Figures, Daniels battle for Democrat votes in District 2
MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — Anthony Daniels and Shomari Figures, candidates in Tuesday’s Democratic Runoff in Congressional District 2, are both former high school athletes and use sports analogies to describe the election.
“This is like overtime,” said Figures. “The score goes back to zero.”
“It’s zero-zero,” Daniels agreed. “It’s like the regular season is over, and now it is the playoffs.”
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Based on their first match-up on March 5, Figures is a heavy favorite going into next week. He almost doubled Daniels’s vote total in the Democratic Primary last month.
Figures won in 8 of 13 counties, including Montgomery and Mobile.
In Mobile County, Daniels secured less than 400 votes, only about 2%.
“Between myself and Representative (Napoleon) Bracy, and Mr. (James) Averhart, about 93% of the votes cast in Mobile County were cast for one of those three candidates who call Mobile home,” Figures said. “So we want to work to replicate that.”
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Daniels says he has been campaigning heavily in Mobile.
“I’ve been talking to voters here in the Mobile County area, and they’ve been listening,” he said. “They had no idea I’ve accomplished some of the things that I have accomplished.”
Daniels touts fighting for BP oil spill settlement funds in 2015 to stay in Mobile, voting for improvements to the State Docks in Mobile, increasing the child care tax credit, and recently sponsoring a bill to eliminate income tax on overtime pay
“I didn’t stay here, but I delivered for Mobile,” Daniels said. “I’m the better candidate because I’ve delivered in the state house.”
“Washington is not Montgomery,” countered Figures. “It takes experience being in Washington.”
Figures has worked in the Obama White House, in Congress for Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown, and as Chief of Staff to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland. He says these experiences make him the better candidate.
“I’ve been there. I know how it works. I know what it looks like. I know the people who work there. I have relationships with people that can help us further the interests of this district,” Figures said.
Daniels says that is all proof that Figues has spent too much time out of Alabama.
“My opponent is from Washington, D.C.,” said Daniels.
Daniels, however, lives in Huntsville. The Constitution requires only that a candidate live in the state he represents, not the district.
Figures says someone who lives in Huntsville can’t possibly serve the interests of District 2.
“This is home for me,” said Figures. “This is where I was born and raised, where I was educated, and I think that resonates with people here.”
The boundaries of new District 2 were selected by the federal courts to give African Americans the opportunity to elect another congressman in Alabama.
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