Path to Power
Born on October 9, 1967, in the disadvantaged city of West Montgomery, Ala., Davis was raised by his mother and grandmother. He attended public schools until he enrolled in Harvard University, where he received his undergraduate degree magna cum laude in 1990 and his law degree cum laude in 1993.
After graduation Davis interned with the Southern Poverty Law Center before becoming a clerk for Judge Myron H. Thompson, one of the first African-American federal district judges in Alabama. From 1994 to 1998, Davis was an assistant U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Alabama and from 1998 to 2002, a practicing attorney in Birmingham.
Davis’ first run for office was in 2000, when he challenged incumbent African-American Rep. Earl Hilliard (D-Al.) in the Democratic primary. Davis criticized Hilliard for traveling to Libya despite a State Department prohibition, but ended up losing 58 percent to 34 percent. In 2002, Davis challenged Hilliard again after the district boundaries had been slightly redrawn. Hilliard surrogates questioned whether the Harvard-educated Davis was “black enough.” Hilliard once said of Davis, a former federal prosecutor, that “the only thing he’s done for black people is put them in jail.”
Davis benefited financially in that election from supporters of Israel angry at Hilliard. Early in 2002, Hilliard was in a very small minority of members who voted against a measure pledging support for Israel in the wake of Palestinian suicide bombings. Davis recognized an opportunity. "My opponent, Earl Hilliard, has not been a strong supporter of Israel," Davis said at the time. "If I am elected, Israel will have a friend."
Hilliard won the primary by just three points (46 to 43 percent), but the free-spending Davis won the runoff 56 percent to 44 percent despite campaign stops in the state on behalf of Hilliard from Congressional Black Caucus members and Al Sharpton.
Davis has not faced a serious primary or general election challenge since. Even his 2004 primary opponent Albert Turner, son of one of the leaders of the “Bloody Sunday” civil rights march in Selma, did not pose a real threat. Davis won 88 percent to 12 percent.
Davis sits on the committee on House Administration and the powerhouse committees of the Judiciary and Ways and Means. He has also served as a vice chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, as well as the New Democrat Coalition, a group of “moderate, pro-growth” representatives with a “common sense policy agenda” that focuses on economic growth, personal responsibility, and national security.”
In September 2008, Davis’s office announced his engagement to Tara Johnson, a community outreach coordinator for the Alabama Forestry Commission. They married on January 1, 2009.
In November 2008, Davis ran uncontested for what he called his fourth and final term in the House. He is expected to run for governor in 2010 when two-term Republican Gov. Bob Riley is term-limited. “We need somebody to step forward with a vision for Alabama, and I believe I have that vision,” Davis said in May 2008. Likely opponents include Democratic Lt. Gov. Jim Folsom, and Republicans Troy King, the Alabama attorney general, and Bradley Byrne, head of Alabama’s two-year college system.
