Special primary elections in CD2 are on April 16

The Alabama Republican party runoff and the Alabama Democratic party runoff are both coming up on April 16. There are a number of races on the ballot across Alabama; but none bigger than in Alabama's Second Congressional District.

This year, the state of Alabama has a rare open congressional election with no incumbent. The new Congressional District 2 was created by the federal court to make the district much more likely that the choice of minority voters is ultimately elected to Congress. Congressman Barry Moore (R-Enterprise) who had represented CD2 was redistricted into Jerry Carl's (R-Mobile) CD1; while most of the voters in Carl's native Mobile County were rezoned into CD2. The redistricting split Mobile County, the Wiregrass, and the River Region. Moore subsequently defeated Carl in the Republican primary on March 5. The Court ordered redistricting in September opened up CD2 for a congressional newcomer.

Approximately 20 candidates were running for the Republican and Democratic primaries – far too many for any to win without a runoff. The runoffs are both on April 16.

Former Deputy Attorney General Shomari Figures faces Alabama House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels (D-Huntsville) in the Democratic primary runoff.

Figures is a native of Mobile; but has spent the last decade serving in a number of roles, most recently in the Biden Justice Department. Figures is the son of State Senator Vivian Figures and the late Sen. Michael Figures. Figures and his wife have two children.

"Young people are not just the future of our democracy, they're what our democracy needs right now," Figures said on Facebook. "District 2 is home to over a dozen public and private colleges and universities, and in Congress I will fight for the issues that impact our schools, students, faculty and staff – including ensuring that our institutions have the resources necessary to thrive and that students are not priced out of a college degree or spend their lives paying for it."

Daniels is a native of Bullock County; but he has spent most of his adult life in Madison County, where he went to college, representing the people of Huntsville in the Alabama House of Representatives. He is the first Black minority leader in the history of the Alabama House of Representatives. He is also the youngest person to ever hold that position. Daniels and his wife have three children.

"I realized it was my time to start planting seeds for others to succeed," said Daniels. "In 2014 I was elected to the House of Representatives and chosen by my colleagues to be minority leader." "It put me in position to steer hundreds of millions of dollars to the seventh congressional district."

"I know what it takes to make a difference," Daniels said. "I've always represented you. I worked across the aisle to lower drug costs. I am leading the fight to expand Medicaid."

It is time that we have one of us representing us in Congress," Daniels added.

On the Republican side, former State Senator Dick Brewbaker (R-Montgomery) faces real estate attorney Caroleene Dobson.

Brewbaker is a Montgomery native and a former automobile dealer. He has represented the greater Montgomery area in both the Alabama House and Senate. After two terms in the Alabama Senate representing District 25. He did not seek reelection because of a term limits promise that he made to the voters. Brewbaker is a father and grandfather.

"You have got to have someone with some kind of a record to get the remaining swing voters," said Brewbaker in a recent radio interview with Jeff Poor. "It is very winnable for a Republican."

"In the general election, if Republican don't win the Second District, it will be because Democrats did a better job of turning their vote out," said Brewbaker. "Regular people are concerned about the border. They are concerned about inflation. The economy is softening and they are worried about their own safety and are worried about their kids. They want representatives in Congress who will take this issues and work to solve them and not use it as a punching line."

Caroleene Dobson grew up on a cattle farm in Beatrice, Alabama. Growing up she excelled in rodeo growing up and was a national merit finalist. She practices law for a law firm in Birmingham and serves on the Alabama Forestry Commission and Southeast Livestock Exposition Board. She and her husband have two children.

"I am running to fight for Alabama families to ensure that we have more good paying jobs," said Dobson in a Facebook message. "As your Congresswoman for District 2, I will focus on cutting spending and balancing the budget. Year after year there are threats of government shutdowns because we don't balance our budget. We've got to be more responsible in our spending."

The winners of the two runoffs will represent their respective parties on the November 5 general election.

Polls will open on Tuesday at 7:00 a.m. and close at 7:00 p.m. Voters must vote at their assigned polling place and must have a valid photo ID in their possession to participate in any Alabama election. If you do not have a valid photo ID, you may obtain a free voter ID from your Board of Registrars or the Alabama Secretary of State's office.

Given the historically narrow partisan divide in the U.S. House of Representatives, this congressional election in Alabama will go a long way towards deciding which party controls the House. Whether the next President is Trump or Biden, if the other party controls the House of Representatives much of the President's legislative agenda would be effectively thwarted.

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