The Alabama Democratic Party announced Tuesday that it would maintain qualifying for potential congressional candidates until Friday, Feb. 11, at 5 p.m.
The announcement Friday comes in lieu of a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision allowing Alabama congressional district maps, that plaintiffs argue are racial gerrymandered, to stay in place. The decision reversed an earlier ruling from the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals requiring the state to draw a second minority-majority congressional district. The federal circuit court also allowed qualifying to be extended to Feb. 11.
“This decision was made out of fairness to potential candidates who had been told they would have until that date to make an informed decision,” said Alabama Democrats Executive Director Wade Perry. “It would be patently unfair to do otherwise.”
In total, ten candidates have already qualified with the Alabama Democratic Party for U.S. Congressional positions, according to ADP qualifying records.
Will Boyd, the pastor of St. Mark Baptist Church in Florence, announced his run for U.S. Senate on the Democratic ticket, joining Brighton mayor Branduan Dean and qualifiers Lanny Jackson and Victory Keith Williams.
The Democratic Primaries are scheduled for May, 24.
