By ALEXANDER WILLIS and MARY SELL, Alabama Daily News
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — The crowded field of candidates wanting to represent Alabama’s newly drawn Second Congressional District was reduced to four Tuesday night as Democrats and Republicans now head to April 16 runoffs.
In the Democratic primary, Shomari Figures, former deputy chief of staff to Attorney General Merrick Garland, came out on top in the Democratic primary with a commanding 43.45% of the vote. House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels, D-Huntsville, received the next-highest share of the vote at 22.36%.
Since neither candidate received more than 50% of the vote, the two candidates will now compete head-to-head in a runoff election on April 16.
In the Republican primary, former state senator Dick Brewbaker received plurality support among voters with a vote share of 39.59%, sending him and Caroleene Dobson, the next-highest polling candidate, to a runoff election.
On his strong performance, Figures told Alabama Daily News Tuesday that he was “inspired” and “humbled” by the support his campaign had amassed, but that for the next six weeks leading into the runoff election, the intensity of his campaign would continue as it has been for the past four months.
“We are really inspired and humbled by the support that we’ve gotten, not just tonight but throughout this campaign,” Figures said.
“We look forward to getting on to the next round and doing everything that we’ve been doing in terms of engaging voters and making people understand who we are, where we’ve been, and the vision that we have for this district.”
Trailing behind Daniels, who could not be reached by ADN Tuesday night, was Rep. Napoleon Bracy, D-Saraland, who received 15.67% of the vote. None of the eight remaining candidates in the Democratic primary amassed more than 6% of the vote.
Brewbaker told Alabama Daily News Tuesday night he attributes his 39.5% lead in the GOP primary to talking about things people care about, including border security and inflation.
“Food prices are really hurting people,” he said.
A former state senator and business owner, Brewbaker term limited himself to eight years and has pledged to cap his time in Congress too. He’s also promised that after Congress, he won’t become a lobbyist.
“I don’t think people want someone who is only defined by what they are against,” he said.
Dobson received 26.4% of the vote, edging out state Sen. Greg Albritton for a runoff spot.
A real estate attorney, Dobson said until four months ago she was a private citizen.
“We’re tired of the same-old, same-old career politicians who are more concerned about their special interest groups or their egos or their careers than they are about the folks of this district,” she said Tuesday night.
She’s pledged never to vote for a tax increase in District 2.
As for the next six weeks she’ll continue a message of fighting for Alabama families and spend “time on the ground learning about not only the challenges but all the opportunities we have in District 2.”
Runoff elections for both the Democratic and Republican primary elections will be held on April 16. The winner of those respective contests will then face off against each other in the general election in November.