Cleo Fields Forgoes Congressional Re-election for Louisiana State Senate

U.S. Representative Cleo Fields announced Tuesday that he will not seek a second term in Louisiana's 6th Congressional District. He intends to run for the unexpired term in State Senate District 14, a seat he previously held that became vacant this month following the death of State Senator Larry Selders.

Fields' decision follows a series of legal and political shifts. On April 29, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that the 6th Congressional District was an unconstitutional racial gerrymander. In response, the Republican-controlled Louisiana Legislature redrew the map in May, shifting the district toward predominantly white areas around Baton Rouge. The Cook Political Report now classifies the redrawn district as Solid Republican, making Fields an underdog in a potential race.

Fields stated that his calling to serve the people is better suited for his home state than in Washington, D.C. He scheduled a news conference in Baton Rouge for Friday at 10 a.m. to discuss the transition. The vacancy in the 6th Congressional District is expected to attract candidates such as Rick Edmonds and Blake Miguez, while former member Garret Graves is cited as a potential favorite.