BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – State Sen. Vivian Davis Figures has strongly rejected a request by the Alabama Republican Party that she apologize for saying that racism has played a role in the rise and undisputed dominance of the Republican Party across Alabama's political landscape.

"I will apologize for nothing I said on Tuesday evening," Figures said this afternoon in a press release. "The statements at issue were made in response to a question posed by an audience member, and my response reflected my personal opinion regarding the matter of many Republican candidates in local and state races, campaigning as if they were running against President Obama. It's a tactic never before used systematically in Alabama during any other presidency.

Figures goes on to say this:

"I unequivocally stand by my collective statements, having said nothng that warrants an apology to any individual or organization including the Alabama Republican Party."

Speaking Tuesday night at the Homewood Library to the group Over the Mountain Democrats, Figures said Obama's election triggered a backlash by white Alabamians that allowed the state's Republican Party to capture overwhelming control of the Alabama Legislature in 2010 in addition to defeating the last Democrat to hold statewide office that year.

"It seems to me that once Obama was elected we started hearing the Republicans attack him on almost everything he tried to do, especially in health care," said Figures. "We started hearing Republicans in office and Republicans running for office attacking the federal government, charging the federal government had suddenly become intrusive in our lives, that it was overreaching into our places of business and into our homes. And with every charge they made they used Obama's name."

"I think it's racism. At its core I just do," said Figures. "I don't think that before Obama ran and won we heard state Republicans making so many statements about national issues that they would have little say over. We didn't hear that with (Jimmy) Carter or Bill Clinton. I think it's just basic racism and I'm not someone who uses the race card and I'm someone who had thought that we were beyond that kind of thing."

On Wednesday Alabama Republican Party Chairman Bill Armistead called on Figures to apologize for what she said.