Alabama voters go to the polls this Tuesday for special congressional primaries in four districts that will test the state's new electoral map, which expanded Republican-leaning districts from five to six and reduced Democratic ones from two to one.

The redesign, approved by the state Legislature in 2023 and reinstated by the US Supreme Court last June after a legal battle, makes it difficult for Democrats to retain District 2, one of four, along with 1, 6 and 7, that are holding special elections today.

Currently, Republicans control the House of Representatives in Washington with 218 Republicans compared to 212 Democrats, who need to win at least four to take their majority in the midterm elections next November.

A key district for Republicans

Alabama's District 6 is the only one of the four up for voting today that could put that Republican advantage at risk in the next legislative elections due to the new electoral map, which made it less solidly Republican.

Republican Gary Palmer, in office since 2015, is seeking the nomination again against rookie Case Dixon, while Jacob Bouma-Sims, Ashtyn Kennedy, Maurice Mercer and Keith Pilkington are competing for the Democratic Party nomination, with no favorite in sight according to the polls.

Meanwhile, District 7, which Democrat Terri Sewell has represented since 2011, is the only one that retains a majority African-American population, which is usually aligned with the Democratic Party, and is expected to continue this trend seeking its ninth term without an internal rival. On the Republican side, Ammie Akin and David Perry are running for that seat.

Trump enters the race

In District 2, which Democrat Shomari Figures won in 2024, the new layout takes away Mobile, his electoral base.

The congressman has no contenders in his party, but he does have six Republican rivals, including the favorite, state legislator Rhett Marques, backed by President Donald Trump and who leads the fundraising. Also competing is David Matthews, a former Agriculture Department official during Trump's two terms.

Finally, District 1 is open because its incumbent, Barry Moore, is a Republican candidate for the federal Senate. Trump there supports Jerry Carl, who held that seat between 2021 and 2025, against three other Republican candidates: Lucas Burger, John Mills and Austin Sidwell. Clyde W. Jones Jr. is the only Democratic candidate for this seat.

Alabama is part of an unusual wave of states that have redrawn their electoral maps outside the usual decennial census cycle, after the controversial process promoted in Texas by President Trump.

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