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Shomari Figures

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Shomari Figures
Member-elect of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Alabama's 2nd district
Assuming office
January 3, 2025
SucceedingBarry Moore (redistricted)
Personal details
Born (1985-09-03) September 3, 1985 (age 39)
Mobile, Alabama, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse
Kalisha
​
(m. 2018)​
Children3
RelativesMichael Figures (father)
Vivian Davis Figures (mother)
Thomas Figures (uncle)
EducationUniversity of Alabama (BA, JD)

Shomari Coleman Figures (born September 3, 1985)[1] is an American politician from Mobile, Alabama. A member of the Democratic Party, Figures is the member-elect for the United States House of Representatives in Alabama's 2nd congressional district.

Early life and education

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Figures is the son of the late 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 Klan Members of the United Klans of America. She was awarded $7 million dollars which made United Klans of America bankrupt.[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]

Career

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After law school, Figures served as a law clerk for Nannette A. Baker in the Eastern District of Missouri.[4] He 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.[9] Figures served as deputy chief of staff for Merrick Garland while he was attorney general until resigning in October 2023.[4]

Congressional bid

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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.[10]

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.[11] 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.[12][13] 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".[14]

Figures defeated Daniels with 61% of the vote in the April runoff election.[15] Figures spoke at the 2024 Democratic National Convention.[16] He defeated Republican Caroleene Dobson to win election to Congress.[17]

Personal life

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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,[18] and have three children.[4]

References

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  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. ^ a b c d 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. ^ 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.
  7. ^ Willis, Andrew (January 4, 2024). "Figures in AL-2 race: 'I know how government works'". Alabama Daily News. Archived from the original on March 3, 2024. 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. ^ "Figures in AL-2 race: 'I know how government works'". January 4, 2024. Archived from the original on March 3, 2024. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  10. ^ "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.
  11. ^ 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.
  12. ^ Booker, Brakkton (March 12, 2024). "Shomari Figures on making Alabama history". Politico.
  13. ^ 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.
  14. ^ 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.
  15. ^ 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.
  16. ^ 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.
  17. ^ https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/shomari-figures-alabama-majority-black-district-election-rcna177912
  18. ^ "Kalisha Dessources, Shomari Figures". The New York Times. December 2, 2018. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
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