Staff Reports
In a thrilling test of political prowess, Rep. Barry Moore (R-AL) emerged victorious in the Republican primary for the 1st Congressional District, dealing a death blow to incumbent Rep. Jerry Carl (R-AL).
With 95% of the vote counted, the Associated Press proudly declared Moore the winner, with 51.8% of the vote, leaving poor Carl with a measly 48.2%. Cue the confetti and grand fanfare for the triumphant Moore, who will now set his sights on facing off against the unopposed Democratic candidate Tom Holmes in November.
Thank you everyone! ? We appreciate your support and prayers. We couldn't have done it without you! ?? God is good! ? #CD1 #alpolitics @mtgreenee @real pic.twitter.com/zzdgw63ui8
— Barry Moore For Congress (@BMooreCongress) March 6, 2024
Under the newfangled congressional maps, Moore’s hometown gallivanted its way from the 2nd District to Carl’s turf, unleashing a clash of the GOP titans that can only be described as riveting. Both combatants have been representing their respective districts since 2021, touting their unwavering loyalty to the one and only former President Donald Trump throughout their campaigns. This spectacle took place in a solidly red district where Trump’s victory margin in 2020 would make your head spin – over 50 percentage points of winning power, folks!
In one corner, we have Carl, with his establishment Republican pals and Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) in his corner. And in the other corner, Moore proudly brandished endorsements and donations from the hard-hitting House Freedom Caucus members. Although Trump chose not to publicly endorse either contestant in this electrifying race, he threw his support behind both for the 2022 midterm battles.
Moore’s leapfrog into Carl’s district has tantalizingly opened the door for Democrats to swoop in and snag the 2nd District, potentially handing them a whopping seven House seats from the Alabama delegation. But buckle up, because the general election in the 2nd District, a long-standing Republican fortress, is gearing up to be the most nail-biting contest in years.
In the primary showdown, a whopping 11 Democrats and eight Republicans vied for the honor of representing the freshly redrawn 2nd District, oh, and let’s not forget – all of this hullabaloo went down after the state court concocted the snazzy-sounding “Remedial Plan 3” to rectify the state’s past maps that apparently didn’t play nice with the Voting Rights Act.
Now, here’s the real cliffhanger – two Democrats and two Republicans are duking it out in a nail-biting runoff election, set to shake the foundations on April 16. On the Democratic front, we’ve got former Justice Department bigwig Shomari Figures duking it out with the Democratic state Rep. Anthony Daniels. The Associated Press came a-callin’ and declared Figures leading the pack with 43.5% of the vote, leaving Daniels trailing behind with 22.4% – the suspense is killing me!
Oh, and get this – the runoff battle between Daniels and Figures isn’t just any old showdown. The 2nd District has been jazzed up to be nearly 50% black, making it quite the historic moment for Alabama. With both Democratic candidates boasting a snazzy black label, the state might just be on the cusp of electing not one, but two black representatives to the U.S. House, a first in Alabama’s storied history. Rep. Terri Sewell (R-AL), the state’s only black representative since 2011, must be feeling the heat, although she’s basking in the glowing rays of a comfortable reelection campaign.
And not to be outdone, the Republican side is just as lively, with Dick Brewbaker and Caroleene Dobson revving their engines for a rollicking runoff election. The Associated Press swooped in yet again, joyfully declaring Brewbaker the leader with a dazzling 39.6% of the vote, leaving Dobson trailing behind with a respectable 26.5%. The air is electric, and the stakes are higher than a rodeo cowboy on a bucking bronco!
Boy, oh boy, ain’t politics just the grandest, most thrilling rollercoaster ride known to man? Hold on to your hats, because the drama, the passion, and the sheer unpredictability of it all make for the most riveting theater in town!
