Inside the Statehouse: Runoffs set for new 2nd District Congressional primary races

  The most interesting and paramount race on the ballot in the March 5th primaries was the one for the new open 2nd Congressional District.

  This new district was created by the federal courts to implement a new Democratic/Black District in the Heart of Dixie. The Democratic nominee will be favored to win this seat in November. When the plaintiffs proposed their new district plan to the court, they attached a chart, which illustrated that had there been a Democratic vs. Republican congressional race on the ballot, the Democrat would have won in 16 of the 17 races. Washington insiders are handicapping this race as a Democratic pickup.

Steve Flowers: Inside the Statehouse - New 2nd Congressional District is the race to watch in 2024

  The most interesting race to watch this year in Alabama will be for the newly drawn Second Congressional District.

  The new seat was drawn by the federal courts to create a second majority-minority district in Alabama. Currently we have six Republicans and one Democrat representing Alabama in Washington. If a Democrat wins the seat, we will have five Republicans and two Democrats on the Potomac in 2025. The new seat includes all of Montgomery and extends through the Black Belt, and gathers most of the black voters in Mobile.

Steve Flowers: Inside the Statehouse - 2024 is an election year

  This is a presidential election year. Our Alabama GOP Presidential Primary is our election in the Heart of Dixie. We are a one-party state, especially in presidential races. Alabama is one of a group of states that will hold its primary early, March 5th to be exact.  Therefore, we will be going to the polls in less than two months to vote for president.

  The presidential contest will more than likely be a rematch between Democratic sitting President Joe Biden and Republican former President Donald Trump. Americans are not too enthused to see this replay. I have never seen such a weird presidential matchup or unusual scenario in my lifetime.