Shomari Figures

Last updated

Kalisha
​
(m. 2018)​
Shomari Figures
Figures Shomari 119th Congress 2.jpg
Member of the U.S.HouseofRepresentatives
from Alabama's 2nd district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 2025
Children3
Relatives Michael Figures (father)
Vivian Davis Figures (mother)
Thomas Figures (uncle)
Education University of Alabama (BA, JD)
Website House website

Shomari Coleman Figures (born September 3, 1985) [1] is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative from Alabama's 2nd congressional district since 2025. A member of the Democratic Party, Figures was first elected in 2024 with 54.6% of the vote.

Contents

Early life and career

Figures is the son of Michael Figures, a civil rights attorney and member of the Alabama Senate, and Vivian Davis Figures, who succeeded her husband in the Alabama Senate after his death. His father was the attorney of Beulah Mae Donald whose son was lynched by members of the United Klans of America. Donald was awarded $7 million dollars, which bankrupted the organization. [2] [3]

Figures graduated from LeFlore Magnet High School in Mobile, Alabama. [4] He attended the University of Alabama and earned a Bachelor of Arts in criminal justice and history in 2006 and the University of Alabama School of Law, earning a Juris Doctor in 2010. [5] After law school, Figures served as a law clerk for Nannette A. Baker in the Eastern District of Missouri. [4]

Figures worked for Barack Obama's 2012 reelection campaign as a field organizer in Akron, Ohio. [6] [7] He then worked in the Obama administration as the domestic director of the White House Presidential Personnel Office. He then served as the White House liaison to Loretta Lynch, the attorney general of the United States. [8] Figures became legislative counsel for U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown and then worked on the presidential transition of Joe Biden. [6] Figures served as deputy chief of staff for Merrick Garland while he was attorney general until resigning in October 2023. [4]

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

Following Allen v. Milligan , the Supreme Court ruled that Alabama's previous map violated the Voting Rights Amendment, the Court ordered Alabama to redraw its congressional maps to have an extra black district which made Alabama's 2nd congressional district majority black. [9]

In November 2023, Figures declared his candidacy to represent Alabama's 2nd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives in the 2024 elections. [10] In the Democratic primary, he led the 11-candidate field with 44% of the vote and advanced to a mid-April runoff election against Alabama House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels. [11] [12] In the primary race, cryptocurrency political action committees spent millions to elect him and months after the primary, Figures asked the Democratic National Committee to adopt more pro-crypto policies in addition to encouraging Kamala Harris to select a "pro-innovation" Securities and Exchange Commission chair and a vice presidential candidate "sophisticated in digital asset policy". [13]

Figures defeated Daniels with 61% of the vote in the April runoff election. [14] Figures spoke at the 2024 Democratic National Convention. [15] He defeated Republican Caroleene Dobson to win election to Congress [16] and was sworn into office on January 3, 2025. [17] Upon taking office on January 3, 2025; Figures became the first Democrat since 1963 to represent a significant portion of Mobile, and only the fourth since then to represent a significant portion of Montgomery.

Tenure

In 2025, Figures was one of 46 House Democrats who joined all Republicans to vote for the Laken Riley Act. [18]

Personal life

Figures met Kalisha Dessources in 2014 while they both worked at the White House. They married on December 2, 2018, in East Brunswick, New Jersey, [19] and have three children. [4] He is a Protestant. [20] Dr. Kalisha Dessources Figures holds a PhD from Yale University. [21]

Electoral history

2024 Alabama's 4th congressional district Democratic primary results, First round [22]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Shomari Figures 24,980 43.4
Democratic Anthony Daniels 12,879 22.4
Democratic Napoleon Bracy Jr. 9,01015.7
Democratic Merika Coleman 3,4456.0
Democratic Phyllis Harvey-Hall2,0073.5
Democratic James Averhart1,6232.8
Democratic Jeremy Gray 1,5802.7
Democratic Juandalynn Givan 1,2612.2
Democratic Vimal Patel2890.5
Democratic Larry Darnell Simpson2470.4
Democratic Willie Lenard1990.3
Total votes57,520 100.0
2024 Alabama's 2nd congressional district Democratic primary runoff results [23]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Shomari Figures 21,926 61.0
Democratic Anthony Daniels 13,99039.0
Total votes35,916 100.0
2024 Alabama's 2nd congressional district election [24]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Shomari Figures 158,041 54.56%
Republican Caroleene Dobson131,41445.37%
Write-in 2190.07%
Total votes289,674 100.00
Democratic gain from Republican

