Who is Shomari Figures? Alabama Congressional Candidate Gets Spotlight with DNC Speech

On the final night of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Vice President Kamala Harris will officially accept her nomination for president. The theme of the evening is "the future," and Shomari Figures, an Alabama Democrat, is expected to be a key part of that future. Figures has been given a special opportunity to speak at the convention on Thursday.

Shomari Figures, 39, is a former official from the Obama and Biden administrations. He comes from a politically active family in Mobile, Alabama, and has the chance to become the second Black person and second Democrat in Alabama's seven-member U.S. House delegation.

This year, Democrats in Alabama have a unique opportunity. A federal court redrew the Republican-leaning 2nd Congressional District to favor Democrats. The court determined that Alabama’s congressional map likely violated the Voting Rights Act by concentrating Black voters into just one majority-Black district, District 7.

To run for the new congressional seat, Figures stepped down from his role as deputy chief of staff and counselor to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland. He emerged as the top vote-getter in a crowded 11-candidate field during the Democratic primary. Figures then defeated Alabama House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels in the Democratic runoff. He will now face Republican Montgomery attorney Caroleene Dobson in November.

Figures’ experience in government goes beyond his work in the Biden administration. During the Obama administration, he served as the domestic director of presidential personnel. According to his campaign website, Figures said, "In the White House, I worked to build the teams at agencies critical to implementing President Obama’s policies." He worked closely with key agencies like the Departments of Education, Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and Justice. He proudly supported the implementation of policies such as the Affordable Care Act, which has positively impacted thousands in Alabama.

Figures is the son of the late Michael Figures, who served as an Alabama state senator for 18 years until his sudden death in 1996, when Shomari was just 11 years old. Shomari’s mother, Vivian Figures, was a member of the Mobile City Council at the time and took over her husband’s seat in the Senate, where she still represents Mobile. She is also a delegate at the convention.

"This moment wouldn’t be possible without my mother," Shomari Figures told News shortly after his convention speaking slot was announced. "She’s not only picked up the political torch but also raised me and my brothers, setting an example of public service in our community and state. I’m happier for her than I am for me because she made me who I am today."

Figures mentioned that his speech on Thursday will highlight the civil rights legacy of his district. "I don’t know the last time someone from this district—Mobile, Montgomery, or any part of it—spoke at a national convention, if ever," Figures said. "This isn’t just about me. This represents the legacies of all the civil rights leaders from this district, like the Tuskegee Airmen, John Lewis, Rosa Parks, the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and Fred Gray. When I take the stage, I will be representing all 13 counties in this district and standing on the shoulders of the giants who helped create the greatest social movement the world has ever seen. That’s why we have this district today."