Rep. Cleo Fields Will Run for Louisiana State Senate Instead of Congress

Rep. Cleo Fields announced Tuesday that he will run for the Louisiana state Senate rather than seek reelection to Congress. Adoption of a new congressional map in May dismantled his district after the Supreme Court ruled in Louisiana v. Callais that the state’s majority-black 6th Congressional District was an unconstitutional racial gerrymander and ordered a new map.

The revised lines left Rep. Troy Carter’s 2nd Congressional District as Louisiana’s only majority-black seat and are expected to favor Republicans.

Fields said in a statement that he intends to answer that call. He added that minority candidates are rarely elected from districts where they are not the majority.

Gov. Jeff Landry suspended the state’s scheduled May 16 congressional primaries to allow time for redistricting. Louisiana rescheduled its congressional elections for Nov. 3 under a jungle primary system, with runoffs set for Dec. 12 if needed.