U.S. House, Alabama 2nd Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in Alabama's 2nd Congressional District?
Rhett Marques has the strongest record in Alabama's 2nd Congressional District. Rhett Marques scores 67 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Shomari Figures at 60, as of October 6, 2026. Rhett Marques's highest marks are relevant experience and roots in the constituency. Shomari Figures's highest marks are courage and accountability. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Democratic · incumbent
Shomari Figures
On the ballot as Shomari C. Figures
60 / 100
Public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 60
- Qualifications
- 60
- Performance
- 58
Republican
Strongest record
Rhett Marques
67 / 100
Public evidence on 9 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 75
- Performance
- 75
The good, the bad and the unresolved
The record
The notable facts of each candidate's public life, each tied to a source and confirmed to be this person. Unresolved matters are labeled with where they stand and do not move a score.
Shomari Figures
- On the record2026-05-15
Lives in Mobile, which the Legislature's 2023 congressional map, put in use for 2026 after a Supreme Court order, places in the 1st District rather than the 2nd District he represents.
Sources: Alabama Daily News, May 15, 2026, Alabama Daily News, Aug. 3, 2026
- On the record2025-01-22
Voted for the Laken Riley Act on Jan. 7 and Jan. 22, 2025, when House Democratic Leader Jeffries, Whip Clark and Caucus Chair Aguilar voted against it.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 6, 2025, House Clerk Roll Call 23, 2025
- Credit2026-08-18
Held an open town hall at Troy University in August 2026 with Doug Jones, taking questions from students, community members and voters.
Rhett Marques
- Credit2026-02
Sponsored, with Sen. Chris Elliott, the 2026 bill limiting disposal of dredged mud in Mobile Bay; Alabama enacted it in February 2026.
Sources: Alabama Daily News, Jan. 12, 2026, Inside Climate News, July 17, 2026
- Credit2023-05-08
Sponsored House Bill 210, signed May 8, 2023, exempting Alabama military members stationed out of state from keeping a second Alabama liability insurance policy.
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Shomari Figures. His 2025 annual House financial disclosure was filed Aug. 13, 2026 after an extension, and campaign reports are on file with the FEC. No House Ethics Committee matter or FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: House Clerk financial disclosure, Filing ID 10081374, House Committee on Ethics site search, FEC administrative fines search
Rhett Marques. A House candidate financial disclosure was filed May 25, 2026, and campaign reports are on file with the FEC. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: House Clerk candidate financial disclosure, Filing ID 10079819, FEC administrative fines search
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Shomari Figures. Voted for bills his party's House leaders opposed, including both House votes on the Laken Riley Act in January 2025 and H.R. 884 on noncitizen voting in June 2025.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 6, 2025 (H.R. 29, Laken Riley Act), House Clerk Roll Call 23, 2025 (S. 5, Laken Riley Act), House Clerk Roll Call 163, 2025 (H.R. 884)
Rhett Marques. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Shomari Figures. Held open in-person town halls in 2026, including one at Troy University in August where he took questions from students and voters. No 2026 general election debate record found.
Sources: Alabama Political Reporter, Aug. 20, 2026, Alabama Political Reporter, April 3, 2026
Rhett Marques. No public record found.
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Shomari Figures. Served as deputy chief of staff and counselor to the attorney general before entering Congress in 2025. No censure, reprimand or House Ethics Committee matter found.
Sources: Office site, About Shomari, House Committee on Ethics site search
Rhett Marques. Has served in the Alabama House since November 2018 and owned and ran a tire and auto service business in Enterprise for more than 26 years. No censure or conduct finding found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Rhett Marques
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Shomari Figures. Served in the Justice Department and has held sworn House office since January 2025. No recorded action to reject certified results and no misuse-of-office finding found.
Sources: Office site, About Shomari, GovTrack, Shomari Figures
Rhett Marques. Has held sworn office as a state representative since November 2018. No official finding of misuse of office found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Rhett Marques
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Shomari Figures. In his first term in the U.S. House. Previously deputy chief of staff and counselor to the attorney general, White House liaison at the Justice Department and Senate counsel.
Source: Office site, About Shomari
Rhett Marques. Serving his second term in the Alabama House of Representatives (District 91, since 2018), after more than 26 years running a small business.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Rhett Marques, Campaign site, home page
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Shomari Figures. Serves on the House Agriculture and Transportation and Infrastructure committees and has introduced bills on rural hospitals, trucking enforcement and education costs.
