Caroleene Dobson Wins Alabama's 2nd Congressional District Republican Nomination, Faces Shomari Figures in November

In the 2024 Alabama's 2nd Congressional District runoff, Caroleene Dobson wins congressional nomination, defeating former state Sen. Dick Brewbaker. Dobson, a real estate attorney and member of the Alabama Forestry Commission, harnessed support in rural areas to secure the victory. On the Democratic side, Shomari Figures, a former top aide to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, defeated state House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels to win the nomination.

Figures and Dobson will face off in the closely watched general election in November. The new district was redrawn by a federal court to boost the voting power of Black residents, creating a pickup opportunity for Democrats.

Why this matters: The November general election between Dobson and Figures is expected to be closely watched, as Democrats aim to flip the seat and potentially play a role in the battle for control of the U.S. House of Representatives. The newly redrawn 2nd Congressional District was the result of a federal court ruling that Alabama's previous map was racially gerrymandered to limit the influence of the state's Black voters.

The non-partisan Cook Political Report rated the district as 'likely Democrat,' but Republicans believe they will be competitive in November and have a chance to keep the seat under GOP control. The race has seen over $8 million in total ad spending, with a pro-Figures super PAC funded by cryptocurrency interests being a major factor on the Democratic side. Figures, the son of prominent Alabama legislators, moved back to Mobile from Washington, D.C. to run for the seat.

Key Takeaways

• Caroleene Dobson wins Republican nomination for Alabama's 2nd Congressional District.
• Shomari Figures wins Democratic nomination, could make history as 2nd Black House member.
• Newly redrawn district aims to boost Black voting power, a pickup opportunity for Democrats.
• November general election expected to be closely watched, with over $8M in ad spending.
• District rated 'likely Democrat,' but Republicans believe they can keep the seat.