Rhett Marques Leads Alabama 2nd GOP Primary With 95% of Votes Counted
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Aug 12
Rhett Marques Leads Alabama 2nd GOP Primary With 95% of Votes Counted
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Aug 12
Summary
More than 95% of ballots were counted in Alabama’s 2nd District special Republican primary, with state Representative Rhett Marques ahead in the six-candidate race.
Marques entered as the front-runner after redistricting moved him into the district and made the seat more favorable to Republicans than under its previous lines.
Trump and Senator Katie Britt endorsed Marques, who is seeking the nomination to challenge Democratic Representative Shomari Figures.
The race is a key test of whether Republicans can flip a House seat reshaped by redistricting and strengthen their narrow chamber majority.
How will sudden demographic shifts and new legal precedents redefine the future of local elections?
Could redrawn electoral boundaries jeopardize federal funding for essential community hospitals and civic centers?
Alabama’s 2nd District 2026: How Supreme Court Redistricting and the GOP Primary Could Decide House Control and the Future of the Voting Rights Act
Overview
The 2026 Alabama 2nd Congressional District race is a direct result of the Supreme Court’s Louisiana v. Callais decision, which weakened the Voting Rights Act and allowed states like Alabama to redraw maps that reduced Black voting power. The new map removed Mobile County and added conservative areas, dropping the Black Voting Age Population from nearly 49% to about 40%, turning a Democratic-leaning seat into a likely Republican one. This triggered a low-turnout, confusing special primary, where State Rep. Rhett Marques, backed by Trump and major PACs, leads the GOP field. Meanwhile, grassroots groups are scrambling to mobilize Black Belt voters amid widespread confusion and national party attention.