MONTGOMERY, Ala. — It’s Republican Caroleene Dobson and Democrat Shomari Figures in the November general election for the state’s newly re-drawn 2nd Congressional District.
Democratic primary
Figures, of Mobile, defeated his Democratic opponent Anthony Daniels, Alabama House minority leader and representative from Huntsville, by more than a 22-point margin, according to the unofficial election results.
Receiving 61% of the vote to Daniels’ 39%, Figures’ margin of victory was similar to his performance in the March 5 primary, where he received 43.5% of the vote to Daniels’ 22.4%.
As the results poured in that night and Figures’ victory became clear, Daniels, who was hosting an election watch party in Montgomery, conceded to his opponent in a televised interview on WSFA 12 News. He wished Figures well in the upcoming general election, and likened Tuesday’s contest to an athletic competition.
“For me, I’m a former athlete, and so it’s all a part of the sport,” Daniels said. “You just move on and do what you know is best.”
Figures, who was hosting his own election watch party in Mobile, told Alabama Daily News that it was after the results started coming in from Montgomery County, which he ultimately won by almost two points, that he knew he was the likely winner that night.
Like Daniels, Figures also wished his opponent well, and spoke to his role as House minority leaders as being “a true testament to what faith, determination and commitment to public service can do.”
Figures also, without having seen Daniels’ concession, likened the contest to an athletic competition.
“We both grew up playing sports, and at the end of the day what they teach you is you leave it all out on the field, you give it all you got, you shake hands and get ready to move forward,” Figures said. “For us, that’s what we’re going to do.”
As to Daniels’ position as a leader in the Alabama House chamber, Figures said he was personally familiar with the responsibility required to serve in such a position.
“There are only two Black people to ever serve as leaders in their respective chambers of the Alabama Legislature; Daniels was the first to be minority leader in the House, and the first Black (person) to be the leader in the Senate?” Figures said.
“His name was Michael Figures, my father. So they are on that line of the history books together.”
Figures stepped down from his role as deputy chief of staff for U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland to run for District 2, and had previously served under U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch. He has campaigned largely on his experience in Washington, as well as his roots in Mobile, the state’s port city that was partially drawn into the 2nd District by a court-appointed special master last year.
Republican primary
Six months ago, Dobson, a real estate attorney who lives in Montgomery, was an unknown in Alabama politics. Campaigning on not being a “career politician,” Dobson, 36, cleared the field of seven other Republicans to become the GOP nominee in November.
Unofficial results from the Secretary of State’s office Tuesday showed Dobson defeating former state Senator Dick Brewbaker of Pike Road with 58% of the vote.
Dobson had come in second to Brewbaker in the primary March 5. She campaigned heavily on cutting federal spending, business deregulation and achieving energy independence.
In a press release Tuesday night, Dobson called her victory a “step closer to saving our country.”
“Inflation does not know party, the impacts from our chaotic southern border do not know party, the loss of a loved one from fentanyl or victims of crime does not know party,” she said. “I got into this race to fight for Alabama families, all Alabama families in the second district, regardless of party.
“Alabama’s Second Congressional District needs someone who will fight for us, and I will.”
Brewbaker carried Montgomery County on Tuesday, where his political career and family’s auto dealership gave him name recognition money can’t buy. But Dobson, who was endorsed by the Alabama Farmers Federation, did well in the district’s rural counties and got 68% of the votes in Mobile County. She previously told Alabama Daily News she’d dedicated two days a week to Mobile County while campaigning.
Both Brewbaker and Dobson largely self-financed their campaigns, as of their late March campaign finance reports. Brewbaker loaned his campaign $1.6 million; Dobson loaned hers $992,000.
Reached via text Tuesday night, Brewbaker said “vote Republican in November.”
Eight Republicans and 13 Democrats in November qualified for the newly crafted district drawn by a federal court in October after the state lawmakers failed to draw a distinct that satisfied the court’s requirement that Black voters have a second congressional district in the state where they have a chance to elect the candidate of their choice.
The November election will likely attract national attention, and special interests, as Republicans try to hold onto their single-digit majority in the U.S. House.
Early results show 25,999 Democrats turned out Tuesday compared to 17,145 Republicans.
Dobson called Tuesday the starting line to the general election.
“In November, I will be up against a candidate who is for an open border, illegal immigration, and sanctuary cities; I’m for building the wall, securing the border, and ending illegal immigration,” she said.
Alabama Daily News’ Mary Sell contributed to this report.