ONLY ON 8: Political Analyst Steve Flowers on what’s next in Alabama’s redistricting battle
ONLY ON 8 (WAKA) – Action 8 News Political Analyst Steve Flowers discusses what’s next in Alabama’s Congressional redistricting battle now that a panel of judges ruled that the state must return to the court-drawn map for this year’s elections.
That ruling, which came out this morning from federal court in Birmingham, blocks the state from using the map the Alabama Legislature passed in a recent special session. Republican lawmakers want to use that map, which would increase the chances that they would retake the 2nd Congressional District seat.
That seat was won by Democrat Shomari Figures in 2024, when the court-drawn map was in place. The court drew the map to give Black voters a greater chance at representation.
Flowers told Action 8’s Glenn Halbrooks that the situation is the most complicated thing he’s seen in his decades of covering Alabama politics. Attorney General Steve Marshall has appealed today’s decision to the U.S. Supreme Court, and Flowers says the court needs to act quickly to that state leaders have guidance on what to do.
At the moment, the state plans to hold special primaries on August 11 in Congressional districts 1, 2, 6 and 7, which are the districts with lines that have changed under the Alabama Legislature’s map.
Flowers points out that the U.S. Supreme Court doesn’t have to take up the case, which means the ruling from the three-judge panel will stand, the lines will stay the same as in 2024 and special primaries will not take place. The results of the May 19 primaries would determine who moves on to the general election in November.
He says the state is currently in limbo and needs action within the next few weeks.
Watch the video above to see more of Steve Flowers’ analysis.
