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Trump-backed candidate wins crowded GOP primary in Alabama's new 2nd District

Rhett Marques will take on Democratic Rep. Shomari Figures in the newly drawn district that's more favorable to Republicans.

Published August 12, 2026, 1:43 AM
Updated August 12, 2026, 1:55 AM1.2K
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Trump-backed candidate wins crowded GOP primary in Alabama's new 2nd District

By

Caitlin Yilek

Politics Reporter

Caitlin Yilek is a politics reporter at CBSNews.com, based in Washington, D.C. She previously worked for the Washington Examiner and The Hill, and was a member of the 2022 Paul Miller Washington Reporting Fellowship with the National Press Foundation.

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Trump-backed Rhett Marques won a crowded Republican primary in Alabama's newly drawn 2nd Congressional District on Tuesday, the Associated Press projects. 

Republicans are seeking to defeat Democratic Rep. Shomari Figures, who won the seat in 2024 after the Supreme Court affirmed that the state's GOP-drawn congressional map discriminated against Black voters. 

This year, however, the Supreme Court cleared the way for Alabama to use a map more favorable to Republicans, which eliminates one of Alabama's two majority-Black seats. Under the new boundaries, the 2nd District no longer includes Mobile, making it more difficult for Figures to win reelection. 

The University of Virginia's Center for Politics rates the race as likely Republican. 

Marques has the endorsements of President Trump, House GOP leaders and Republican Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama. 

In:

Election races to keep an eye on with primaries underway in six states 08:46

Election races to keep an eye on with primaries underway in six states

(08:46)

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