--- title: "Figures vs. Marques: 2026 Alabama’s 2nd District race" url: "https://www.2026election.com/race/2026-house-al-02" updated: "2026-08-12" source: "Candidates' campaign sites and Ballotpedia, quoted verbatim" publisher: "Pluribus" --- # 2026 Alabama’s 2nd District race: Shomari Figures (D) vs. Rhett Marques (R) Rating: Likely R · Election: November 3, 2026 · Ballot checked: October 9, 2026 · Positions captured: August 12, 2026 Democrat Shomari Figures faces Republican State Representative Rhett Marques in the 2026 election for Alabama's 2nd Congressional District. The race follows mid-decade state redistricting triggered by court rulings, which led the state legislature to reschedule the primary election to August 11, 2026. The matchup hinges on contrasting economic remedies, healthcare and reproductive rights, border security policy, and social issues in a redrawn district. ## Candidates - **Shomari Figures** (Democrat) · [Campaign site](https://www.figuresforcongress.com) · [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Shomari_Figures) - **Rhett Marques** (Republican) · [Campaign site](https://rhettforalabama.com) · [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Rhett_Marques) ## Issues ### Economy and cost of living Salience: high Marques advocates for tax cuts, deregulation, and reduced federal spending, whereas Figures focuses on raising wages, expanding paid parental leave, and providing targeted small business incentives. **Shomari Figures:** Raise wages and expand worker benefits Figures focuses on raising wages to help working families cope with escalating costs for housing, healthcare, and childcare. He advocates for targeted tax incentives and capital access for small businesses, while promoting expanded paid parental leave, workforce development, and collective bargaining rights. - Raise wages to combat rising costs of living, housing, healthcare, and childcare. - Support small businesses through targeted tax incentives and equitable access to capital. - Expand paid parental leave and protect workers' rights to unionize. > “Raise wages, because families are working harder but struggling to keep up with record cost increases – particularly increasing costs of healthcare, childcare and housing.” > — Shomari Figures, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Shomari_Figures) **Rhett Marques:** Cut taxes, spending, and regulations Marques promises to address inflation by stopping out-of-control federal spending and lowering taxes. Drawing on his experience as a small business owner, he advocates cutting regulatory red tape and onshoring supply chains to revitalize domestic manufacturing. - Eliminate wasteful federal spending and lower taxes for Alabama families. - Slash regulatory red tape for small businesses. - Onshore critical supply chains to boost domestic 'Made in America' production. > “Making life affordable again for hardworking Alabama families will be my top priority in Congress.” > — Rhett Marques, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Rhett_Marques) ### Healthcare and reproductive rights Salience: high Marques supports strict pro-life legislation and defunding Planned Parenthood, while Figures fights to protect abortion access and expand Medicaid. **Shomari Figures:** Protect reproductive freedom; expand Medicaid Figures advocates for expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act to cover uninsured Alabamians and shorten travel times to emergency and maternal care units. He strongly supports protecting reproductive rights so patients can make autonomous healthcare decisions. - Advocate for Medicaid expansion and ACA enhancements to improve rural healthcare access. - Address Alabama's maternal health crisis and racial disparities in maternal mortality. - Protect reproductive freedom and patient autonomy in medical decisions. > “Protect reproductive rights and ensure every patient can make their own healthcare decisions - on their own, for their own futures.” > — Shomari Figures, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Shomari_Figures) **Rhett Marques:** Oppose abortion; defund Planned Parenthood Marques highlights his vote in the state legislature for Alabama's strict abortion ban and pledges to oppose abortion rights in Congress. He promises to defund Planned Parenthood and ensure no federal tax dollars support abortion services. - Voted for Alabama's pro-life legislation as a state representative. - Pledges to defund Planned Parenthood in Congress. - Opposes federal funding for abortion services. > “I voted for the strongest pro-life law in our country, and I’ll fight Democrats’ radical, pro-abortion agenda in Washington.” > — Rhett Marques, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Rhett_Marques) ### Immigration and border security Salience: high Marques supports mass deportation and strict border policies, whereas Figures supports targeted detention for violent or property crimes while voting against mandatory deportation for DUIs. **Shomari