Sens. Shay Shelnutt, R-Trussville (left) and Jabo Waggoner, R-Vestavia (right) speak next to a lithograph of the first Black members of Congress during Reconstruction on May 8, 2026 in the Alabama Senate. The Alabama Legislature Friday approved two bills that would allow the state to set new primary dates should federal courts allow Alabama to use congressional and legislative maps previously declared discriminatory by federal courts. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)
Republicans who are excited about how Alabama’s redistricting fight is playing out might want to hold that thought. Their party’s swift maneuvers to gain more power might feel like they’re yielding a tasty victory. But there’s rot at its core that’s going to make us all sick.
While representative democracy can be aggravating, healthy opposition is an essential ingredient.
Don’t believe me? Remember this: Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Elected officials have to work much harder to represent their constituents when they feel the sting of political challengers nipping at their heels. It keeps laziness and corruption at bay.
It’s never a good idea to give politicians unfettered dominance and let them get cozy in their offices. They should know, every day, that their jobs are on the line.
For evidence of power’s malign influence, just look at the listless performance of the Alabama Legislature during their 2026 regular session. Both chambers of that esteemed body tilt about 75% Republican, so one would think they would have no problem wrangling votes. But despite a handful of rousing floor debates, they spent much of the session shuffling around aimlessly.
Sure, we have primaries, which means there’s always a chance that a poorly performing elected Republican could lose their seat without having to get Democrats involved. But sometimes (not all the time, but sometimes) choosing between Republican candidates is like trying to decide between a Ford Pinto and a Pontiac Fiero. Either way, you’re getting a lemon that might catch fire. It’s enough to make a voter long for a Buick.
I know a good chunk of the state would rather lick a cow patty than vote for a Democrat, but having that option on the table gives the people more power. It shouldn’t be tossed aside simply because of partisan reflexes. When it works properly, competition forces candidates to defend their credentials and articulate their viewpoints better than their opponents. Sometimes hashing out differences of perspective can even lead to that most-dreaded thing: agreement.
For now, it looks like we’re safe from the specter of bipartisanship, because rather than operating in the best interests of Alabamians, the GOP has taken a baseball bat to our ballots. Like everyone else who lives in Alabama’s 1st, 2nd, 6th and 7th congressional districts, my vote for the U.S. House of Representatives will be nullified in next Tuesday’s primary unless a court intervenes to restore order.
Apparently, we’re all supposed to just take a mulligan in three months? OK, then. Seems legit and very well planned.
There’s another reason that Republicans’ victory may be a pyrrhic one. Disenfranchisement tastes awfully bitter, even in small doses. Who would have imagined that it would still be on the menu this far into the American experiment?
When people don’t have a voice in government, they get justifiably upset, and societal pressure builds. Hoarding power is unsustainable in the long term; eventually, something has to give. It was true in 1215 when England’s King John sealed the Magna Carta, and it’s true today.
It’s also a proudly American idea. “No taxation without representation” was such a commanding Revolutionary rallying cry that it’s still part of the American zeitgeist 250 years later. A motley bunch of Alabama politicians isn’t going to squash that indomitable spirit. Our state might look like a solid wall of red, but about 35% of the voting public favors Democrats. That’s a lot of frustrated citizens who are now highly motivated to cast ballots in the midterms.
If enough Republican-leaning voters also decide they’re fed up with their party’s antics – well, then, anything is possible. Stranger things have happened. We elected Doug Jones to the U.S. Senate in 2017.
A small consolation, perhaps, but evidence that even though the maps are rigged, the voters still have a say.
From Alabama Reflector Post Url: Visit
Author: Catherine Dorrough