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By Cody D. Short | For the Birmingham Times
Representative Shomari Figures has secured re-election in Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District, defeating Republican challenger and state Representative Rhett Marques with nearly 54% of the vote.
Figures’ victory comes after a contentious redistricting battle that reshaped Alabama’s congressional map and put the state at the center of a national debate over voting rights and political representation. Following developments in Callais v. United States, Alabama lawmakers this spring moved forward with a new congressional map that significantly altered the lines of the 2nd Congressional District.
Figures’ election watch party took place at Ravello Ristorante in Montgomery, and it was filled with anticipation as approximately 300 supporters, community members and guests gathered. The space was divided between a bar area featuring a DJ and a stage area where guests enjoyed food and watched the results on a big screen. Around 9:30 p.m., Figures took the stage to deliver his victory speech to an enthusiastic crowd celebrating his re-election.
Under the previous district map, Figures represented an area of the state that included his hometown of Mobile. However, the newly drawn map removed Mobile from the district and instead included Montgomery through Alabama’s Wiregrass region. The district still includes several majority-Black counties, but heavily supported Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election.
Figures’ victory also served as a closely watched test of Republican efforts to redraw congressional districts to their advantage. Alabama was among several Southern states involved in a broader redistricting battle, with Republican-led efforts to reshape congressional maps drawing scrutiny from voting rights advocates and political observers.
Figures’ re-election offered an important measure of how voters in a newly configured district would respond to those changes and whether Republican efforts to gain an electoral advantage through redistricting would translate into victories at the ballot box.
Following his victory, Figures credited voters in Montgomery County with playing a significant role in securing his re-election.
Fueled by voter turnout of more than 50% in Montgomery County, Figures retained his seat despite the redrawn district’s Republican tilt.
He acknowledged the challenges brought on by the redistricting and emphasized the importance of connecting with constituents throughout the campaign.
“At the end of the day, we know what happened with this district. We know how it was drawn and re-drawn. We had a job to do. To get out to talk to people about how we can continue to represent the people,” Figures told WSFA.
Figures’ win also comes amid a broader wave of Democratic victories across the country in the 2026 elections. Democrats have made significant gains in races nationwide, contributing to a political shift that has strengthened the party’s position in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Alabama Congressional District 6
Incumbent Republican Congressman Gary Palmer won a seventh term representing District 6 on Election Day, defeating Democrat Maurice Mercer of Pelham. Unofficial results early Wednesday morning saw Palmer leading Mercer 149,921votes to 110,957 votes, or by 57.4% to 42.5%.
Gary PalmerPalmer’s platform emphasized fiscal conservatism, reducing federal regulations, restrictions on abortion, gun rights and stricter immigration policies. He has served in Congress since 2015.
Mercer served on the Pelham City Council from 2012 to 2025 and was council president.
Among the issues on his platform cited on his campaign website (mauricemercer.com) were lowering costs for working families and supporting access to healthcare, public safety, immigration reform, border security, education and workforce development.
Also, “I’m in it to restore the rule of law, to bring back stability, bring back decorum,” he said.
The 6th Congressional District consists of most of Jefferson County outside Birmingham city limits and Autauga, Bibb, Chilton, Coosa, Elmore, and Shelby counties.
This story is part of a BirminghamWatch–BirminghamTimes collaboration. Anne Ruisi contributed to this report.
