Rep. Cleo Fields Will Not Seek Reelection, Will Run for Louisiana State Senate

Rep. Cleo Fields (D-LA) announced on July 21, 2026, that he will not run for reelection to Congress. Instead, he plans to run for a seat in the Louisiana state Senate after a recent Supreme Court ruling led to the elimination of his congressional district. The ruling in Louisiana v. Callais determined that Louisiana’s majority-black 6th Congressional District was an unconstitutional racial gerrymander, prompting the state to adopt a new congressional map. Fields stated, "I feel my calling to serve the people is better put to use back home than here in D.C., and I intend to answer that call." The newly adopted map, which was finalized in May, is expected to favor Republican candidates while leaving Rep. Troy Carter’s (D-LA) 2nd Congressional District as the only majority-black seat in the state. Fields has served in the House for six years across two nonconsecutive terms and criticized the court’s ruling as a setback for voting rights, emphasizing the importance of fair districting for minority representation. The ruling has also affected Louisiana's election schedule, with Governor Jeff Landry (R-LA) suspending the May 16 congressional primaries to allow time for redistricting, rescheduling the elections for November 3.