There’s a new congressional district in Louisiana that could help shape the balance of power in Washington this year. The state created the new 6th Congressional District after it was ordered to add a second majority Black district to the election map.
The top three candidates are Senators Elbert Guillory and Cleo Fields; and Quinten Anderson. They have a few things in common: They are all Black men and they each have law degrees.
The newly drawn 6th Congressional District spans from Caddo to East Baton Rouge Parish and it includes portions of parishes in between. And even though the district includes both urban and rural areas, the candidates say a common concern they are hearing from voters is crime.
Guillory is the only Republican in the race. He’s from Opelousas – and he describes himself as a good old conservative country boy. He said crime is an issue that can no longer be ignored.
“It’s something that we must address, and address it very quickly. Our streets and communities are simply not safe anymore,” said Guillory.
And while —Guillory didn’t give any specifics on how to tackle crime, the two leading Democrats in the race said poor education and lack of opportunity have a direct correlation to crime.
Anderson, the youngest candidate in the race, is from Baton Rouge. He said voters understand solving the problem goes beyond hiring more police officers and increasing criminal sentences.
“They do recognize particularly when it comes to young people, that this is about opportunity. So what they want to see investment in, is to figure out ways to divert youth from that patch,” said Anderson.
The other Democrat, Fields, actually served in Congress before. He represented what was the state’s 4th Congressional District for two terms in the 1990s. He’s also from Baton Rouge and said he’ll advocate for every child to attend Head Start before kindergarten
“And then we have less kids committing crime. I do believe that. I do believe that there is a total nexus between education and incarceration. Give these kids an opportunity to be productive citizens in life,” said Fields.
The ages of three candidates run the gamut from their 30s to their 80s. And their varied backgrounds influenced their decision to run for office.
Guillory, who’s 80 years old, served in both chambers in the state legislature. He said being arrested at the age of 15 at a public library was a turning point in his life.
“Because Black people could not go to that library. That arrest started me on this quest for justice from that day until this day. I’ve been fighting for justice and for equality, to make my country even more perfect,” said Guillory.
Guillory said he chose to become a Republican because he identifies with their conservative values now.
Fields, a Democrat, wants to expand access to Head Start. He’s the seventh of 10 children. When his father died, that left his mother struggling to raise him and his siblings. He says that inspired him to enter politics. He ran for office the first time at the age of 24.
“I’ve tried to make a better life for people. I’ve tried to better the educational system in our state, by passing a bill that made kindergarten mandatory. I do believe that we have to invest in early childhood education because I think that’s the future,” said Fields.
Anderson, the other Democrat, is 36 years old. He owns a small graphic design company and serves as the communications director for Together Baton Rouge. Anderson also chairs The Justice Alliance, a Baton Rouge-based social justice nonprofit.
He said working on President Barack Obama’s campaign in college inspired him to run for office. He said the new district can be challenging because it encompasses both urban and rural areas but he’s learning a lot from farmers on the campaign trail.
“Listening to people for whom this is their life, this is how they grew up. Their whole culture is centered around that. I think the biggest challenge is just to be able to listen but that’s also a skill that I think I bring to the table,” said Anderson.
Fields – the current state senator who’s been in Congress before – is leading in the polls. He has the biggest name recognition coming into the race. He could possibly win the race without a run-off. Guillory is next in the polls, and then Anderson.
The 6th Congressional District is currently represented by Republican Garret Graves. It was redrawn to favor Black voters, because one-third of the state’s population is Black. Graves chose not to run for re-election.
This will be the first election where the state will have a second majority-Black district. The district lines are being challenged in court and that litigation will continue after the election.
You can hear the entire interviews and learn more about the candidates in the links below.
