Staff Writer
Cliff Williams / TPI Alabama Congressional District 2 hopeful Hampton Harris speaks to the Elmore County Republicans. Prior to last week’s federal court ruling, he was the only Republican candidate. He now faces six others for the nomination to go against Democrat incumbent Shomari C. Figures.
The dust has settled after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the last couple weeks that maps for some congressional districts previously ruled ineligible can be used.
The maps now being used were previously ruled ineligible by the federal courts.
"For too long, Alabama has been denied the full measure of its sovereignty by judges who insist on treating our state as though it never moved beyond the 1960s, no more," Alabama attorney general Steve Marshall said in a statement. "We have the same right as any other state to draw our own congressional maps according to our own legitimate districting objectives, without being held to a different and more burdensome standard by federal courts."
With the court’s decision, Alabama will hold special August primaries for the 1st, 2nd, 6th and 7th congressional districts. It will also hold special primaries for the Alabama State Senate districts 25 and 26.
Congressional districts 2 and 6 and the two state senate districts affect Elmore County, essentially dividing the county in half. Up until two years ago, Elmore County was in Congressional District 2. It then was in District 6 which is currently represented by Republican Gary Palmer who is seeking reelection. Palmer is being challenged by Case Dixon.
District 2 will see a new representative as incumbent Barry Moore is campaigning for U.S. Senate.
Republican challengers in District 2 are Hampton Harris, Christian Horn, Rhett Marques, David Matthews, Joshua McKee and James Richardson.
The winner will move to the general election and not necessarily with a majority of the votes in a winner-take-all format.
The winners of the Republican special primary will face incumbent Democrat Shomari C. Figures in District 2. The District 6 Republican nominee will face the Democrat winner of Jacob Bouma-Sims, Ashtyn Kennedy, Maurice Mercer and Keith Pilkington.
Harris was at last week’s Elmore County Republican Party meeting just after the supreme court’s ruling. He had been a candidate in District 2 before the new maps were allowed.
“This district was previously the most conservative district in the U.S.,” Harris said. “Barry Moore was y'alls representative; as y'all know, it got redistricted. They basically got some political operatives from DC to redraw our district in order to make it an opportunity district for minorities. They sent a representative from DC to Alabama in order to represent them, versus us sending a representative from us to represent us.”
Harris told the county Republicans he is from Alabama and is currently a real estate broker living south of Montgomery. He is also an attorney. Harris qualified to run against Figures in District 2 before the new map was allowed. He was the sole Republican candidate.
“I wanted to get the race because no one else wanted to face him,” Harris said. “He is beatable if people just turn out. I jumped in the race, I was the only Republican to do so.”
After the new map was instated, five other Republican candidates qualified for the seat.
Congressional District 2 candidate Case Dixon was also at the meeting.
“I am running for U.S. Congress to make life more affordable for our young people, for working families and for our seniors,” Dixon said. “Right now we have $39 trillion in national debt. This is leading to bigger government. It's leading to inflation. It is crippling the future of our young people and the next generation.”
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