On Tuesday, voters in Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District will head to the polls to select the nominees for a U.S. House contest that could impact the balance of power in the chamber come November. Shomari Figures and Anthony Daniels will compete for the Democratic nomination, while Dick Brewbaker and Caroleene Dobson will face off in the Republican runoff. The winners will go on to compete in the general election later this year. This district was recently redrawn following a lawsuit alleging racial gerrymandering to limit the influence of Black voters, leading to the creation of a new district with a higher Black population.
The new 2nd District now stretches across Alabama, from the Georgia border to the Mississippi border, including cities like Montgomery and parts of Mobile. With a Black population of around 49%, it leans Democratic based on past presidential election results. Figures led the Democratic primary with 43% of the vote, while Brewbaker was the frontrunner in the Republican primary with 37%. Both races are closely watched as they could help determine control of the closely divided House. The candidates will need to secure majority support in their respective runoffs to advance to the general election.
Voters in the 2nd Congressional District who participated in the primary in March will have the opportunity to vote in the runoff on Tuesday. Figures and Daniels are the Democratic contenders, while Brewbaker and Dobson are the Republican candidates. Turnout in the primaries was around 11-12% of registered voters. Pre-Election Day voting made up about 4% of the total vote in the Democratic primaries and 2% in the Republican contests. The Associated Press will provide coverage of the runoffs and will declare winners based on the results and the margin of victory.
The AP does not make projections and will only declare winners when it is clear that the trailing candidates cannot close the gap. If a race has not been called, the AP will continue to cover any new developments, such as candidate concessions or declarations of victory. Election results are subject to an automatic recount if the margin of victory is 0.5% or less. In the event of a recount, the AP may declare a winner if the lead is deemed too significant to be overturned. Vote counting in the primaries typically concluded within a few hours of polls closing.
The outcome of the runoffs in Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District will have significant implications for the balance of power in the House. With the district’s new boundaries and higher Black population, the races are closely contested between Democrats and Republicans. The candidates will need to secure strong support in their key counties to emerge victorious in the runoffs and advance to the general election. As the voting and counting process unfolds on Tuesday, the AP will provide updates on the results and any significant developments in the races. Alabama voters will play a crucial role in determining the future direction of their congressional representation in Washington.