Figures:** Selective detention enforcement; balanced reform Figures supported the Laken Riley Act to require the detention of undocumented immigrants arrested for burglary or theft. However, he voted against measures that automatically make driving while impaired grounds for deportation or that restrict federal court injunctions on enforcement. - Voted Yea on the Laken Riley Act (S. 5) to detain undocumented immigrants arrested for theft or burglary. - Voted Nay on H.R. 875, which would make driving while impaired grounds for deportation or inadmissibility. - Voted Nay on H.R. 1526 regarding district court injunction limits on federal policies. **Rhett Marques:** Strict border enforcement and deportation Marques calls for aggressive border enforcement, replacing 'Catch and Release' policies with 'Detain and Deport'. He advocates deporting criminal illegal immigrants to safeguard domestic safety, sovereignty, and working-class wages. - Replace 'Catch and Release' with 'Detain and Deport' procedures. - Deport criminal illegal immigrants and secure national borders. - End mass migration policies to protect domestic working-class wages. > “Replacing “Catch and Release” with “Detain and Deport” worked, and I’ll make sure it stays that way.” > — Rhett Marques, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Rhett_Marques) ### Digital assets and cryptocurrency Salience: medium Both candidates support stablecoin regulation and digital asset growth, but Marques explicitly focuses on banning Central Bank Digital Currencies while Figures emphasizes establishing consumer regulatory frameworks. **Shomari Figures:** Embrace crypto with consumer protections Figures serves on the House Subcommittee on Commodity Markets, Digital Assets and Rural Development and voted for the GENIUS Act to establish a regulatory framework for payment stablecoins. He supports leveraging cryptocurrency and blockchain technology while creating responsible consumer and investor guardrails. - Voted Yea on the GENIUS Act (S. 1582) establishing stablecoin regulations. - Serves on the House Agriculture Subcommittee overseeing digital assets. - Promotes blockchain growth in healthcare, supply chains, and identity verification alongside protective consumer regulations. > “Embrace the new landscape around digital assets, like Cryptocurrency, to stimulate innovation and technological advancement” > — Shomari Figures, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Shomari_Figures) **Rhett Marques:** Promote crypto; oppose CBDC Marques supports making the United States the world crypto capital and backed state legislation to shield Alabama from federal Central Bank Digital Currency initiatives. He supports federal stablecoin legislation to diversify capital markets without overly restricting free enterprise. - Supports federal stablecoin legislation to bolster capital market innovation. - Opposes the creation or testing of a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC). - Supported state legislative measures protecting Alabama against federal CBDC testing. > “Furthermore, I am 100% opposed to a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC)” > — Rhett Marques, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Rhett_Marques) ### Education and social issues Salience: medium Marques champions bans on CRT, DEI, and transgender females in girls' sports, whereas Figures focuses on raising teacher pay, modernizing facilities, and opposing sports restrictions. **Shomari Figures:** Increase teacher pay; modernize schools Figures prioritizes raising teacher salaries, securing paid parental leave for educators, and modernizing classroom infrastructure. He voted against federal legislation that would ban transgender females from competing in women's athletic programs. - Advocate for higher teacher pay and paid parental leave for educators. - Increase federal funding to modernize school technology and infrastructure. - Voted Nay on the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act (H.R. 28). **Rhett Marques:** Ban CRT/DEI; restrict transgender participation Marques focuses his education platform on eliminating Critical Race Theory and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs from schools. He also advocates prohibiting biological males from entering girls' locker rooms or competing in female sports. - Keep Critical Race Theory (CRT) out of K-12 classrooms. - End Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs. - Prohibit biological males from entering girls' locker rooms and participating in female sports. > “Like President Trump, I will always fight for common sense and keep Critical Race Theory (CRT) out of our classrooms, end Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs, and kick biological men out of our girls’ locker rooms.” > — Rhett Marques, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Rhett_Marques) ### Gun policy and public safety Salience: medium Marques views gun rights as an absolute constitutional defense against