GOP Congressinal candidate Hampton Harris pushes back against Democrats protesting to keep racially gerrymandered district

May 18, 2926 - MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Over 200 protestors traveled to Montgomery and Selma over the weekend to protest against plans by Governor Kay Ivey (R) and the Republican controlled Alabama Legislature to adopt a new Congressional districting map drawn by the Legislature in 2023 after the Supreme Court lifted an injunction forcing the state to use one drawn by their court appointed special master. The new map would make it highly unlikely that incumbent Congressman Shomari Figures (D-Mobile) will be able to win the redrawn Congressional District 2 he currently represents. Republican Congressional candidate Hampton Harris responded to the Democrats' organized protests.

"As Alabamians prepare to exercise our most sacred constitutional right on Tuesday, May 19, Democrat leaders flooded into Montgomery this past weekend to protest the will of the people," said Harris, Republican candidate for Alabama's Second Congressional District. "Their message is clear: they do not trust Alabama voters to choose their own representatives. Instead, they want a congressional map ordered by a federal court. A map no Alabama voter ever approved."

"For years, Democrats have lectured us about democracy," continued Harris. "Yet a map that no one voted on is not democracy. It is raw power imposed from Washington," said Harris. "When the U.S. Supreme Court recently cleared the way for Alabama to use its own 2023 congressional map, the one drawn by our elected state legislature, Democrats cried foul."

"This was D.C.'s district," said Harris. "Washington sent us a representative to represent them rather than allowing us to send a representative to Washington to represent Alabama. Now, with that unfair court-imposed map overturned, Democrat heavyweights like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Raphael Warnock descended on Montgomery this past weekend for rallies and protests. Why? Because they know they are about to lose the socialist voice D.C. installed in Alabama's Second Congressional District."

"This is not about voting rights. It is about power," said Harris. "Alabamians deserve representatives who answer to the people of Alabama, not to special interests in Washington. We will not let out-of-state activists turn our state into a puppet for their radical socialist agenda."

Hampton Harris is an attorney, real estate broker, and small businessman in Lowndesboro. He is a graduate of Auburn University Montgomery and the Cumberland School of Law. His wife is a JAG and captain in the Army.

"The contrast could not be starker," said Harris. "While Democrats import national figures to pressure Alabama voters, true conservatives are focused on sending a strong representative to Washington to pressure D.C. to uphold our Christian values of faith, family, freedom, and the principles that built this great state as America celebrates its 250th anniversary."

Even though he will not be on the ballot on Tuesday (he was the only Republican to qualify so has no primary opponent) Harris urged Alabamians to make their voices heard by voting in the Republican primary on Tuesday.

"Tuesday, May 19 is your chance to fight back," said Harris. "Every Alabamian who values self-government, constitutional rights, and the Christian foundation of our nation must get out and vote. This is not just another election. It is the most important right we have as citizens. Your vote ensures that our representatives in Washington actually represent us, not D.C. bureaucrats."

"Vote Republican. Vote for leaders who put Alabama first. Vote to send a clear message that we will not surrender our sovereignty to anyone."

While the CD1,2, 6, and 7 Congressional primary does not count, there are still contested races for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, U.S. Senator, Commissioner of Agriculture, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Auditor, Treasurer, Public Service Commissioner, as well as local races for state legislature, sheriff, county commissioner and more.

Polls are open Tuesday, May 19. If you have an absentee ballot hand deliver it today so it is counted.

Civil Rights groups have asked the federal court to reject Alabama's congressional map so it is not entirely certain that the court could still rule against the state.

State Representative Rhett Marques (R-Enterprise) has also announced that he will be a candidate in CD2. Marques is currently a candidate in CD1, but Marques and his native Coffee County move to CD2 in the 2023 map adopted by the legislature in the recent special session.

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