Alabama map cuts Democratic seat as Figures trails in fundraising

Figures is betting that widespread dissatisfaction with Trump’s second term, combined with the mobilization of a Democratic base eager to preserve representation despite the redrawn boundaries, will give him an outside chance. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee added Figures to its list of front-line incumbents, providing him access to campaign guidance and fundraising prioritization.

“Figures starts as a clear underdog,” wrote Erin Covey, the U.S. House editor at Cook Political Report. “But if backlash to gerrymandering electrifies Democratic turnout in Alabama—and if turnout among Republican voters is anemic—Figures has an outside shot.”

Figures said he sees a viable path. “I think our odds are phenomenal to be able to compete and win in this district,” he said. “The demographics have shifted but not so significantly that they’ve been able to silence our majority.”

In Montgomery, 81-year-old John Knight, who is pushing neighbors to vote, said he has worked with local radio stations and owners of minivans who can drive people to the polls. “I’ve seen it all. I’ve been through the Vietnam War, through segregation. I’m used to a fight,” Knight said.

The Republican front-runner for the seat, state Rep. Rhett Marques, switched into the contest against Figures in May and has been endorsed by Trump. “Marques is running to put more money back in the pockets of hardworking Alabamians,” his campaign said. “Redistricting gave Alabama a congressional map that better reflects the values of Alabamians.”

170 miles south, in Mobile, the outlook is more dire for Democrats. The largely Democratic city has been drawn into a heavily white Republican district, leaving it a small blue island in a deep-red constituency. Black leaders there are working to sustain voter engagement, particularly among younger residents.

Rev. Brandon Thornton, 37, of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Mobile, said his congregation is reeling from the court’s decision. “While I think the church is showing up, I don’t think the larger community is showing up, specifically young voters,” he said. “Older voters saw Jim Crow. They understand the power of their votes.”

Beverly Cooper, 77, a co-founder of voter education and advocacy organization Stand Up Mobile, said younger people have a deep passion for improving their lives but do not want to feel guilted into voting. Cooper spoke to the Bethel congregation during a Sunday service. “The one place Black folks can normally get information is where?” she asked. “The church!” the parishioners replied.

JaVaughnae Malone, a 38-year-old business owner in Mobile, said she is prepared for a Republican victory in November and has already spoken with Republican policymakers. “No matter who’s in office, if it’s a Republican or a Democrat, you have to advocate. That means writing letters, calling their office. You have to let them know,” Malone said.

At St. John’s AME Church in Montgomery, Rev. Roosevelt Williams III, 63, said his congregation, including young people, have been jolted into action and are registering voters. After the Supreme Court lifted an injunction in May against the 2023 congressional map, he marched with members across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama.

“We’re having a lot of meetings. But it’s not meetings to be having meetings,” Williams said. “We’re strategizing who is going to take which neighborhoods to knock on doors.”

Alabama Republican Attorney General Steve Marshall lauded the court’s decision. “For too long, Alabama has been denied the full measure of its sovereignty by judges who insist on treating our state as though it never moved beyond the 1960s,” Marshall said.