Troy Carter Elected To U.S. Congress

By Wesley Muller, Louisiana Illuminator

April 24, 2021

Louisiana State Sen. Troy Carter won Saturday’s runoff election for Louisiana’s 2nd Congressional District, defeating opponent state Sen. Karen Carter Peterson.

Both veteran state lawmakers from New Orleans and both Democrats, the candidates squared off to fill the seat left open by Cedric Richmond, who was first elected to Congress in 2010 and resigned late last year to accept a role as senior advisor to President Joe Biden.

On Saturday Carter held 57% of the votes for much of the night, showing strong numbers in Orleans and Jefferson Parishes, where the largest shares of the electorate reside. The Associated Press called the race at 9:30 p.m. with 348 of 657 precincts having reported.

The 2nd Congressional District, a so-called majority-minority district, stretches along the Mississippi River from New Orleans East to Baton Rouge, encompassing parts of 10 parishes and much of Louisiana’s industrial corridor — known by many as “Cancer Alley” because its concentration of industrial facilities has been linked to high rates of cancer among the mostly Black residents who live there.

Carter, who grew up on the West Bank in New Orleans, was first elected to the state House in 1991, and then served two terms on the New Orleans City Council. After spending more than a decade away from public office, Carter was elected to the state Senate in 2016.

In the March 20 primary election, Carter led a field of 15 candidates with 36 percent of the votes cast. He won 39 percent of the vote in New Orleans, turf that he and Peterson share.

The last time both candidates ran for Congress was in 2006 against incumbent William Jefferson, who was reelected despite being the focus of a federal corruption probe.

The list of people who have endorsed Carter includes Richmond, East Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sharon Weston-Broome, Jefferson Parish President Cynthia Lee-Sheng, Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman, Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams and Orleans Parish Clerk of Criminal District Court Arthur Morrell. That list also includes multiple lawmakers in Baton Rouge and multiple lawmakers in Washington, including Rep. Joyce Beatty, the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus.

The Louisiana Illuminator is an independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization driven by its mission to cast light on how decisions are made in Baton Rouge and how they affect the lives of everyday Louisianians, particularly those who are poor or otherwise marginalized.