CAMPAIGN 2024: State Rep. Jeremy Gray enters race for 2nd Congressional District
CAMPAIGN 2024: State Rep. Jeremy Gray (D-Opelika) has announced that he is joining the field of candidates running for Congress is the newly-redrawn 2nd Congressional District.
Two other Alabama lawmakers — state Rep. Napoleon Bracy of Prichard and state Sen. Kirk Hatcher of Montgomery — have announced they intend to run for the Democratic nomination. Montgomery attorney Caroleene Dobson is in the race as a Republican.
A number of other legislators are considering bids.
“It’s been a long time since people in that area had hope and had someone that really understood the issues in that area,” Gray said. “I’ve been a part of bringing resources to that community through legislation and through funding.”
Federal judges last month selected new congressional district lines in Alabama after ruling the previous map likely violated the federal Voting Rights Act. The new map sets the stage for potentially flipping one U.S. House of Representatives seat from Republican to Democratic control and could lead to the election of two Black Congressional representatives to the state’s delegation for the first time.
The newly redrawn district stretches across south Alabama from the Mississippi border to the Georgia border, encompassing parts of Mobile, the capital city of Montgomery as well as rural areas. Black residents make up 48.7% of the voting age population, giving it a firm Democratic tilt.
Gray, 38, was elected to the Alabama House of Representatives in 2018 and served as minority party whip. He founded a nonprofit in east Alabama named for his great-grandfather that he said aims to be a community resource.
Gray drew national attention after passing legislation that revoked Alabama’s ban on yoga in public school gym classes. Gray, a former cornerback at North Carolina State University who also played professionally in Canada, said he was introduced to yoga through football, and that the exercises can provide mental and physical benefits to students. He wrote a children’s book about the benefits of yoga for mental health.
He said protecting natural resources and improving access to health care, including maternal health care would be among his priorities if elected.
Republican Rep. Barry Moore, who currently represents the Second Congressional District but was drawn out when the new map was selected, announced he will challenge Republican Rep. Jerry Carl in the 1st Congressional District. Moore’s home in Enterprise is now in that district.
Qualifying for next year’s elections ends on Friday, November 10. The primaries are March 5, 2024.
(Copyright 2023 The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