tyranny, while Figures treats gun violence as a community health and public safety crisis requiring holistic intervention. **Shomari Figures:** Holistic approach to gun violence Figures views gun violence as a leading crisis affecting young Alabamians that requires community-based intervention strategies. He advocates for criminal justice reform, better police-community relations, and post-incarceration re-entry support. - Advance holistic community interventions to reduce gun violence among youth. - Improve police-community relations to enhance public safety. - Promote criminal justice and prison reform to support successful re-entry. > “Advance a holistic approach to addressing gun violence in our communities and providing a future with better opportunities and outcomes for young people in this District.” > — Shomari Figures, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Shomari_Figures) **Rhett Marques:** Defend Second Amendment rights Marques treats gun ownership as a God-given right essential for self-defense and resisting government overreach. He opposes gun control measures proposed by congressional Democrats. - Protect Second Amendment rights against federal gun control legislation. - View firearm ownership as a constitutional line of defense against government tyranny. > “The right to protect ourselves and our loved ones is God-given and guaranteed by the Second Amendment.” > — Rhett Marques, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Rhett_Marques) ### Agriculture and rural infrastructure Salience: low Both candidates support expanding rural broadband and agricultural markets, with Figures emphasizing his House Agriculture Committee assignment and Marques focusing on fair markets and trade. **Shomari Figures:** Committee-driven rural investment Figures leverages his placement on the House Committee on Agriculture to push for investments in rural communities. He supports public-private partnerships to expand rural broadband and build out local healthcare networks. - Serves on the House Committee on Agriculture and relevant subcommittees. - Promote public-private partnerships to expand broadband and healthcare in rural areas. **Rhett Marques:** Fair markets and rural broadband Marques vows to deliver fair trade markets for local agricultural producers and Gulf Coast exporters. He supports targeted infrastructure investments in rural broadband to boost healthcare, education, and business opportunities. - Deliver fair markets and trade opportunities for agricultural producers. - Invest in broadband and infrastructure in rural communities. ### Foreign policy, defense, and veterans Salience: low Marques outlines an explicit defense platform based on military deterrence and aid to Israel, whereas Figures' documented record focuses primarily on federal transparency legislation. **Shomari Figures:** Transparency and government oversight Figures' documented record on national oversight includes voting for the Epstein Files Transparency Act to publish unclassified investigative materials. His campaign platform does not detail a broader foreign defense doctrine. - Voted Yea on the Epstein Files Transparency Act (H.R. 4405). **Rhett Marques:** Peace through strength; support Israel Marques advocates for maintaining military dominance against foreign adversaries like China, Russia, and Iran while safeguarding defense jobs in Alabama. He pledges strong support for Israel and calls for reforming broken healthcare services for veterans. - Maintain military superiority against China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. - Protect local defense jobs in shipbuilding and aerospace. - Strongly support Israel and reform veterans' care systems. ### Voting rights and election laws Salience: medium **Shomari Figures:** Protect and expand voting access Figures pledges to protect and expand voting access, framing AL-02 as a district created through long-standing civil rights advocacy. In the House, he voted against the SAVE Act, which would require documentary proof of citizenship to register for federal elections. - Voted Nay on the SAVE Act (H.R. 22) requiring proof of citizenship to register for federal elections. - Pledges to protect and expand voting access across the district. > “Continue the fight to protect and expand voting rights and ensure every person in this District – a District that was the outcome of years-long advocacy for fair voting – can have their voice heard at the ballot box.” > — Shomari Figures, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Shomari_Figures) **Rhett Marques:** No documented position in our sources ## Polls and markets _Updated Oct 31._ - [Polymarket](https://polymarket.com/event/al-02-house-election-winner) — AL-02 House Election Winner: Republicans 56.0%, Democrats 44.0% - [Kalshi](https://kalshi.com/events/KXHOUSERACE-AL02-26) — AL-02 House winner?: Rhett Marques 57.0%, Shomari Figures 44.0% [View this race on 2026election.com](https://www.2026election.com/race/2026-house-al-02)