Rhett Marques

Alabama’s 2nd (AL - 02)

Updated: October 24, 2026

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Overview

Rhett Marques is a cost-raising politician who looks out for his elite billionaire backers while voting for plans to raise taxes, and supporting plans to raise healthcare costs, and increase prices on everyday items like groceries, gas, and farm supplies for Alabamians.

Summary

  • Starting immediately, ALL voters district-wide need to see ads on broadcast and cable, and see digital ads on CTV, YouTube, and other streaming platforms about how: 
    • Rhett Marques collected sales tax from customers and payroll taxes from his employees at his tire shop. But year after year, he had tax liens for failing to pay the sales and/or payroll taxes. He had 10 different tax liens totaling over $100k. Was Rhett Marques pocketing tax money he collected from his employees and customers until he was forced to cough up their money?
    • Marques backs the Iran war that is sending gas and shipping prices soaring, after he voted to raise gas and diesel taxes himself by 67%. He’ll be a vote to send billions more of your tax dollars overseas and jack up costs on everything Americans buy. 
    • Marques supports massive Medicaid cuts that could force already-struggling rural hospitals and clinics to close. Several Alabama hospitals are already at risk of shutting their doors, and thanks to the plan Marques supports, families could be left driving even farther to see a doctor or reach an emergency room, losing time when they need lifesaving care. 
  • Black voters district-wide, and especially in the Montgomery and Columbus media markets, need to see ads on broadcast and cable TV, YouTube, streaming and Meta and hear radio ads about how:
    • Marques voted to establish an education funding scam that takes nearly $300 million from local public schools and hands that money to wealthy, elite private schools. His plan gives public tax dollars to people who can already afford private school, while local schools suffer. 
    • Rhett Marques supported tariffs that are crushing farmers and decimating Alabama peanut farmers. Farmers are paying more for fertilizer, equipment, parts and other supplies but have fewer markets to sell their crops. Despite the pain, Marques says he’s proud of this failed approach.

Additional Resources

  • Voters in the Columbus media market DO NOT need to receive more general market communication relative to the other media markets. A plurality of persuasion targets in this district live within the Dothan media market. A majority of turnout targets live within the Montgomery media market.
  • Voters need to see sustained communication about Rhett Marques’ failure to pay his taxes. In open-ended responses, voters recall hearing more about Marques’ votes to raise taxes than him not paying taxes (https://www.tobsal.com/post/state-representative-rhett-marques-raises-your-taxes-while-failing-to-pay-his). 
  • Communication about Rhett Marques’ position on voucher programs should be localized. Voters in the Montgomery media market should know that Rhett Marques’ plan will result in millions of dollars in lost funding for Carver High School. Voters in the Columbus media market should know that Central High School in Phenix City would be negatively impacted. Dothan media market voters should understand the harmful consequences to Dothan High School. 
  • Voters in the Mobile media market (under the old district lines) should NOT continue receiving communications about this race. All visual media content should reflect the current composition of the district.
  • This race should not be litigated through racialized frames that have historical connections.
  • Alabama is 1 of 10 states that has not expanded Medicaid. Voters should NOT receive communications about the impact of Medicaid cuts that inaccurately reflects the state’s status.
  • [Media]
  • {Backup}
  • Rhett Marques (AL-02) Research Report



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