Democrat targets upset in Alabama's 5th
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Candice Duvieilh is one of three Democratic candidates running for Alabama's Fifth Congressional District. Photo: Courtesy Candice Duvieilh
Candice Duvieilh sees more than optimism this election year. She sees opportunity.
Why it matters: A Democratic candidate running for Alabama's 5th Congressional District, Duvieilh says races in other parts of the country show that deep-red districts like AL-05 aren't as safe as they appear for Republican incumbents like Dale Strong.
What they're saying: "We are seeing districts that are more toward R+15, R+19 districts flip across the country, in ... red states like Texas," she told Axios.
- One such race in Texas was its state Senate seat representing the Fort Worth area, where a Democrat flipped a district held by Republicans for decades, and which went for Trump in 2024 by 17 points.
- "I don't think it's something that we have to be optimistic about," Duvieilh said. "I think it's something that we have data that we can do."
Context: The Cook Partisan Voting Index ranks Alabama's 5th District as R+15 in 2025, down slightly from R+17 in 2023.
- Duvieilh sees middle-class, family-focused voters and the defense and aerospace workforce as the voters who will make the difference.
- "I think the right candidate that gives people the right amount of hope, and the belief that we can actually do something different in this district, is what will make it possible for that to happen," she said.
Zoom in: From those voters, Duvieilh says she's hearing about lacking infrastructure and the consolidation of health care and other necessities in Huntsville, requiring them to drive into the city from elsewhere.
- The area's infrastructure isn't keeping up with its growth, she said, pointing to an infrastructure package from the Department of Defense as a potential early priority.
- On health care, Duvieilh said the district needs someone at the federal level to follow through on Huntsville Hospital's purchase of Crestwood Medical Center, which she said is setting HH up to have a monopoly in north Alabama.
Case in point: Large industry locating in the area often get long-term tax breaks, an incentive she says isn't what's actually drawing them to the area.
- "That cuts funding for our schools, while also bringing more students that our schools have to educate," said Duvieilh. "We have to start getting something back from them for the community, and that's just not happening right now."
Zoom out: Duvieilh, senior product analyst at Tyler Technologies, has a master's in public administration and nonprofit management, and a doctorate in education administration.
- "I do not believe that every district across the United States needs a policy expert. ... I firmly believe that our district does," she said.
What we're watching: The Democratic primary is coming up May 19. Duvieilh will face Andrew Sneed and Jeremy Devito on that ballot, and the winner will face Strong, who has no Republican opposition.
- The general election is set for Nov. 3.