Recommendations for the April 24, 2021 election

U. S. Representative 2nd Congressional District: Troy A. Carter
In what was a particularly difficult decision for the editorial board of The Louisiana Weekly, our editors opted to endorse a candidate who could both push an aggressive progressive agenda and maintain close relationships across the political aisle to best represent the New Orleans Metro Region and the River Parishes. In other words, we searched for a contender who could replicate the service of Cedric Richmond, as well as have the policy experience to serve from day one.

The Democratic Minority Leader of the Louisiana state Senate, past city councilman and Algiers state representative best exemplifies that tradition of leadership. Troy Carter can both push a $15 minimum wage as well as count many Republicans as friends and allies in his attempts to bring attention to infrastructural problems in his district. It is not a surprise that Carter enjoys wide GOP support on the West Bank at the same time as he earns strong backing from labor and pro-worker constituencies. He may not be able to replicate the close relationship that Rep. Richmond had with his best friend Steve Scalise, but if elected to Congress, Troy Carter could easily join forces with Scalise or Garret Graves to bring crucial dollars back to the metropolitan area. Moreover, it is time for a West Bank candidate to represent the 2nd District. While the Congressional seat does include most of East Bank Orleans, and pieces of Shrewsbury and South Kenner in Jefferson, this U.S. House seat remains overwhelmingly West Bank in nature, from Algiers to Westwego, up the River Parishes to Baton Rouge. For too long, the West Bank has been the proverbial stepchild of the metro region. It needs a representative who has advocated for the “Best Bank” and yet still can build coalitions with his neighbors across the Mississippi River to pass legislation.

State Representative 82nd Representative District: Eddie Connick
In this special election to replace Rep. Charles Henry, our editors opted for experience. After 23 years in the medical and health services industry, Edwin “Eddie” Connick decided to “retire” and devote himself fulltime to helping transform our often broken and overpriced state healthcare system, by running for the legislature. The Louisiana state House needs his particular skill set. Connick’s pioneering administrative reforms in the hospital sector have led doctors to instituting medical upgrades — which not only made patient care more effective and attentive — but also saved millions of dollars.

Equally important, prior to entering the medical/administrative field, the Boston College and Jesuit graduate, worked on a program with HRI Properties, converting blighted housing into affordable living for families of faith. As such, the crisis of affordable housing, and the decline of homeownership, has remained one of Mr. Connick’s animating issues in the interceding two decades – constituting another area of focus if elected to the legislature. And, the people most in need of both better healthcare and housing might be the ones who could send him there.

The 82nd House District, stretching from Bonnabel to Old Metairie to Old Jefferson to the North Bridgedale and Willowdale neighborhoods, resembles a giant U, running along the Mississippi River from the Orleans Parish line to the edge of Harahan at Hickory, with West Napoleon Ave. generally providing the border on the central Metairie peninsula and Veterans Blvd. on the Old Metairie one. Nevertheless, the very changes to the lines of the seat in the 2010 redistricting may allow Black voters to serve as the deciding factor in the election. Caucasian-majority neighborhoods were drawn out into neighboring seats, while the historic African-American Shrewsbury/New Harlem neighborhood remained. These precincts are also part of the Second Congressional District, and have an alternative reason to turn out on election day, and as such, their electorate could provide with swing vote in this legislative election.

French Quarter Economic Development Dist. – .245% S&U Tax Increase – CC – 5 Yrs.: Vote YES City of Kenner Prop. No. 1 of 3 (Fire) — 7.40 Mills Renewal – CC – 10 Yrs.: Vote YES

City of Kenner Prop. No. 3 of 3 (Sewer) – 1.14 Mills Renewal – CC – 10 Yrs.: Vote YES

This article originally published in the April 19, 2021 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.