WASHINGTON – Louisiana holds special elections this Saturday to fill two vacancies in the United States Congress, previously filled by a Democrat and a Republican and which are unlikely to change their political direction.
One of those battles is fought for the seat that represents District 2 of that state, which encompasses the New Orleans and Baton Rouge area.
The favorite candidates are Democratic state senators Troy Carter, a minority leader in the Louisiana Upper House, and Karen Carter Peterson, from the party’s most left wing.
Both are measured by the seat left in Congress by the progressive Cedric Richmond, who has supported Carter and left the seat to join the administration of President Joe Biden.
On the other hand, Republican Julia Letlow, widow of Congressman Luke Letlow, competes against 11 rivals in constituency 5 (northeast Louisiana), where her husband won in December, although she was not sworn in because she died of COVID-19 weeks later.
His main rival will be former Conservative legislator Ralph Abraham, who is running for a job he has held in the past.
The bill contemplates granting citizenship to 11 million undocumented people, among other key aspects.
The Republican leadership in the federal House of Representatives and former President Donald Trump (2017-2021) have endorsed Letlow.
There is little doubt about which party will win those two seats, since District 2 is majority Democratic and District 5 is Republican.
What is not so clear is whether this Saturday the result of these special elections will be known, since, according to the Louisiana system, if none of the candidates reaches at least 50% of the votes, a second round must be held with the two applicants who remain in the lead, and that in this case would take place in April.
Bills that would benefit “dreamers,” TPS recipients, and undocumented farmworkers face a tough road in the Senate.
Democrats enjoy a slim majority in the federal lower house, with 219 legislators to 211 Republicans.
If the elections for District 2 of Louisiana need a second round, but not those of Precinct 5, the margin of the progressives would be even tighter in that chamber temporarily.