Jeremy Alford and David Jacobs: Politicians turn attention to massive November ballot

While the June ballot hosting primary runoffs is pretty light, the general ballot voters face in November will be massive. LaPolitics will take a closer look at some of these races in the lead-up to qualifying in August, but for now, here’s a primer on what to look out for in the coming weeks and months...
U.S. Senate
Whoever comes out of next month’s Republican primary runoff between Congresswoman Julia Letlow and Treasurer John Fleming will be favored to win the general election. But a strong showing by either of the Democrats – Jamie Davis garnered 47% of the vote in the Democratic primary, compared to Gary Crockett’s 26 percent – would be a good sign for Dems nationally and perhaps identify a rising star to watch in the state party.
U.S. House
A serious challenge to any of the incumbents is unlikely, though Letlow’s District 5 seat will be open. Congressman Cleo Fields has not officially announced that he won’t run for reelection if the Legislature follows through on their plans to convert his District 6 back into a Republican-leaning district, but it seems likely that two seats in the congressional delegation will be open on Election Day.
Thanks to the time crunch brought on by the U.S. Supreme Court throwing out the most recent map, Louisiana is going back to open primaries for the House elections, with the first round falling on the national Election Day and runoffs in December after the rest of the country is finished voting.
The PSC
Rep. Stephanie Hilferty will face former Jefferson Parish President John Young next month for the Republican nomination in District 1. Young got 31% in the five-way party primary, while Hilferty had 28 percent. Either will be favored in November in the Republican-leaning district against Democrat Connie Norris (who advanced to the general without opposition) and “no party” candidate Chris Justin.
Though Democrat Foster Campbell has represented North Louisiana’s District 5 for 20-plus years, the state’s politics obviously have shifted quite a bit during that time. Republican John Atkins, a Caddo Parish commissioner, will be favored in November to defeat Democratic Shreveport City Councilman James Edward Green. 
BESE
Former Congressman (and current interim BESE member) Joseph Cao and Ellie Schroder, a former teacher and education administrator and wife of former Treasurer John Schroder, have survived the Republican primary and advanced to the June party runoff. Cao, by virtue of getting 47% of the vote in the first round compared to Schroder’s 31 percent and being the pseudo-incumbent, is likely the favorite to advance and defeat Democrat Angela Hershey in November.
The courts
Following William “Billy” Burris’ victory over Blair Downing Edwards in a nasty campaign, all three of the Louisiana Supreme Court seats that might have been up for grabs in November have been filled. But past the highest court, voters across the state will be electing district attorneys and district judges. Noteworthy for legislative watchers: Sen. Alan Seabaugh is running for DA in Caddo Parish, where Democrat James Stewart is the incumbent.
There will also be four Court of Appeal judgeships on the ballot: two in the 3rd Circuit that covers southwest and central Louisiana, one in North Louisiana’s 2nd and one in the 4th Circuit that includes Orleans, St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes. Elections for numerous city courts also are set for November.
In our cities
The biggest local prize on the November ballot is for mayor of Shreveport, Louisiana’s third-largest city by population, and candidates are lining up. Incumbent Tom Arceneaux, the first Republican to win the office in 28 years, is running for reelection. Caddo Parish Commission President Stormy Gage-Watts, a Democrat, was the first to announce a challenge.
Other high-profile candidates include Democratic Rep. Tammy Phelps and Republican Caddo Parish Commissioner John-Paul Young. Former Parish Commissioner Michael Williams is planning a bid, as is Michael Mays, founder of local community organization District 19.
But the list of cities electing mayors, along with other local officials, extends well beyond Shreveport and includes (deep breath) Alexandria, Bogalusa, Breaux Bridge, Broussard, Carencro, Central, Crowley, Denham Springs, DeQuincy, Eunice, Grambling, Hammond, Harahan, Minden, New Roads, Opelousas, Patterson, Rayne, Ruston, Scott, Springhill, Thibodaux, Ville Platte, Westlake, Youngsville and Zachary.
Plaquemine’s president
Parish President Keith Hinkley is up for reelection in November. He won his first term in 2022 by garnering 53% of the vote in a runoff against Benny Rouselle, who served in the office from 1999-2007 and became a national figure after Hurricane Katrina.
The 2022 election was hotly contested, with incumbent Kirk Lepine only managing 23% in the primary, compared to 28 % for Hinkley, 26% for Rouselle and 23% for Burghart Turner.
Getting local
This list doesn’t even touch any of the towns and villages who will be electing local leaders, nor the various and sundry school boards, constables and justices of the peace who will be on the November ballot.
Qualifying for the Nov. 3 election is scheduled for Aug. 5-7. Runoffs are set for Dec. 12.
For more Louisiana political news, visit www. LaPolitics.com or follow Alford on X @ LaPoliticsNow.