The Full Record

U.S. House · Alabama's 7th Congressional District

Alabama's Black Belt, including western Jefferson County (part of Birmingham), Selma, Tuscaloosa, and much of west-central Alabama; Alabama's only Democratic-leaning and majority-Black district.

General election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

✓ Fact-checked 2026-09-25: 17 claims re-checked against their sources · 1 corrected · 1 removed

A second, independent research pass re-opened every cited source for this race and corrected or removed anything the source didn’t support.

  • Corrected an uncited claim: Terri Sewell's summary said she is 'the first Black woman elected to Congress from Alabama' with only Ballotpedia (which does not state this) as its source; confirmed the fact (more precisely, 'first African-American woman') on Wikipedia and added it as a second source.
  • Removed Ammie Akin's 'healthcare_public' position (stance: mixed): her campaign site's rural-healthcare-access priority does not address the ISSUES statement ('Expand public health coverage'), and 'mixed' was used to mean 'unclear' rather than the README's requirement that the source show both sides — so per the standard, the issue was omitted rather than inferred.
  • Verified primary results (73.4%/26.6% for Akin over Perry), D+10 Cook PVI, Sewell's committee assignments (119th and 118th Congress) and biography, and Akin's background/priorities against Ballotpedia and her campaign website; no other issues found.

On the ballot · 2 candidates

Terri SewellDINCUMBENTU.S. Representative for Alabama's 7th Congressional District (since 2011)

Raised $2.0M · spent $1.7M · $3.8M cash on hand (through 2026-07-22) FEC filing ↗

Ammie AkinR

Raised $151K · spent $35K · $116K cash on hand (through 2026-07-22) FEC filing ↗

Where they stand — side by side

Only positions documented in a cited source are shown. Where an officeholder’s recorded votes speak to an issue, the votes set the position (marked “votes”). A dash means we found no clear public position — not that the candidate has none.

ISSUETerri Sewell
D
Ammie Akin
R
Protect legal access to abortionSupports[26][27][28]votes—
Stricter gun lawsSupports[21][22][23][24]votes—
Expand immigration enforcement and deportationsMixed[8][9][10][11][12][13][14]votes—
Raise taxes on high earners or corporationsSupports[9][10][11][19][18]votes—
Expand public health coverageSupports[9][10][11][15][16]votes—
Faster transition away from fossil fuelsSupports[9][10][11][17][18]votes—
Raise the minimum wageSupports[25]votes—
Broad tariffs on imported goodsOpposes[20]votes—
Universal, publicly funded child careSupports[17]votes—

The candidates, in full

Terri Sewell

DINCUMBENTU.S. Representative for Alabama's 7th Congressional District (since 2011)

Advanced from the Democratic primary unopposed.

Terri Sewell is the incumbent Democratic U.S. Representative for Alabama's 7th Congressional District, first elected in 2010. She is the first African-American woman elected to Congress from Alabama. She serves on the House Committee on Ways and Means and the Committee on House Administration.[2][4]

