Dem
51
GOP
49
Three-term congressman Rep. Garret Graves (R-LA) has announced that he will not run for reelection in November due to the court-ordered redistricting of Louisiana. His current district, which runs from Baton Rouge to New Orleans, is R+19. All he would have had to do to win there is pay the filing fee and ward off any Republican challengers. The district shows off the gerrymanderer's artwork at its finest:
However, the new map turned LA-06 into a majority-Black district and one that is heavily Democratic. Graves would have had no chance there, so he preemptively threw in the towel.
The redistricting and withdrawal of the incumbent means that the Democrats are sure to pick up the seat. State Sen. Cleo Fields (D) of Baton Rouge is already in. So is Quentin Anderson, the executive chairman of the Justice Alliance. So is Republican Scott Sonnier, but he has no chance at all because the district is so blue now. (V)