Sources: GovTrack, committee membership, Office site press release, Sept. 4, 2026
Rhett Marques. Vice chair of the Alabama House Commerce and Small Business Committee and a member of the Health Committee. His campaign issue page states positions mostly in general terms.
Sources: Ballotpedia, committee assignments, Campaign site, Issues
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Shomari Figures. Offers a newsletter, holds town halls and publishes issue pages. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Office site, home page, Alabama Political Reporter, Aug. 20, 2026, Campaign site, home page, Ballotpedia, Shomari Figures
Rhett Marques. Publishes a campaign issue page. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Shomari Figures. Born and raised in Mobile and lives there, but Mobile is in the 1st District under the 2023 map now in use. FEC by-state totals for 2025 to 2026 show about 28 percent of itemized individual contributions from Alabama.
Sources: Alabama Daily News, May 15, 2026, Alabama Daily News, Aug. 3, 2026, Alabama Reflector via News From The States, Aug. 13, 2026, FEC contribution totals by state
Rhett Marques. Has lived and run a business in Enterprise, in the district, for more than 26 years and represents it in the state House. FEC by-state totals show about 93 percent of itemized individual contributions from Alabama.
Sources: Campaign site, home page, Alabama Reflector via News From The States, Aug. 13, 2026, FEC contribution totals by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Shomari Figures. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through July 22, 2026, showing $1.36 million raised. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Rhett Marques. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through July 22, 2026, showing $1.32 million raised. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Shomari Figures. No public record found.
Rhett Marques. House sponsor of HB 210, signed May 8, 2023, exempting Alabama military members stationed out of state from carrying a second Alabama liability insurance policy, and of the 2026 law limiting dredge disposal in Mobile Bay.
Sources: Office of the Governor, May 2023, Alabama Daily News, Feb. 2026, Inside Climate News, July 17, 2026
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Shomari Figures. Missed 13 of 676 roll call votes, 1.9 percent, from January 2025 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Rhett Marques. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Shomari Figures. Runs district offices in Montgomery and Mobile and offers help with federal agencies. No published casework totals found.
Source: Office site, home page
Rhett Marques. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Shomari Figures. No Lugar Center score yet; the latest posted House index (2023) predates his term. Introduced bills in 2026 with Republican Reps. Dave Taylor and Mike Ezell.
Sources: Office site press release, Sept. 4, 2026, Office site press release, Sept. 24, 2026
Rhett Marques. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Shomari Figures. No public record found.
Rhett Marques. No public record found.
How to read this
Each criterion is scored 0 to 4 against the written rubric in the Ballot Standard. NR means no record: there is no reliable public evidence either way, so the criterion is left out and never counts against the candidate. A total is published when at least 8 of 15 criteria have evidence.
A sitting officeholder has a longer public record than a first-time candidate, so the two totals rest on different amounts of evidence. Read the count of criteria beside each score. Low marks require an official finding or a primary record. Allegations and opinion are not used.
No policy position is scored. Evidence checked October 6, 2026. Campaigns and readers can send a correction with a public source to tpg@thepoliticalgroup.com.
Questions
Who should I vote for in Alabama's 2nd Congressional District?
Rhett Marques has the strongest record in Alabama's 2nd Congressional District. Rhett Marques scores 67 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Shomari Figures at 60, as of October 6, 2026. Rhett Marques's highest marks are relevant experience and roots in the constituency. Shomari Figures's highest marks are courage and accountability. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in Alabama's 2nd Congressional District in 2026?
Shomari Figures (Democratic, incumbent), Rhett Marques (Republican). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Shomari Figures a good candidate for Congress?
Shomari Figures scores 60 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria: character 60 of 100, qualifications 60 of 100, performance 58 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Rhett Marques a good candidate for Congress?
Rhett Marques scores 67 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 9 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 75 of 100, performance 75 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
How is the strongest record decided?
The candidate with the highest Ballot Standard score has the strongest record. Each of 15 criteria on character, qualifications and performance is scored 0 to 4 from public records and established reporting, the same way for every party. No policy position is scored, and unresolved accusations never move a score.
More on this race: every Alabama race scored, and the Alabama 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.