Key votes in Congress

  • YesWar Powers Resolution directing removal of forces from Iran hostilities · H. Con. Res. 86 · Passed 215–208 · 2026-06-03 roll call ↗The resolution directs the President to remove U.S. armed forces from hostilities with Iran that Congress has not authorized, invoking the War Powers Resolution. It passed the House with support from Democrats and a number of Republicans.
  • YesResolution disapproving tariffs on Canada · H.J. Res. 72 · Passed 219–211 · 2026-02-11 roll call ↗The resolution terminates the national emergency the President declared in February 2025 to justify a 25 percent tariff on imports from Canada, ending that tariff if it becomes law. It passed with a bipartisan majority, including several Republicans who broke with the administration on trade policy.
  • YesConsolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 — full-year government funding · H.R. 7148 · Passed 217–214 · 2026-02-03 roll call ↗The bill provides full-year discretionary appropriations for federal agencies for the remainder of fiscal year 2026, replacing the stopgap funding enacted after the fall 2025 shutdown. It sets spending levels across defense and non-defense programs through September 2026.
  • YesBreaking the Gridlock Act — ACA subsidy extension · H.R. 1834 · Passed 230–196 · 2026-01-08 roll call ↗The bill extends for additional years the enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits that were expanded in 2021 and had lapsed at the end of 2025, lowering health-insurance premiums for people who buy coverage on ACA marketplaces. It passed with support from nearly all Democrats and a small group of Republicans.
  • YesWar Powers Resolution on Venezuela · H. Con. Res. 64 · Failed 211–213 · 2025-12-17 roll call ↗The resolution would have directed the President to remove U.S. armed forces from hostilities in or against Venezuela that Congress had not authorized. It failed after U.S. military strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels off Venezuela had raised questions in Congress about the administration's legal authority for military action in the region.
  • YesNational Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 — final passage · S. 1071 · Passed 312–112 · 2025-12-10 roll call ↗The fiscal year 2026 NDAA authorizes roughly $900 billion in defense spending, including a pay raise for service members and funding for shipbuilding, munitions, and missile-defense programs. It also sets policy on military personnel, procurement, and other Defense Department programs for the year.
  • YesEpstein Files Transparency Act · H.R. 4405 · Passed 427–1 · 2025-11-18 roll call ↗The bill directs the Department of Justice to publicly release its investigative files related to Jeffrey Epstein within 30 days, while allowing redactions to protect victim identities, ongoing investigations, and law enforcement techniques. It passed with near-unanimous support.
  • NoContinuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2026 — shutdown-ending vote · H.R. 5371 · Passed 222–209 · 2025-11-12 roll call ↗The bill reopened the federal government after a 43-day shutdown by funding most agencies through January 30, 2026, and providing full-year funding for a smaller group of agencies through September 2026. It also reversed shutdown-related federal layoffs and funded SNAP benefits retroactively.
  • YesCLARITY Act — digital asset market structure · H.R. 3633 · Passed 294–134 · 2025-07-17 roll call ↗The CLARITY Act creates a regulatory framework dividing oversight of digital assets between the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. It sets registration and disclosure requirements for cryptocurrency exchanges and other digital-asset intermediaries.
  • YesGENIUS Act — stablecoin regulation · S. 1582 · Passed 308–122 · 2025-07-17 roll call ↗The GENIUS Act creates a federal regulatory framework for payment stablecoins, requiring issuers to hold reserves backing their tokens on a one-to-one basis and to comply with new disclosure and licensing rules. It was the first major piece of cryptocurrency legislation enacted into federal law.
  • NoOne Big Beautiful Bill Act — final passage · H.R. 1 · Passed 218–214 · 2025-07-03 roll call ↗H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, extends and expands the 2017 tax cuts, adds new deductions for tips, overtime pay, and seniors, and raises the cap on state and local tax deductions. It increases border security and defense spending while cutting projected Medicaid and SNAP spending and adding new work requirements; President Trump signed it into law on July 4, 2025.
  • NoRescissions Act of 2025 · H.R. 4 · Passed 214–212 · 2025-06-12 roll call ↗The Rescissions Act canceled about $9 billion in previously approved federal spending, mostly for foreign aid programs and for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. It was the first rescissions package Congress had approved in decades.
