Perhaps the most interesting race to watch in Alabama this year is the newly elected 2nd Congressional District race.

The new seats were determined by a federal court to create Alabama's second-largest majority-minority district. There are currently six Republicans and one Democrat representing Alabama in Washington. If Democrats win the seat, there will be five Republicans and two Democrats on the Potomac in 2025. The new seat will include all of Montgomery, extending into the black belt and home to the majority of Mobile's black voters.

The race to fill the newly vacant 2nd Congressional District is very crowded. When federal courts drew new boundaries, they sought to ensure that the new districts favored Democrats. The proof in the pudding was the index attached to the plans presented by the court-selected special masters, which were found in 16 of the past 17 general elections. If it had been on the ballot, Democrats would have won this seat.

It is a monster on the field seeking that spot. Montgomery and Mobile TV stations will both make some money in this race, which precedes his March 5 race. Because runoff elections will be held in both the Republican and Democratic primaries in six weeks. A large amount of money spent by both national parties will be shipped to Alabama for the November general election.

This will be one of the most important and marginal swing seats in the United States.

The Democratic camp includes state House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels, who lives in Huntsville and represents the district. Anthony has deep ties to the area, having been born and raised in Bulloch County, graduating high school and being a star basketball player, and has a large family in Troy. His uncle was a recently retired city administrator and his grandmother, Mrs. Eva Daniels, was a respected leader at Bethel Baptist Church in Troy.

State Rep. Napoleon Bracy, who actually lives in the district and has represented Pritchard in the state Legislature for a decade, would be a formidable opponent.

Shomali Figures, the son of legendary state senator Vivian Figures, has ties to the area, having been born and raised there. However, he currently resides in Washington, where he serves as Chief of Staff to the US Attorney General.

Two Jefferson County legislators, Sen. Merica Coleman of Pleasant Grove/Bessemer and Rep. Juandalyn Givan of Birmingham, are joining the race for the Mobile/Montgomery seat, as well as Opelika, who also hails from outside the district. Congressman Jeremy Gray also joined. But at least close to it.

Under federal law, a candidate does not have to be a resident of a congressional district to be elected to that district. In fact, the early favorite to win in this crowded Democratic race is likely Huntsville's Anthony Daniels. If he actually wins in the end, it will be my life to see someone elected to a Congressional district that I don't live in and actually represent a Congressional district in a far-flung part of the state. It will be the first time.

There are eight Republican candidates in the race for the new district. The Republican favorite will be former Montgomery state representative and state senator Dick Brewbaker. His family has owned a car dealership in Montgomery for three generations. His four terms in the Legislature and Brewbaker's advertising for his motors in the Montgomery media market over the past 30 years have made him very well known in Montgomery and the surrounding counties.

Brewbaker's biggest Republican challenge may be veteran South Alabama state Sen. Greg Albritton from Conecuh/Escambia County. He is the state Senate budget chairman, so he will be able to raise enough money. He also has identified several names in the Mobile area for the new school district.

A third major Republican to watch in this race may be Caroleen Dobson, a young lawyer from Montgomery. She is from Monroe County, in the southern part of the new 2nd Congressional District. Her family has deep roots in the area and are prominent livestock farmers. Gaining the coveted Alpha support made her a player in the race.

A Republican could win this seat, especially the seat from Montgomery/Pike Road. This will be fun and interesting to watch.

see you next week.

Steve Flowers' weekly column appears in more than 60 Alabama newspapers. He has served in the state Legislature for his 16 years and can be contacted at: www.steveflowers.us.