Hampton Harris, a Republican candidate for Alabama's Congressional District 2 (CD-2), recently reaffirmed his pursuit of the seat in light of the last-minute voting map shakeup.
Candidates are still gathering their bearings in the state ahead of the May 19 primary and the newly announced August special election.
Things are still in the works behind the scenes as the state tries to implement congressional maps that had previously been enjoined in court for years.
The Alabama Legislature assembled in a special session last week to compel the state to hold a special election under the map approved by lawmakers in 2023.
The special session was called after the 6-3 majority ruling in Louisiana v. Callias, in which the U.S. Supreme Court held that race-based gerrymandering was unconstitutional. Alabama swiftly reacted, filing motions to have the injunction on both the congressional and state senate maps approved by lawmakers lifted. Lawmakers approved the 2023 congressional map following an initial map that was blocked by a federal court, forcing the legislature to approve another. Despite the redrawing, a three-judge panel likewise found that the 2023 map likely violated the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the state was compelled to accept one drawn by a court-appointed special master.
This week, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the injunction against the congressional map and remanded the case to the District Court. The District Court could still reimpose the injunction. However, Gov. Kay Ivey announced the special election for Aug. 11
Harris is running for CD-2, which was only flipped to the Democratic Party in 2024, when the state was compelled to use the map imposed on it by federal courts.
The special election under the 2023 map opens the possibility of the state regaining a Republican seat in Congress, unseating incumbent U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures (D-Mobile).
Harris restated his intention to stay in the race on Tuesday, citing his initial bid for a seat many had surrendered to the Democratic Party as a factor in his favor.
"When this district was drawn to favor Democrats and the path looked uphill, I was the only one willing to step up and challenge the incumbent," Harris said. "While others sat on the sidelines, I got to work knocking doors across District 2, listening to families, small business owners, farmers, and veterans, and fighting every day for the conservative values that built Alabama. That hard work did not depend on favorable maps, and it will not stop now that the lines have improved."
While Harris is the only Republican qualified to run in the May 19 primary, potential candidates can qualify between May 20 and May 22, and more are expected to enter the fray.
He continued, "These maps strengthen our ability to send bold conservatives to Washington who will secure the border, lower costs for working families, support our agriculture community, grow good paying jobs, and defend the freedoms that make this country exceptional. I am proud to carry that fight forward."
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Editor's note: A previous version of the article incorrectly stated a residency requirement in the congressional district to be eligible to run. The story has been updated.