  • NoOne Big Beautiful Bill Act — House passage · H.R. 1 · Passed 215–214 · 2025-05-22 roll call ↗H.R. 1 extends and modifies the 2017 individual and business tax cuts, creates new deductions for tips and overtime pay, and increases spending on border security and defense. It also reduces projected spending on Medicaid and food-assistance programs and adds new work requirements for some recipients.
  • NoSAVE Act — proof-of-citizenship voter registration · H.R. 22 · Passed 220–208 · 2025-04-10 roll call ↗The SAVE Act would require individuals to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship in person when registering to vote in federal elections. It also directs states to establish procedures to remove noncitizens identified on voter rolls.
  • NoFull-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025 · H.R. 1968 · Passed 217–213 · 2025-03-11 roll call ↗The bill funded the federal government through the remainder of fiscal year 2025, largely at prior-year spending levels, averting a shutdown ahead of a March 14 deadline. It also extended several expiring health and other program authorizations.
  • YesLaken Riley Act — final passage · S. 5 · Passed 263–156 · 2025-01-22 roll call ↗The Laken Riley Act requires the Department of Homeland Security to detain undocumented immigrants who are arrested, charged, or convicted for theft, burglary, or certain violent crimes. It also allows state attorneys general to sue the federal government over certain immigration enforcement decisions.
  • NoSecure the Border Act of 2023 — House passage · H.R. 2 · Passed 219–213 · 2023-05-11 roll call ↗Would have resumed border-wall construction, restricted asylum eligibility, expanded detention, and mandated E-Verify for employers.
  • YesInflation Reduction Act — final House passage · H.R. 5376 · Passed 220–207 · 2022-08-12 roll call ↗Enacted clean-energy and climate tax credits, a 15% minimum tax on large corporations' book income, a 1% excise tax on stock buybacks, and Medicare drug-price negotiation.
  • YesAssault Weapons Ban of 2022 — House passage · H.R. 1808 · Passed 217–213 · 2022-07-29 roll call ↗Would have banned the sale, manufacture and import of many semiautomatic assault weapons and large-capacity magazines.
  • YesWomen's Health Protection Act of 2022 — House passage · H.R. 8296 · Passed 219–210 · 2022-07-15 roll call ↗Passed after Dobbs; would have created a federal statutory right to abortion services and limited state restrictions.
  • YesBipartisan Safer Communities Act — final House passage · S. 2938 · Passed 234–193 · 2022-06-24 roll call ↗Expanded background checks for buyers under 21, funded state red-flag and crisis-intervention programs, and narrowed the "boyfriend loophole."
  • YesBuild Back Better Act — House passage · H.R. 5376 · Passed 220–213 · 2021-11-19 roll call ↗Would have funded clean-energy tax credits, universal pre-kindergarten and child-care subsidies, and extended health-coverage subsidies; it did not pass the Senate.
  • YesWomen's Health Protection Act of 2021 — House passage · H.R. 3755 · Passed 218–211 · 2021-09-24 roll call ↗Would have created a federal statutory right for providers to offer, and patients to receive, abortion services, limiting state restrictions.
  • YesAmerican Dream and Promise Act of 2021 — House passage · H.R. 6 · Passed 228–197 · 2021-03-18 roll call ↗Would have created a path to permanent legal status for many undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children and for certain TPS and DED holders.
  • YesRaise the Wage Act — House passage · H.R. 582 · Passed 231–199 · 2019-07-18 roll call ↗Would have raised the federal minimum wage in steps from $7.25 to $15 an hour by 2025.
  • YesAmerican Dream and Promise Act of 2019 — House passage · H.R. 6 · Passed 237–187 · 2019-06-04 roll call ↗Would have created a path to permanent legal status for many undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children and for certain TPS and DED holders.
  • YesBipartisan Background Checks Act — House passage · H.R. 8 · Passed 240–190 · 2019-02-27 roll call ↗Would have required background checks for most firearm transfers between private parties.
  • NoTax Cuts and Jobs Act — final House passage · H.R. 1 · Passed 224–201 · 2017-12-20 roll call ↗Cut the corporate income tax rate from 35% to 21% and lowered individual rates, including the top rate from 39.6% to 37% (individual provisions set to expire after 2025).
  • NoConcealed Carry Reciprocity Act — House passage · H.R. 38 · Passed 231–198 · 2017-12-06 roll call ↗Would have required states to recognize concealed-carry permits issued by other states.
  • NoPain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act — House passage · H.R. 36 · Passed 237–189 · 2017-10-03 roll call ↗Would have banned most abortions after 20 weeks post-fertilization, with limited exceptions.
  • NoAmerican Health Care Act — House passage · H.R. 1628 · Passed 217–213 · 2017-05-04 roll call ↗Would have repealed the ACA individual mandate penalty, converted federal Medicaid funding to per-capita caps, and ended enhanced funding for the Medicaid expansion.

