A tale of two Carters’ backers
25th January 2021 · 0 Comments
By Christopher Tidmore
Contributing Writer
If one knew no better, the average Second Congressional District voter might suspect that on March 20, he or she had to choose between Stacey Abrams and Cedric Richmond. The two front-running contenders for the open U.S. House of Representatives seat have decided to highlight their principal endorsers almost more than the fact of their own candidacies. Or at least, that is how it has seemed in the race so far.
Perhaps it is a factor of the brevity of this congressional campaign season, yet former La. Democratic Chair and State Senator Karen Carter Peterson and former Councilman and State Senator Troy Carter seemingly have appeared more as tribunes of Abrams or Richmond than architects of their own political aspirations to win election to Congress. Their strategy makes sense, though. Both State Senators are well-known local politicians, and relatively evenly matched. Carter Peterson stands strong on the East Bank of Orleans and Jefferson parishes; Carter dominates on the West Bank of both parishes. Yet, that’s also part of the problem, and why they each desperately need kudos from their nationally-famed patrons.
The Second Congressional District does begin at the edges of Carter Peterson’s Senate District, in the African-American Jefferson Parish neighborhood of Shrewsbury, then juts into Orleans through Broadmoor and towards the Garden District and the CBD encompassing most of the city (exempting only parts of the Riverbend, the University areas of Uptown and Lakeview). It covers her entire Senate district, in other words. However, the congressional seat then jumps the river to Algiers and the West Bank of Jefferson Parish, encompassing all of Troy Carter’s seat. But, the 2nd Congressional District lines do not stop at Gretna, and so lies the root of the challenge for the two Orleans Democratic frontrunners.
While often thought of as a New Orleans seat, the 2nd District stretches along the West Bank of the Mississippi River all the way to Baton Rouge (excepting a brief jump back across the river to cover the Black precincts of South Kenner). Therefore, the two Carters (no relation) stand evenly matched on the south end of the seat, dividing the vote almost equally, yet are equally vulnerable to a River Parishes constituency who might be unfamiliar with both. Qualifying, which occurred January 20-22, has already drawn several non-Orleanians into the contest, including Democrats Christopher Johnson of Gretna, Claston Bernard of Gonzales and Gary Chambers Jr. of Baton Rouge.
The last, in particular, poses a deep danger to the two frontrunners. A prominent Baton Rouge blogger and social media personality, Gary Chambers has constructed a reputation as a community activist through years of ongoing appearances at East Baton Rouge Metro Council and School Board meetings. He advocates a “people powered movement,” boasting of an impressive social media following: 273,000 followers on Instagram, 82,000 followers on Twitter and 49,000 followers on Facebook. Chambers personally posts on Twitter and other social media platforms multiple times each day.
The two Republicans and one Libertarian also qualified for Congress last week. Chelsea Ardoin, Greg Lirette and Mindy McConnell have little chance of victory in the most Democratic of seats, yet they further cut into the base of the two Carters – as well as divert potential votes from the better-known candidates upriver. Add to those dangers that other, lesser-known Democrats from New Orleans also decided to run, including Jenette Porter, Belden Batiste and Desiree Ontiveros, who further cut into the base of the two frontrunners. Ontiveros, in particular, seeks to spend a considerable part of her personal savings on the race. The well-known small business owner took a shot at the two Carters in her announcement for the Congressional seat last Tuesday, January 19.
“The system is broken, and the elected leaders that were supposed to have our back have failed us. The government’s mismanagement of this pandemic has been a death sentence for too many in our community. Once again, the people running for office are the usual suspects. Their inability to get things done on a local and state level have pushed those of us who have risen out of poverty back into food insecurity, housing insecurity, and economic oppression. It’s time to change that. We need to rethink, reform, and repave the path to the American Dream.”
No matter how seasoned or experienced the state senator, utilizing the endorsements of two political celebrities – both seen as the two main reasons why Joe Biden was inaugurated as president last week – proves invaluable, especially when Richmond and Abrams serve as a means for each of the two Carters to fight the anti-incumbency gestalt permeating local politics today. After all, Richmond’s appointment as senior advisor to the new president and director of the White House Office of Public Engagement is well earned. Joe Biden himself acknowledges the New Orleans congressman as a pivotal figure clearing the path for him to win in last year’s Democratic primaries, and rewarded Richmond for it.
As former head of the Black Caucus, Richmond played a key role in obtaining Rep. Jim Clyburn’s endorsement and active help to push Joe Biden to victory in the South Carolina primary – at a time when it seemed as if the former vice president’s bid was doomed before the surge of Bernie Sanders. Richmond stood at Biden’s side throughout the 2020 campaign, acting as his most steadfast advisor. With Richmond’s White House appointment, to use a reference from Aaron Sorkin’s “West Wing,” he will now play Josh Lyman to Biden’s Jed Bartlett.
As such, Troy Carter was not afraid to use his close friendship with Richmond to bolster his own reputation, and the out-going congressman’s endorsement of the West Bank state senator proved unequivocal. “Troy Carter is someone known in the communities of the district. He has put in the time and the work to serve people, and we can count on him. Troy has led the fight for working families in Louisiana and pushed an agenda for women and young people. Senator Troy Carter is the right person at the right time to continue fighting for Louisiana,” said the new White House senior advisor.
If Richmond made the difference in the primary for Biden, Stacey Abrams carried the presidential election for the Democrats. Or, at least, that is how most Black voters view it. The Georgia minority leader and former gubernatorial candidate’s voter registration and GOTV efforts flipped the Peach State in a historic fashion, and her electorate’s surge blocked Republican U.S. Senator David Perdue from winning re-election in the primary. Moreover, her turnout efforts in the runoff doomed his and Kelly Loeffler’s chances, delivering a majority for Chuck Schumer. To say that Abrams is a proverbial “rock-star” amongst African-American voters stands as an understatement. And, throughout the Georgia runoff, Carter Peterson campaigned at her side throughout the Atlanta Metro.
As out-going Louisiana Dem-ocratic Party chairman, Carter Peterson brought forth all the resources she could deliver to the Peach State, and Abrams called her help invaluable. The once-and-future Georgia gubernatorial candidate has returned the favor, campaigning on the La. state senator’s behalf and holding virtual organizing meetings to aid her. As Abrams puts it, “I am proud to endorse my friend Karen Carter Peterson in her bid to represent Louisiana’s 2nd congressional district. Senator Peterson has been a champion for justice in the Louisiana Senate and will continue to be so in the U.S. House fighting for COVID-19 relief, voting rights and more… Karen has spent her career as a passionate and relentless fighter for working families in Louisiana’s Republican-led state legislature. If we’re going to plant the seeds that can flip this state one day, we start by electing progressives like Karen Carter Peterson who can engage and mobilize the grassroots.”
That is not to say that Richmond and Abrams serve as the frontrunners’ only endorsers. Nationally, Carter Peterson has touted the backing of former Vermont Governor and DNC Chair Howard Dean, Emily’s List, and the National Retail/Wholesale Workers Union, as well as local luminaries such as Baton Rouge Metro Councilwomen Erika Green and Carolyn Coleman, St. James Councilman Clyde Cooper, Ascension Councilman Travis Turner and Orleans Parish City Councilman Jay Banks.
Troy Carter too enjoys a myriad of local and national supporters, and he potentially enjoys an added turnout advantage over his rival(s). Elections for Gretna city government will also occur on March 20, 2021. Contested races include mayor, police chief, and several council contests, so GOTV efforts within parts of his own state Senate district will be energized – particularly for early voting, which begins almost three weeks before election day.
This article originally published in the January 25, 2021 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.
