Democratic U.S. Representative Cleo Fields announced Tuesday that he will not seek reelection to his Louisiana congressional seat, which was recently redrawn by the state legislature. The decision comes after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in April that the district’s previous map relied too heavily on race and constituted an "unconstitutional gerrymander."
"After a great deal of prayer and reflection, I have decided not to seek reelection, to Congress, in the 6th District or any other district in Louisiana," Fields said. He plans to instead run for a seat in the state Senate.
The redrawing of Fields' district, intended to favor Republicans in the upcoming midterm elections, has become a focal point in the nationwide redistricting battles. These efforts have been largely influenced by President Donald Trump's strategy to bolster Republican representation in Congress.
In June, the Supreme Court upheld a map for Alabama that favored Republicans. Louisiana Republicans had initially considered a map that could have given the party control of all six of the state's U.S. House seats. However, such a map would have required incorporating more registered Democrats into Republican-held districts, potentially leading to unintended GOP losses.
The revised map for Louisiana now centers Fields' district around predominantly white communities in the Baton Rouge area and southern Louisiana. Fields previously served two terms in the U.S. House from 1993 to 1997, making him the second Black member of Congress from Louisiana. He has been a prominent figure in Louisiana politics for an extended period.