WASHINGTON — A leading Republican candidate for Alabama’s 1st Congressional District will switch to the 2nd Congressional District race now that the state plans on reverting to a different map after a Supreme Court ruling on Monday.
State Rep. Rhett Marques, R-Enterprise, announced Monday night he plans to run for the AL-2 seat after the Supreme Court paved the way for Alabama to use the congressional map previously adopted by the Legislature.
“Under the new maps, I am a candidate in District 2, and I am running hard to be the next Congressman from this district to deliver President Trump’s agenda by supporting Senator Britt and the rest of the Alabama delegation in making life more affordable for hardworking Alabama families and fighting tirelessly for our Christian conservative values,” Marques said.
Republicans are hoping to flip AL-2, currently represented by Rep. Shomari Figures, D-Mobile, if the 2023 map is implemented.
The Legislature-drawn map would split the Wiregrass and Mobile into two districts, allowing Marques and former Rep. Jerry Carl, the other frontrunner for the AL-1 race, to run in different races. Under the current map, the Republican candidates have been running for the seat that Rep. Barry Moore will be vacating.
Carl, who lives in Mobile, said he will remain in the competition for the 1st District.
“Following yesterday’s HUGE decision by the Supreme Court of the United States, I will continue to be a candidate for the Republican nomination in Alabama’s First Congressional District,” Carl said. “This is a massive victory for the State of Alabama as a whole.”
Rhett Marques will run in AL-2 and Jerry Carl will remain in AL-1 should the 2023 congressional map be allowed. Both were frontrunners for the 1st District. #ALPolitics pic.twitter.com/PAnn1ZJ848
— Alex Angle (@alexangle_) May 12, 2026
Under the Republican-drawn 2023 map, Figures would be drawn out of the current 2nd District, which he won in 2024. The Mobile Democrat instead would be located in AL-1.
After the Supreme Court ruling Monday, Figures said he’s not “backing down.” He added that, “the fight must and will go on.” Alabama must await a federal court’s ruling in the redistricting case before it can officially use the 2023 congressional map this year.
But Gov. Kay Ivey already set up special primaries on Aug. 11 for the four impacted congressional districts. Those include AL-1, AL-2, AL-6 and AL-7.
Hampton Harris was previously the only Republican running in the AL-2 race against Figures. He told Alabama Daily News that he’s staying in the race to “fight for AL-02.”
In the AL-1 race, James Richardson, who lives in Headland, will move to the 2nd District race if the 2023 map is implemented.
“My goal is to represent the community where I live and the people I’m closest to, and that remains the case regardless of how the lines are drawn,” he told ADN.
Joshua McKee, a GOP candidate for AL-1, said he also plans to run for the 2nd District now. In a statement, his campaign already attacked Marques, who would be his opponent in the race.
“The choice is clear: we can continue with the status quo of “leadership” that refuses to fight, or we can send a true conservative to Washington,” his campaign said. “Joshua McKee is the candidate who will put America First and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with President Trump to save our country.”
Republican Austin Sidwell announced Tuesday that he will continue his bid for the 1st District seat under the 2023 map, as his home is in Baldwin County. James “Jimmy” Dees will also stay in the 1st District.
“I will continue to fight every day for conservative values and the common-sense leadership that our families deserve,” Sidwell said in a statement.
John Mills told ADN he does not have a “formal announcement” about the potential changes. But the Republican candidate for the 1st District said he is actively monitoring the developing situation.
Clyde Jones has been running unopposed in the Democratic primary for the 1st District. He told ADN “all options were on the table” moving forward, but he said he will not make a final decision until the federal court rules.
The 6th and 7th congressional districts will also slightly change should the 2023 map be implemented, but those districts will remain Republican and Democratic strongholds, respectively. Rep. Gary Palmer currently represents the 6th District and Rep. Terri Sewell holds the 7th District seat.
The plaintiffs in the redistricting case have requested a temporary restraining order to block the state from using its 2023 congressional map this year.