Figures and Cheriogotis: An ode to party-line indifference in favor of blood ties

Mobile, AL (BuzzReport) By Marcus Grove – Talk of party-line treachery is the current reality in L.A. (Lower Alabama) following the conclusion of the Mobile City mayoral race. The controversy swirls around Shomari Figures (D) and his notable lack of support or endorsement for fellow Democrat Barbra Drummond.

On one side of the conversation, supporters of Figures argue his stance was warranted, citing Drummond’s alleged lack of support for Figures’ own run for the newly formed 2nd Congressional district in 2024. Meanwhile, others vehemently speculate that pure political treachery has been committed, questioning the Democratic unity within the city.

However, a deeper analysis of loyalty suggests that Figures’ actions may stem from bonds far stronger than political affiliation. Loyalty, a complex construct, can range from the transactional to the deeply personal. Financial incentives, for instance, often yield the weakest form of loyalty, evaporating once the money ceases.

Moving up the traditional “loyalty wheel,” in-group/out-group dynamics play a significant role. Republicans, for example, are often perceived as exhibiting strong loyalty to in-group members against Democratic out-group members, a dynamic Democrats have historically struggled to match. Shared political alliances, while stronger than mercenary loyalty, still operate within a framework of strategic self-interest. Slightly more potent is shared religious affiliation, often fostering deeper communal ties.

Yet, the strongest type of loyalty is derived from the age-old adage of “blood is thicker than water.” It is this profound level of connection that some analysts, including this reporter, believe underlies Figures’ non-endorsement of Drummond, suggesting a familial tie that transcends shared political affiliation.

This theory takes us back in time to the City of Tuscaloosa, home of the University of Alabama.

The underlying facts are as follows:

• Shomari Figures and Spiro Cheriogotis, a prominent Republican figure, both graduated from their undergraduate programs at the University of Alabama in 2006. While the university’s campus is large today, the pre-Nick Saban era (before 2007) was characterized by a more stagnant growth period, potentially fostering closer student interactions. Whether this led to a connection between Figures and Cheriogotis during their undergraduate years remains unconfirmed.

What is known, however, is that both Figures and Cheriogotis entered the coveted Alabama Law School immediately following their 2006 graduation. Unlike the undergraduate campus, the Law School has maintained relatively consistent enrollment and class sizes for decades. This environment traditionally allows for more personalized instructional relationships and enhanced networking opportunities among law students.

• Shomari Figures and Spiro Cheriogotis graduated from Alabama Law School in 2010 and 2011, respectively.

While the paths of Figures and Cheriogotis might not have explicitly crossed during their undergraduate days, the opportunity for significant interaction and the formation of professional or even personal bonds during their time at the Law School is highly probable. It is within these shared halls, this crucible of legal education, that the seeds of a deeper, perhaps “familial,” tie may have been sown.

Referring to Ephesians 6:12, which speaks of wrestling “not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places,” one might interpret “principalities and powers” not as inherent evil, but as shared realms of influence and deep-seated connections.

In summary, the theory posits that Shomari Figures’ actions in the Mobile mayoral race may be less about superficial political alliances and more about these deeper, long-standing connections. Not only are Shomari Figures (D) and Spiro Cheriogotis (R) both graduates of “Roll Tide Nation,” but they also walked the same hallowed halls, much like historical figures such as George C. Wallace, within the sacred Alabama Law School. This shared experience, it is argued, could represent a bond far stronger than any political party line Drummond could offer going forward, an ode to party-line indifference in favor of deeper, personal ties.