In a historic win for Democrats, Cleo Fields secured victory in Louisiana’s congressional race in the newly redrawn second majority-Black district, flipping a once reliably Republican seat blue. This marks a significant achievement for the Democrats, as they will now hold two congressional seats in the state for the first time in 10 years.
Fields, a 61-year-old state senator and former U.S. House member, emerged victorious in a field of five candidates, avoiding a runoff by securing over 50 percent of the vote. His win is only the second time in nearly 50 years that a Democrat has won in Louisiana’s 6th Congressional District.
The victory comes after a legal and political battle over the new congressional map, which was crafted by the Republican-dominated Legislature earlier this year. The map includes a second majority-Black district, a move that has been celebrated by Democrats and civil rights groups.
The new 6th District boundaries span from Baton Rouge to Shreveport, with Black residents making up 54 percent of its voters. This victory for Fields and the Democrats has been further amplified by the Supreme Court’s ruling in May, ordering Louisiana to use the new map for this year’s congressional elections.
In addition to Fields’ win, all five Louisiana congressional incumbents were reelected, including U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise. This win not only signifies a shift in the state’s political landscape but also bolsters Democrats’ chances of gaining control of the closely divided House.
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