MONTGOMERY, Ala. — After a federal court’s mandate to redraw the district, Black Democrat Shomari Figures has claimed victory in Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District against Republican Caroleene Dobson, as reported by The Associated Press.

Figures hails from Mobile, Alabama, and is the son of state Senators Vivian Figures and Michael Figures. He previously worked at the White House and the Department of Justice during President Obama’s second term.

Later, he took on the role of deputy chief of staff and counselor to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland in the Biden administration.

“We are thankful for the chance to be here today, to be elected and to get to work,” Shomari Figures stated. “Now, we have to focus on that work.”

He aims to expand Medicaid in Alabama and improve infrastructure within the district.

The last Democratic representative for this district was elected back in 2008. That year, Alabama had three Democrats in the U.S. House, including Reps. Bobby Bright for the 2nd District, Parker Griffith in the 5th, and Artur Davis in the 7th.

In a ruling last year, the U.S. Supreme Court determined that Alabama’s previous congressional map was biased against Black voters, leading to the creation of a new district expected to favor Democrats. Justices John Roberts, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Brett Kavanaugh, and Ketanji Brown Jackson supported the ruling, while Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, and Amy Coney Barrett opposed it.

Although the state legislature initially hesitated, a new congressional map was established, resulting in competitive primaries.

Following the re-election of U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, Alabama now boasts two Democrats in Congress.