On the record — official actions

  • actionServes on the House Committee on Ways and Means (Oversight, Social Security, and Trade subcommittees) and the Committee on House Administration (Elections Subcommittee) in the 119th Congress (2025-2026).[2]
  • actionServed as Ranking Member of the House Administration Committee's Elections Subcommittee and on the House Committee on Armed Services (Military Personnel Subcommittee) in the 118th Congress (2023-2024).[2]
  • bill2023-09-19 · Sponsored the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, reintroduced in the 118th Congress on September 19, 2023, which would restore federal preclearance requirements under the Voting Rights Act of 1965.[7]

Positions on the issues

  • SupportsExpand public health coverageFrom recorded votes

    Voted no on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which reduced federal Medicaid spending and added Medicaid work requirements. Voted yes on Breaking the Gridlock Act (H.R. 1834, 2026-01-08). Voted no on American Health Care Act (H.R. 1628, 2017-05-04), which would have capped federal Medicaid funding and ended enhanced funding for the Medicaid expansion.[9][10][11][15][16]

    What they say: Says she strongly supports the Affordable Care Act, citing its protections against denial of coverage for pre-existing conditions and caps on out-of-pocket costs.[6]

    “That is why I strongly support President Obama’s health care plan and the health care reform signed in to law last March.”
  • MixedExpand immigration enforcement and deportationsFrom recorded votes

    Voted yes on Laken Riley Act (S. 5, 2025-01-22). Voted no on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which funded expanded immigration enforcement, detention and border operations. Voted no on Secure the Border Act of 2023 (H.R. 2, 2023-05-11). Voted yes on American Dream and Promise Act of 2019 (H.R. 6, 2019-06-04; 2021-03-18).[8][9][10][11][12][13][14]

  • SupportsFaster transition away from fossil fuelsFrom recorded votes

    Voted no on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which phased out Inflation Reduction Act clean-energy tax credits. Voted yes on Build Back Better Act (H.R. 5376, 2021-11-19; 2022-08-12), which would have funded clean-energy tax credits.[9][10][11][17][18]

  • SupportsRaise taxes on high earners or corporationsFrom recorded votes

    Voted no on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03; 2017-12-20), which made the 2017 individual tax rates, including the 37% top rate, permanent. Voted yes on Inflation Reduction Act (H.R. 5376, 2022-08-12), which added a 15% minimum tax on large corporations and a stock-buyback excise tax.[9][10][11][19][18]

  • OpposesBroad tariffs on imported goodsFrom recorded votes

    Voted yes on Resolution disapproving tariffs on Canada (H.J. Res. 72, 2026-02-11).[20]

  • SupportsUniversal, publicly funded child careFrom recorded votes

    Voted yes on Build Back Better Act (H.R. 5376, 2021-11-19), which would have funded universal pre-K and child-care subsidies.[17]

  • SupportsStricter gun lawsFrom recorded votes

    Voted yes on Bipartisan Background Checks Act (H.R. 8, 2019-02-27). Voted yes on Assault Weapons Ban of 2022 (H.R. 1808, 2022-07-29). Voted yes on Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (S. 2938, 2022-06-24). Voted no on Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act (H.R. 38, 2017-12-06).[21][22][23][24]

  • SupportsRaise the minimum wageFrom recorded votes

    Voted yes on Raise the Wage Act (H.R. 582, 2019-07-18).[25]

  • SupportsProtect legal access to abortionFrom recorded votes

    Voted yes on Women's Health Protection Act of 2021 (H.R. 3755, 2021-09-24). Voted yes on Women's Health Protection Act of 2022 (H.R. 8296, 2022-07-15). Voted no on Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (H.R. 36, 2017-10-03).[26][27][28]

In their words — priorities

  • Says bringing jobs and opportunities to every corner of the district is her top priority, and runs an annual Job Fair connecting jobseekers and employers.[5]
  • Says she is leading the fight in Congress to restore the Voting Rights Act of 1965 through the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, which she reintroduced in the 118th Congress.[7]

Background

  • Born in Huntsville, Alabama, in 1965; earned a bachelor's degree in politics from Princeton University (1986), a master's degree in literature from the University of Oxford (1988), and a J.D. from Harvard Law School (1992).[2]
  • Worked as a law clerk and as a lawyer before her election to Congress in 2010.[2]

Campaign money

Raised $2.0M · spent $1.7M · $3.8M cash on hand (through 2026-07-22) FEC filing ↗

Campaign website ↗Shareable profile page

Ammie Akin

R

Won the August 11, 2026 Republican primary, 73.4% to 26.6%, over David Perry.

