Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District race drew national attention Tuesday, with the National Republican Congressional Committee and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee releasing statements supporting their parties’ candidates and criticizing the opposition.
NRCC leadership quickly congratulated newly selected 2nd Congressional District Republican nominee Rhett Marques and 1st Congressional District Republican nominee Jerry Carl following Tuesday night’s special primary elections.
In a statement released Tuesday night, NRCC Chairman Richard Hudson criticized incumbent U.S. Representative Shomari Figures, D-Alabama, arguing that Marques would work more closely with President Donald Trump on economic and border security issues.
“Congratulations to President Trump-endorsed Rhett Marques! Out of touch Shomari Figures has been a disaster in Congress, siding with the extreme Democrat party to push their high-cost, open-border, far-left agenda,” Hudson said. “In Congress, Rhett will show up for Alabamians by helping the President deliver a strong economy, maintain secure borders, and keep men out of women’s and girls’ sports.”
Meanwhile, ahead of poll closures, the DCCC published its “Case Against Rhett Marques,” arguing that Marques, during his time as an Alabama state representative, promoted the interests of the ultra-wealthy over everyday Alabamians.
“Shomari Figures is the fighter that the people of Alabama need in Congress. He’s laser-focused on the issues that matter most: lowering costs, expanding access to health care, and creating economic opportunity,” DCCC Chair Suzan DelBene said.
“While Shomari shows up and puts in the work, his opponent Rhett Marques sells out to the ultra-wealthy who fund his political campaigns,” DelBene added. “This race will be a choice between a true public servant, and a backbench extremist whose only impact has been voting for tax hike after tax hike on the hardworking people of Alabama. I look forward to welcoming Shomari back to Congress when he wins in November.”
The DCCC criticized Marques’ votes to increase Alabama’s gas tax and motor vehicle registration fees, his support for the war in Iran and Trump administration cuts to Medicaid—policies the Democratic campaign organization said showed disregard for the affordability issues Alabamians face.
Asked to respond to the NRCC’s statement criticizing Figures, the Figures campaign pointed to election night comments in which Figures similarly criticized his opponent’s record on affordability issues.
“The people of Alabama deserve a congressman who will work for them, not against them,” Figures said in a written statement.
“I have delivered over $17 million to the district, including support for our hospitals and our law enforcement, and funds to build affordable housing and improve our water and transportation infrastructure,” Figures added. “I’ve also introduced legislation to provide relief for our family farmers and tax relief for Alabama families. My opponent, State Representative Rhett Marques, was criticized by his own fellow Republicans for voting for a 67 percent tax increase on gas and diesel. And his support of the war in Iran would continue to drive up gas and diesel prices.”
The DCCC also criticized Marques for comments the organization described as “disrespecting” Alabamians “by suggesting they are unintelligent.”
The organization pointed to comments Marques made on the campaign trail, including his characterization of rising costs spurred by the war in Iran as a “temporary setback” while arguing that the war was necessary to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
The DCCC also criticized comments Marques made during a Republican Women of Coffee County panel while responding to questions from fellow 2nd Congressional District Republican candidate David Matthews about Marques’ voting record on tax increases.
When Matthews asked Marques to explain 22 votes he cast in the Alabama House in favor of raising taxes, Marques replied that the measures were local bills affecting counties other than Coffee County and that event attendees “do not understand how local bills work.”
“A lot of them do,” Marques clarified. “Some of them do.”
The DCCC noted that fellow 2nd Congressional District candidate Joshua McKee later criticized Marques’ remarks as “questioning Alabama voters’ intelligence.”
The Marques campaign had not responded as of Wednesday to requests for comment on the DCCC’s criticisms of his policy record.
Marques said Tuesday night that the 2nd Congressional District race is “probably going to be one of the most highly contested races in the country.”
“It’s going to be the most watched,” Marques said.
In a statement released Wednesday, Marques reaffirmed his promise to return the 2nd Congressional District to Republican control.
“What a night! AL-02, thank you for trusting me to take Alabama common sense to Congress, put America First, and represent the district we call home,” Marques wrote. “Now, it’s time for Republicans to unite and turn this seat RED in November!”
Figures’ election in 2024, with 55 percent of the district’s vote, marked the first time in state history that Alabama had two sitting Black members of Congress at the same time. The district was redrawn in 2023 after federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, found that the state’s previous congressional map violated the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
The Alabama Legislature approved the state’s return to its pre-2023 congressional map during a special session this year, and a subsequent U.S. Supreme Court ruling allowed Alabama to use it.
Despite the 2nd Congressional District again favoring Republicans, the DCCC wrote that “Democrats see several reasons the district remains winnable.”
The organization cited Montgomery voter turnout in the May 19 primary, declines in Republican turnout in some counties and increased Black voter mobilization “amid anger over Supreme Court decisions this spring viewed as weakening the Voting Rights Act of 1965.”
A June poll conducted by Democratic progressive pollster Impact Research showed Figures with 44 percent support and Marques with 45 percent in the 2nd Congressional District.
