Former U.S. President Barack Obama speaks during a campaign event for Democratic presidential nominee, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, at the James R Hallford Stadium on October 24, 2024 in Clarkston, Georgia. The former president has recorded a message for Shomari Figures in Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District, urging voters to “lead the charge for change once again.” (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Former President Barack Obama has recorded a message encouraging Alabama 2nd Congressional District voters to support Democratic 2nd Congressional District nominee Shomari Figures, invoking the state’s civil rights past and saying they would “lead the charge for change once again.”
The Figures campaign said in a statement that Obama was calling on voters to “to lead the charge for change once again.”
“Alabama, you’ve led the way in securing voting and civil rights for everyone in America, making journeys like mine possible,” Obama said.
Figures, who served in Obama’s administration as Domestic Director of Presidential Personnel and later at the U.S. Department of Justice under President Joe Biden, expressed gratitude for the endorsement in the statement.
“’His humility, integrity, decency, and historic leadership continues to inspire millions of people around the world, and I am thankful he gave a kid from Mobile, Alabama the chance to play a small part in such a historic and productive chapter in America’s story,” Figures said in a statement.
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The 2nd Congressional District stretches from Mobile County through the southern Black Belt and Montgomery to the Georgia border. A federal court last year approved a new congressional map for Alabama, making the 7th Congressional District a majority-Black district, as it has been since 1992, and the 2nd district a near-majority Black district.
The court found that voting was racially polarized in Alabama, with white Alabamians tending to support Republicans and Black Alabamians tending to support Democrats. The court designated the 2nd Congressional District, with a Black Voting Age Population of nearly 49%, as an “opportunity district” giving Black voters a chance to elect their preferred candidates.
Figures faces Republican nominee Caroleene Dobson in the contest.
With a closely divided U.S. House, the result of the election could help swing control of the chamber. Figures’ campaign has drawn attention from state and national Democrats. U.S. House of Representative Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries; former Attorney General Eric Holder and Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Birmingham have all campaigned in the district this week. Figures had a speaking slot at the Democratic National Convention in August, appearing on the same night that Vice President Kamala Harris accepted the party’s nomination for president.
If Figures wins election and Sewell is re-elected, Alabama will have two Black representatives serving in Congress at the same time for the first time in history. The state sent three Black men to the U.S. House — Benjamin Turner; James Rapier and Jeremiah Haralson — between 1871 and 1877, but each served in the chamber at different times. Three other Black Alabamians have served in the House since 1993 — Earl Hilliard; Artur Davis and Sewell – but all came from the 7th Congressional District and succeeded each other.
“’By sending Shomari Figures to Congress, you’ll have someone committed to improving economic and healthcare outcomes for everyone. I know this because Shomari served in my administration, helping implement policies to make life better for all Americans,” Obama said.
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