Alabama voters are casting ballots today to elect U.S. representatives for the next two years, with all seven congressional seats on the line. The state's delegation is currently divided between five Republicans and two Democrats, but a court-ordered redistricting has upended the political landscape in one key district.
The new map, enacted after the Supreme Court's recent Voting Rights Act ruling, was drawn by Gov. Kay Ivey and the Republican-controlled Legislature with the explicit goal of flipping a Democratic-held seat. The 2nd Congressional District, currently represented by Rep. Shomari Figures (D), was redrawn to include more of southeastern Alabama and no longer has an African American majority. Republican state Rep. Rhett Marques is challenging Figures, and election forecasters rate the race as likely or leaning Republican.
"This district was drawn to elect a Republican," said one GOP strategist familiar with the race, speaking on condition of anonymity. "But Figures is a strong incumbent, and we're not taking anything for granted."
The other six districts are less competitive. The 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th Districts are all considered safe or likely Republican by nonpartisan forecasters. In the 7th District, longtime Rep. Terri Sewell (D) is seeking her ninth term and is expected to win comfortably in the heavily Democratic Birmingham-based seat.
Alabama is one of several states where redistricting battles have reshaped the midterm battlefield. Similar fights are playing out in Louisiana, where Republicans are eyeing a pickup in the 6th District, and in Maryland, where several incumbents face tough races. Nationally, Democrats are hoping to hold their ground despite a challenging political environment for the GOP.
Polls close at 8 p.m. EST. Check back for live results and analysis as the votes come in.
