National Democrats admitted Monday that U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures (D-Mobile) is in the fight of his political life.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) publicized internal polling that shows him losing against State Rep. Rhett Marques (R-Enterprise) in the November election.
National Journal’s Hotline first reported the call: Marques 45%, Figures 44%. Democratic pollster IMPACT Research surveyed 400 likely voters June 22-25.
“An internal Democratic poll (June 22-25; 400 LVs) conducted by IMPACT Research found Rep. Shomari Figures (D-AL 02) in a statistical tie with state Rep. Rhett Marques (R), 44%-45%, in a district that Republicans redrew to put Figures out of a job. Figures is on the DCCC’s Frontline list, and the poll found that Marques is especially undefined, with only 31% name ID,” Hotline reports.
Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court cleared Alabama to run this year’s elections on the congressional lines the Legislature drew in 2023, retiring the court-imposed district that elected Figures by nine points in 2024.
According to the report and subsequent DCCC messaging, Washington knows Figures’ seat is in trouble. The DCCC Frontline list is the committee’s program for its most endangered incumbents.
“This poll shows that Alabamans are poised to reject Republicans’ cynical politics and re-elect Shomari because he’s focused on solving America’s affordability crisis and creating opportunities for all families to thrive,” DCCC Chair Suzan DelBene said.
However, it does not.
Under the restored map, the 2nd District’s black voting-age population (BVAP) drops from roughly 49% to under 40%, and the district no longer includes Mobile, Figures’ home base.
Governor Kay Ivey called special primaries for August 11 after SCOTUS froze the court-drawn map in May, and the votes cast in those congressional races on May 19 were voided. Figures chose to defend the redrawn 2nd anyway, qualifying in the final hour and saying it covers most of the counties he already represents.
Six Republicans are on the August 11 ballot for the chance to face him.
President Donald Trump, U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Montgomery), the Alabama Farmers Federation, along with other top groups have already created a deep bench behind Marques, and primary polling has him way ahead.
Grayson Everett is the editor in chief of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270.
