Rhett Marques won the Republican nomination for Alabama's 2nd Congressional District, a seat redrawn by Republicans. He will face incumbent Democrat Shomari Figures in November.
The redrawing of Alabama's 2nd Congressional District and the resulting Republican nomination of Rhett Marques highlight efforts by Republicans to gain seats in the U.S. House by altering electoral maps, potentially impacting the balance of power.
State Representative Rhett Marques secured the Republican nomination for Alabama's 2nd Congressional District, setting up a contest against incumbent Democrat Shomari Figures in November. The district's boundaries were redrawn by Republicans following a U.S. Supreme Court decision that weakened the Voting Rights Act, with the aim of increasing the likelihood of a Republican victory.
The redrawing of the district, located in the state's southeastern corner and including Montgomery, reduced the Black voting-age population from 48% to 40%. Marques, who has served in the Alabama Legislature since 2018 and is also an owner of a tire and automotive service business, received endorsements from President Donald Trump and U.S. Senator Katie Britt.
Figures, who was elected in 2024, has expressed confidence in his ability to win the redrawn district, which both parties have identified as a priority. Alabama is holding special primaries in four congressional districts due to the redistricting changes. Figures' election in 2024 made him and Representative Terri Sewell the state's first two Black representatives, serving as the only Democrats in Alabama's seven-member congressional delegation.