Shomari Figures wins Democratic nomination in Alabama's 2nd Congressional District

Shomari Figures, a former Obama administration official, won the Democratic nomination Tuesday for Alabama's newly redrawn 2nd Congressional District.

Figures received 58.7 % of the vote, defeating opponent Rep. Anthony Daniels, who received 41.1%, according to the unofficial results from the Alabama Secretary of State's office.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled last year that the state's previous congressional lines discriminated against Black voters and carved out a new district that was expected to lean Democratic. While the state legislature initially refused to do so, a new map was drawn, creating new competitive congressional primaries.

Originally from Mobile, Figures is the son of state Sen. Vivian Figures and former state Sen. Michael Figures. He served in the White House and the Department of Justice during the Obama administration's second term. He later served as deputy chief of staff and counselor to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland during the Biden administration.

Both candidates supported the expansion of Medicaid in the state and the protection of voting rights in the district. They also both pledged to improve education to ensure K-12 students receive quality learning. Daniels supported the protection of in-vitro fertilization in the House, and Figures also pledged to protect the process on the campaign trail.

Daniels said he would work to remove the federal overtime tax, as he helped to accomplish in Alabama. Figures prioritized increasing wages and growing workforce development programs.

Figures is a lifelong resident of the 2nd Congressional District, while Daniels is originally from Midway, Alabama, and currently lives primarily in Huntsville.

The general election will be held on Nov 5.

Victor Hagan is the Alabama Election Reporting Fellow for the USA TODAY Network. He can be reached at [email protected] or on X, formerly known as Twitter @TheVictorHagan. To support his work, subscribe to the Advertiser.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Alabama 2nd Congressional District: Figures wins Democratic runoff