The Winner

If you live in Alabama’s 7th Congressional District, Rep. Terri Sewell (D-AL) will keep representing you after winning a ninth term. The Associated Press called the race for Sewell at 9:24 p.m. on election night, Tuesday, Nov. 3. ​

Sewell has 174,823 votes (69.4%) to 77,085 (30.6%) for Republican Ammie Akin, a margin of about 39 points, with an estimated 99% of votes counted. That’s wider than her 27-point win over Republican Robin Litaker in 2024, though this year’s race used new district lines.

The Race

After the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Louisiana v. Callais weakened the Voting Rights Act, Alabama brought back the congressional map its Legislature drew in 2023 and moved primaries in four districts, including the 7th, to Aug. 11. Sewell’s district changed only slightly, with Lowndes County moving to the 2nd District, NPR reported. Akin, an educator, won the Republican special primary with 73.4% to David Perry’s 26.6%, and Sewell had no primary opponent.

Cook Political Report and Inside Elections rated the race Solid Democratic, and Sabato’s Crystal Ball rated it Safe Democratic, according to Ballotpedia’s race page. The district covers parts of Jefferson and Tuscaloosa counties, home to Birmingham and Tuscaloosa, and runs through the western Black Belt to counties including Dallas, Clarke, Monroe and Washington, according to the Legislature’s 2023 map description.

About 720,500 people live in the district, and 52.6% of residents are Black, 39.4% white, 4.7% Hispanic and 1.3% Asian. The median household income is $52,380, and the median age is 36.6. Of adults, 26.7% hold at least a bachelor’s degree, unemployment is 6.2% and 21.3% of residents live below the poverty line.

What’s Next

Sewell’s new term begins Sunday, Jan. 3, and she will serve in the new Democratic House majority. In a statement the day after the election, she said she would focus on lowering the cost of living, protecting affordable health care and defending voting rights, according to Alabama Political Reporter.

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