The Alabama Democratic Conference (ADC) officially backs Shomari Figures against House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels (D-Huntsville) in the upcoming runoff election for Alabama's recently redrawn second congressional district.
Figures pulled ahead of Daniels in the Democratic primary earlier this month but not with enough margin in the loaded field to avoid a runoff.
Following a meeting of the ADC Executive Committee on Monday, the Conference announced that it would officially throw its hat in the ring in support of Figures.
"I am pleased with the participation and the debate on the part of the ADC County Delegates," ADC chairman Joe Reed said, "and we recognize that the big fight will be in the November General Election."
He continued, "Our success over the years has been "Political Strength through Unity," and our people recognize that a house divided cannot stand," said Reed. "Even though we have a major challenge for the November election, if we stick together and unite, we can give the voters in the 2nd Congressional District a 2nd Black Congressman for a 2024 Christmas Present."
Reed's comments in support of Figures contradict a strongly worded letter he sent before the Super Tuesday primary election, in which he claimed that both Figures and Daniels received money from conservative sources in an attempt to "steal the election from us." This came as the ADC backed then-candidate Napoleon Bracy. In the letter, Reed said the party needed to "consider whether or not these two candidates can continue to run as Democrats."
SEE: ADC's Joe Reed demands AL-2 Democrat front-runners Figures, Daniels kicked off party ballot
"According to the reports, Protect Progress, a conservative group, has donated 1.7 million dollars to Shomari Figures alone," Reed said in a letter to Alabama Democratic Party chairman Randy Kelly. "The other candidate, Anthony Daniels, the current Democratic Minority Leader in the Alabama House of Representatives, has received untold amounts of dollars from other Republicans, many who live in Alabama."
He added, "The veracity of these claims is beyond doubt because the candidates themselves made the reports. The Democratic Party should not stand idly by and let the crooks, thugs, and thieves steal the election from us. The United States Supreme Court ordered Alabama's Legislature to draw a District that Blacks could win. It certainly did not order that there be drawn a district for Republicans to buy or steal or for Blacks to sell!"
The District 2 seat is currently held by U.S. Rep. Barry Moore (R-Enterprise). However, the district was drastically remade by a federal court recently and now may be more winnable for a Democratic candidate. Moore's hometown was moved into the first congressional district under the new map for 2024. Moore won the GOP nomination for District 1 against incumbent U.S. Rep. Jerry Carl (R-Mobile).
District 2 now stretches into most of Mobile, up to Washington County, and over to the Alabama-Georgia border in Russell and Barbour Counties.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email craig.monger@1819news.com.
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