Democratic Congressman Cleo Fields Announces Intention to Run for La. State Senate, Not Reelection

U.S. Rep. Cleo Fields, D-Dist.6, has announced his intention to run for his former state senate seat, to finish out the term of the late Sen. Larry Selders, D-Baton Rouge. It was Selders who was elected to fill the seat after Fields ran successfully for the 6^th Congressional District two years ago.
First at a Tuesday, July 21 news conference at the Press Club of Baton Rouge, and then again on Friday, July 24, when he went into more details, Fields laid out his future plans, which did not include a reelection bid to Congress; nor did Fields’ plans include consideration as the next president of Southern University, which he rejected.
The decision follows the redrawing of the 6^th District. The new map has transformed it from Louisiana’s second majority-Black district favoring Democrats, to one favoring Republicans.
This is familiar territory for Fields. Back in the ‘90s, he also chose not to run for reelection to Congress when he represented Louisiana’s 4^th Congressional District, after the courts redrew the boundaries for that district.
But, as Louisiana Public Radio reports, Fields says he does not view his return home as a step down largely because he actually has more influence as a state senator. “I come back to the state because this is where I feel like I've been most effective. It's hard to get things done in Washington, and particularly when you're not in a majority.”
Even though Fields won’t be in D.C. soon, he expects Democrats will take back the U.S. House and possibly the Senate, as well. He will finish his congressional term January 3, 2027. And LSU Political Science Professor Robert Hogan observed that Fields made the right decision. “This is not surprising given the fact that the redistricting process reconfigured his district in a way that probably would not be favorable for a Democrat to win reelection.”
Hogan explained how Fields’ choice allows him to stay politically relevant. “Given Fields' penchant for political life, it is not surprising he took an opportunity that would be very favorable for him to win.”
As Hogan concluded, “It seems like that's almost a natural thing for him to do, to take up the issues that he had been fighting for.”