Three black state lawmakers say they are
weighing whether to run for three U.S. House seats this fall as
independents, a move that could splinter Democratic support in the
races.
Senator Don Cravins Junior, Senator Lydia Jackson and
Representative Michael Jackson say the state and national
Democratic parties have failed to recruit and support black
candidates to run for federal and statewide offices. They said
there’s disparity between how the party treats black and white
candidates.
Louisiana has only one black member of Congress: U.S.
Representative William Jefferson, a Democrat who represents a
majority black district.
All seven of Louisiana’s U.S. House seats come up for election
in November.
Cravins said he is considering a run as an independent for the
7th U.S. Congressional District that is held by U.S. Representative
Charles Boustany Junior, a Lafayette Republican.
Though he said the Democratic Party supports him as a state
senator in a majority black district, Cravins said he worries that
financial and organizational help would evaporate once he ventures
into a congressional district that is majority white.