Cleo Fields

The Congressional Black Caucus faces threats from a Supreme Court decision enabling gerrymandering and internal ideological shifts. Rep. Troy Carter is positioned to become its next chair and aims to defend its influence despite potential membership losses.

Louisiana crawfish farmers face a labor shortage due to H-2B visa caps affecting peeling plants, threatening industry revenue and prompting a bipartisan proposal to reclassify processing under uncapped H-2A visas. Reps. Clay Higgins, Wilford Carter, and Cleo Fields introduced the CRAW Act to address the issue.

Louisiana Representative Cleo Fields discusses his continued advocacy for voting rights after his district was redrawn following a Supreme Court decision impacting the Voting Rights Act. The article highlights redistricting efforts in Louisiana and South Carolina and features insights from journalists covering related developments.

The committee selecting the next Southern University System president is nearing completion of its search, with finalists expected within a month. Speculation exists about U.S. Rep. Cleo Fields, a Southern alumnus, being a candidate, though the committee has not identified specific individuals. The timeline was extended due to delays in hiring a search firm, and recent political changes in Louisiana have influenced the process.

The Louisiana Legislature is reversing Black political power through new laws, reducing Black officeholders despite historical gains post-Civil War and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Recent redistricting and legislative changes, including the Supreme Court's ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, have shifted majority-Black districts to majority-white Republican representation.

Kamala Harris is visiting New Orleans to address the Supreme Court's Louisiana v. Callais ruling, which critics argue reduces Black congressional representation. She will speak at the Louisiana Democratic Party's fundraiser and outline strategies to counteract the ruling's impact. Harris is positioning herself as a potential 2028 presidential candidate, engaging with Black voters and legislators.

Sen. Jay Morris presented a bill to redraw Louisiana's congressional districts, which included a 5-1 map opposed by Rep. Clay Higgins. The 6-0 map, which would have eliminated Democratic seats, was rejected due to fears about racial voter distribution, not principled opposition to gerrymandering.

Louisiana legislators approved a congressional redistricting bill that reduces the state’s majority-Black districts to one, likely triggering lawsuits from both conservative white voters and the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus. The Senate passed Senate Bill 121 along party lines, retaining a single majority-Black district held by Rep. Troy Carter while eliminating another held by Rep. Cleo Fields. Gov. Jeff Landry signed the bill into law, and sponsors claimed the map prioritized party over race.

The Louisiana House of Representatives approved a congressional redistricting bill that reduces the number of majority-Black districts from two to one, increasing Republican representation. The bill, Senate Bill 121, passed on a 66-36 vote and eliminates the district held by U.S. Rep. Cleo Fields, retaining only the district represented by U.S. Rep. Troy Carter.

Louisiana Republicans redrew congressional boundaries to dilute majority-Black voting districts following a Supreme Court ruling that weakened the 1965 Voting Rights Act. The decision in Louisiana v. Callais has intensified partisan gerrymandering efforts in the South, with a new map favoring Republicans in a state where Black residents comprise about one-third of the population.

Louisiana Republicans approved a new congressional map that eliminates a majority-Black district, previously protected by the Voting Rights Act. The map, which reconfigures the sixth congressional district, is expected to increase Republican representation to five of six congressional seats and will be signed by Republican governor Jeff Landry.

Louisiana Legislature approved a congressional redistricting bill that reduces the number of majority-Black districts from two to one, likely sparking litigation from both conservative white voters and the Legislative Black Caucus. The bill, passed on a party-line vote, aims to increase Republican representation in Congress but faces criticism for racial bias.

Louisiana lawmakers passed a new congressional map to secure an additional Republican seat, reducing the state's majority-Black districts from two to one. The map was drawn after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the previous plan as an illegal racial gerrymander, intensifying a national redistricting battle. Republican Governor Jeff Landry is expected to sign the new map, which redraws districts to cluster Democratic representatives Cleo Fields and Troy Carter.

Louisiana Republicans passed a gerrymandered map eliminating one of the state’s two Democratic, majority-Black House districts. The new map, sent to Gov. Jeff Landry for approval, was influenced by the Supreme Court’s narrowed Voting Rights Act and aims to shift electoral advantages ahead of the midterms.

The Louisiana House of Representatives approved a congressional redistricting bill that reduces the number of majority-Black districts from two to one, increasing Republican representation. The bill, Senate Bill 121, passed 66-36 along party lines and eliminates the district held by U.S. Rep. Cleo Fields, retaining only the district represented by U.S. Rep. Troy Carter. Democrats criticized the map as an effort to consolidate political power and deny Black voters equal representation.

Louisiana state senators are considering a new US House map that would eliminate a majority-Black district and give Republicans a chance to win an additional seat in the November midterm elections. The plan is in response to a US Supreme Court ruling that struck down Louisiana's congressional map for illegally using race to gerrymander. South Carolina is also planning for redistricting work ahead of the midterms.

Louisiana senators advanced a congressional map that eliminates one of the state's majority-Black districts, pitting U.S. Rep. Troy Carter against U.S. Rep. Cleo Fields for their seats. The proposed map is expected to be voted on by the full Senate on Thursday. The new map is needed before U.S. House races can move forward.

Louisiana suspended its House elections after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the state's congressional map unconstitutional for racial gerrymandering. Gov. Jeff Landry declared an 'electoral emergency' to delay primaries, allowing lawmakers to redraw districts, which could reduce majority-Black districts currently represented by Black Democrats.