Rhett Marques just dominated a six-person Republican primary in Alabama's redrawn 2nd Congressional District.
The Trump-endorsed state representative grabbed 50.03% of the vote, pulling in 16,411 ballots and avoiding a runoff entirely, according to reports. His closest competitor, Hampton Harris, barely cracked 21.65% with 7,100 votes. David Matthews snagged third place at 17.43% with 5,716 votes. The remaining three candidates, Joshua McKee, James Richardson, and Christian Horn, combined for less than 11% of the total.
Here is where it gets really interesting for political junkies.
This seat is currently held by Democratic Rep. Shomari Figures, who captured it back in 2024 after the Supreme Court confirmed that Alabama's Republican-drawn congressional map was discriminatory against Black voters. That ruling forced the creation of a second majority-Black district. But the court reversed course earlier this year, giving Alabama the green light to use a map far more favorable to the GOP. The new boundaries axed Mobile from the 2nd District, which is absolutely brutal news for Figures and his reelection hopes.
The University of Virginia's Center for Politics already rates this contest as likely going Republican. That is political analyst speak for "start packing your office boxes."
Marques carried nearly every single county in the primary. Harris only managed to win Lowndes County, while Matthews took Dale County, both of which were recently shuffled into the redrawn district.
Only 32,801 total votes were cast in the GOP primary, representing a meager 5.24% turnout. Not exactly a stampede to the polls, but Marques will take the W regardless.
The Republican nominee wasted no time setting up his general election pitch. He talked about putting more money in families' pockets, safer neighborhoods for children, stronger communities, and preserving Christian values. He capped it off with a punchy line about "common sense" conquering "craziness" come November.
Figures, meanwhile, ran completely unopposed on the Democratic side since no other Democrat even qualified for the special election. He fired back with his own statement, calling Marques a potential "rubber stamp" for policies that are driving up costs for regular Alabamians. Figures said he looks forward to making the contrast crystal clear across the district before November.
Marques rolled into this primary with some serious firepower. Beyond the golden endorsement from President Trump, he also locked down support from Alabama's own Sen. Katie Britt. National Republican figures have been openly salivating over this district, viewing it as a prime opportunity to claw back a seat they lost during the 2024 cycle.
The general election showdown between Marques and Figures is set for November 3. Given the newly redrawn map and the political winds blowing through Alabama, Figures faces what could generously be described as a very steep climb. The GOP smells blood in the water, and they are not being subtle about it.
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