Ammie Akin is an entrepreneur and educator running as the Republican nominee for Alabama's 7th Congressional District. She co-founded what her campaign describes as the country's first "shared" nonprofit facility and has worked as an advocate for adults, teens, and children with disabilities.[3]

Little public record found for this candidate.

In their words — priorities

  • Says she would "put Alabama first" by prioritizing families, workers, small businesses, and local communities over partisan politics.[3]
  • Says she would fight wasteful Washington spending and demand accountable use of taxpayer dollars.[3]
  • Says she would work to strengthen rural healthcare access and help keep rural hospitals open.[3]

Background

  • Describes herself as an entrepreneur, multi-level educator, and longtime advocate for people with disabilities; co-founded a nonprofit facility that her campaign describes as the first of its kind in the country.[3]

Campaign money

Raised $151K · spent $35K · $116K cash on hand (through 2026-07-22) FEC filing ↗

Campaign website ↗Shareable profile page

Sources · 28

Researched 2026-09-25. Green citations are official government records.

  1. 1.United States House of Representatives elections in Alabama, 2026 · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
  2. 2.Terri Sewell · Ballotpedia Reference
  3. 3.Ammie Akin For Congress · Akin for Congress campaign website Candidate's own words
  4. 4.Terri Sewell · Wikipedia Reference
  5. 5.Economy · Office of Rep. Terri Sewell Candidate's own words
  6. 6.Healthcare · Office of Rep. Terri Sewell Candidate's own words
  7. 7.Voting Rights · Office of Rep. Terri Sewell Candidate's own words
  8. 8.Roll call: Laken Riley Act — final passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-01-22 Official record
  9. 9.Roll call: One Big Beautiful Bill Act — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-05-22 Official record
  10. 10.H.R. 1 (119th Congress) — One Big Beautiful Bill Act: text and summary · Congress.gov Official record
  11. 11.Roll call: One Big Beautiful Bill Act — final passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-07-03 Official record
  12. 12.Roll call: Secure the Border Act of 2023 — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2023-05-11 Official record
  13. 13.Roll call: American Dream and Promise Act of 2019 — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2019-06-04 Official record
  14. 14.Roll call: American Dream and Promise Act of 2021 — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2021-03-18 Official record
  15. 15.Roll call: Breaking the Gridlock Act — ACA subsidy extension · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2026-01-08 Official record
  16. 16.Roll call: American Health Care Act — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2017-05-04 Official record
  17. 17.Roll call: Build Back Better Act — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2021-11-19 Official record
  18. 18.Roll call: Inflation Reduction Act — final House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2022-08-12 Official record
  19. 19.Roll call: Tax Cuts and Jobs Act — final House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2017-12-20 Official record
  20. 20.Roll call: Resolution disapproving tariffs on Canada · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2026-02-11 Official record
  21. 21.Roll call: Bipartisan Background Checks Act — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2019-02-27 Official record
  22. 22.Roll call: Assault Weapons Ban of 2022 — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2022-07-29 Official record
  23. 23.Roll call: Bipartisan Safer Communities Act — final House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2022-06-24 Official record
  24. 24.Roll call: Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2017-12-06 Official record
  25. 25.Roll call: Raise the Wage Act — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2019-07-18 Official record
  26. 26.Roll call: Women's Health Protection Act of 2021 — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2021-09-24 Official record
  27. 27.Roll call: Women's Health Protection Act of 2022 — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2022-07-15 Official record
  28. 28.Roll call: Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2017-10-03 Official record