MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Voters in Alabama are preparing to select a representative for a Congressional district that was recently redefined following an extensive legal dispute that garnered national interest. This election has become an important opportunity for Democrats, as they seek to potentially secure a seat in the traditionally Republican Deep South.

Democrat Shomari Figures, who previously served as a high-ranking aide to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, is competing against political newcomer and attorney Caroleene Dobson, a Republican, for Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District.

This district, which has long been a stronghold for the Republican Party, became more competitive after federal judges altered its boundaries last year. A court determined that Alabama’s prior district map had unfairly minimized the voting power of Black residents and mandated adjustments to enhance Black voter representation. If Figures emerges victorious, he would make history by becoming Alabama’s second Black representative in Congress.

The non-partisan Cook Political Report categorized this newly drawn district as “likely Democrat,” but both candidates emphasized the competitiveness of the election. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee selected Figures for its “Red to Blue” initiative, highlighting candidates it believes have the potential to shift districts from Republican control. Similarly, the National Republican Congressional Committee recognized Dobson as a priority candidate within its “Young Guns” program.

Figures, who is 39 years old, has a background in law and governmental service, having worked as the deputy chief of staff and counselor to Garland. He also contributed to the administration of former President Barack Obama, where he held the position of domestic director in the Presidential Personnel Office. On the campaign trail, Figures has focused on addressing critical issues related to infrastructure, education, and healthcare. He has strong local connections, such as having a mother who serves as a state senator and a late father known for his legal battles against the Ku Klux Klan following the murder of a Black teenager in 1981.

In contrast, 37-year-old Dobson has criticized Figures as a “Washington D.C. insider,” highlighting his extensive ties to previous administrations. Her campaign centers on key issues like border security, inflation, and rising crime rates, which she believes are significant to voters from all political backgrounds.

The upcoming election follows a contentious legal struggle over the district’s composition. Federal judges sanctioned new district lines after determining that Alabama’s earlier map, which included only one majority-Black district among seven, was likely an example of racial gerrymandering designed to suppress Black voting influence in a state where 27% of the population is Black. The court concluded that Alabama should provide a second district where Black voters hold a significant proportion of the voting age demographic and have a fair chance to elect a candidate of their choosing.

In this new district, Black residents constitute nearly 49% of the voting age population, which extends across the state, encompassing the capital city of Montgomery, parts of the port city of Mobile, and various rural areas.