Shomari Figures Faces Caroleene Dobson in Alabama Race

In Alabama's 2nd Congressional District, voters are set to choose between Democrat Shomari Figures and Republican Caroleene Dobson in a race that has gained national attention due to a recent court-ordered redistricting aimed at increasing Black voter representation. Figures, a former aide to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, is positioned as a potential historical candidate, as a win would make him Alabama's second Black congressional representative. The district, previously solidly Republican, was rated as 'likely Democrat' by the Cook Political Report following its reshaping, which came after a federal court ruled the state had diluted Black voting influence. Meanwhile, Dobson, a political newcomer and real estate attorney, has labeled Figures a 'Washington D.C. insider.' The election's stakes are high as it could influence the balance of power in the U.S. House of Representatives. This race reflects the broader implications of redistricting and voter representation in Alabama and the South.