income tax, despite Democrats being a minority in Montgomery.
Figures, who served in various roles at the federal level including as a congressional staffer for U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown and deputy director of the Presidential Personnel Office for President Barack Obama, emphasized the need for someone with experience navigating Washington D.C. He comes from a political family, with both his parents being prominent Alabama legislators. The debate between Figures and Daniels was civil and lacked heated exchanges, with both candidates expressing similar views on various issues. They both criticized Alabama’s decision not to expand Medicaid, emphasized the need for immigration legislation, and were against the decision to end the requirement for a permit to carry a concealed handgun in public.
The new congressional district has garnered significant attention as a rare opportunity for Democrats in a state where Republicans typically dominate. A total of 11 Democrats initially sought the nomination, with Figures leading in the first round of voting with about 43% of the vote, followed by Daniels with around 22%. Since no candidate received more than 50% of the vote, a runoff became necessary to determine the Democratic nominee. The debate between the Democratic candidates was sponsored by WSFA and WALA, offering voters a chance to hear from Figures and Daniels about their plans and priorities if elected to represent Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District.
