In Tuskegee, Alabama, a city rich in African American history, two congressional candidates are vying for the spotlight in the upcoming election. Democrat Shomari Figures, a former Obama administration official, is challenging Republican Caroleene Dobson, a real estate attorney, for the newly redrawn 2nd Congressional District seat.
The district was reshaped by a three-judge panel following a Supreme Court ruling that Black voters' influence had been diluted in the previous boundaries. With nearly half of the district's voting-age population now Black, the race has become a focal point in the battle for control of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Figures, a Mobile native with a background in law and government service, is focusing his campaign on issues like healthcare, education, and infrastructure. He highlights the impact of Alabama's Medicaid policies and the closure of hospitals in the district as key concerns.
On the other hand, Dobson, a Harvard graduate with experience in real estate law, is emphasizing border security, inflation, and crime as central issues for voters. She aligns herself with former President Donald Trump and has made a recent trip to the U.S.-Mexico border to underscore her stance on immigration.
While Figures criticizes Dobson's border security trip as a 'photo op,' he maintains that pressing problems in the district stem from issues like population decline and educational challenges, rather than illegal immigration.
The 2nd Congressional District spans a diverse landscape, encompassing urban centers like Montgomery and Mobile, as well as rural areas with deep historical significance. The upcoming election is expected to draw high voter turnout, with Democrats hopeful about Vice President Kamala Harris's impact on Black and young voters, while Republicans anticipate strong support for a return to Trump's policies.
Local residents like retired educator Ira Stallworth see the race as an opportunity for increased attention and representation in a district that has often been overlooked in the past. The outcome of this closely watched contest could have far-reaching implications for the political landscape in Alabama and beyond.
