Nov 11, 2024 Story by: Editor
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Democrat Cleo Fields has secured victory in Louisiana’s congressional race within the newly redrawn second majority-Black district, marking a shift from a traditionally Republican seat to a Democratic win.
Fields’ success now grants Democrats two congressional seats in Louisiana for the first time in a decade. This achievement is also historic, being only the second instance in nearly 50 years that a Democrat has claimed victory in Louisiana’s 6th Congressional District, which underwent boundary changes earlier this year.
A familiar face in Louisiana politics, Fields previously served in the U.S. House after his 1992 election, completing two terms. At 61, he remains a significant figure in the state’s political landscape.
Due to Louisiana’s open primary system—where candidates from all parties appear on the same ballot—Fields won outright by securing over 50% of the vote, thus avoiding a runoff. He competed against four other candidates, including 80-year-old Republican Elbert Guillory, a former state senator. The current GOP Congressman, Garret Graves, chose not to run for reelection.
The congressional map used in this election, drawn by the Republican-led Legislature with support from newly elected Republican Governor Jeff Landry, introduced a second majority-Black district. This change followed a U.S. Supreme Court decision affirming a similar majority-Black district in Alabama. The map was a victory for Democrats and civil rights groups following extensive legal and political efforts over the past two years. The redesigned district reduced the chances for Graves, who previously backed another Republican in last year’s governor race instead of Landry.
Stretching diagonally across the state, the new 6th District boundaries run from Baton Rouge to Shreveport. Black voters now constitute 54% of the district’s population, a rise from the previous 24%. Fields himself is Black.
Although a lower court initially found the new map to be an illegal racial gerrymander, the Supreme Court allowed its use this year due to the proximity of the election, boosting Democratic prospects for the closely divided U.S. House. The map’s future, however, is uncertain, as the Supreme Court will hear arguments on November 4 that could impact its use in future elections.
Alongside Fields’ win in the 6th District, all five incumbent representatives from Louisiana were re-elected, including House Speaker Mike Johnson and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise. Source: US News