References

  1. ↑ Sharp, John (April 17, 2024). "Who are Shomari Figures and Caroleene Dobson? 5 things to know about Alabama's competitive District 2 race". AL.com. Archived from the original on April 28, 2024. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
  2. ↑ Tensley, Brandon (January 22, 2024). "His Father Bankrupted the Klan. He Wants to Keep Fighting for Racial Justice in Congress". Capital B News. Archived from the original on March 5, 2024. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  3. ↑ Wright, David; Shelton, Shania (April 17, 2024). "General election matchup set in potentially historic race for new Alabama district, CNN projects". CNN. Archived from the original on June 14, 2024. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Johnson, Roy S. (October 24, 2023). "Member of Figures political family exploring congressional District 2 race; which one?". AL.com. Archived from the original on October 25, 2023. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  5. ↑ "2nd Congressional District: Shomari Figures wants to leverage federal experience". News From The States.
  6. 1 2 "Figures in AL-2 race: 'I know how government works'". Alabama Daily News. January 4, 2024. Archived from the original on March 3, 2024. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  7. ↑ Jacobs, Samuel P. (January 7, 2013). "For Obama's second inauguration, a subdued, less crowded Washington". Reuters. Archived from the original on May 16, 2021. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  8. ↑ "Shomari Figures: Serving the Nation". University of Alabama School of Law. December 9, 2016. Archived from the original on April 9, 2024. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  9. ↑ "Alabama gets a court-ordered congressional map with a second Black district". NBC News. October 5, 2023. Archived from the original on August 13, 2024. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  10. ↑ Johnson, Roy S. (November 9, 2023). "Ex-Obama aide, DOJ official qualifies for crowded field of district 2 hopefuls". AL.com. Archived from the original on March 5, 2024. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  11. ↑ Booker, Brakkton (March 12, 2024). "Shomari Figures on making Alabama history". Politico.
  12. ↑ Cason, Mike (March 6, 2024). "Figures, Daniels make Democratic runoff in 2nd District". AL.com. Archived from the original on March 6, 2024. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  13. ↑ Phillips, Chance (July 29, 2024). "Shomari Figures asks DNC to go easy on crypto". Alabama Political Reporter. Archived from the original on August 1, 2024. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
  14. ↑ Hagan, Victor. "Shomari Figures wins Democratic nomination in Alabama's newly drawn 2nd Congressional District". Montgomery Advertiser. Archived from the original on August 19, 2024. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  15. ↑ Cason, Mike (August 19, 2024). "Alabama congressional candidate Shomari Figures will speak at Democratic convention". AL.com. Archived from the original on August 19, 2024. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  16. ↑ "Shomari Figures wins bid to represent Alabama district embroiled in Supreme Court case". NBC News. November 6, 2024. Retrieved November 14, 2024.
  17. ↑ Angle, Alex (January 4, 2025). "Figures sworn in as Alabama's newest congressman". Alabama Daily News.
  18. ↑ Rashid, Hafiz (January 22, 2025). "The 46 Democrats Who Voted for Republicans' Racist Immigration Bill". The New Republic. Retrieved January 31, 2025.
  19. ↑ "Kalisha Dessources, Shomari Figures". The New York Times. December 2, 2018. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  20. ↑ "Religious affiliation of members of the 119th Congress" (PDF). Pew Research Center. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
  21. ↑ "About". Kalisha Dessources Figures.
  22. ↑ "Democratic Party Official 2024 Primary Election Results" (XLS). alabama.sos.gov. Alabama Secretary of State. March 14, 2024. Retrieved December 31, 2024.
  23. ↑ "Alabama 2nd Congressional District Primary Runoff Election Results". The New York Times . June 26, 2024. Archived from the original on December 19, 2024. Retrieved December 31, 2024.
  24. ↑ Alabama State Canvassing Board (November 26, 2024). "State Certification of 2024 General Election" (PDF). sos.alabama.gov. Montgomery: Secretary of State of Alabama. p. 17. Retrieved December 31, 2024.
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by
Barry Moore
Redistricted
 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Alabama's 2nd congressional district
2025–present		Incumbent
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by United States representatives by seniority
389th		Succeeded by
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