Democratic U.S. Rep. Cleo Fields announced Tuesday he will not seek reelection to Louisiana’s 6th Congressional District, ending his brief return to Congress after the state legislature redrew the district to eliminate its majority-Black population following a Supreme Court ruling.
Fields, 63, said he will instead run for Louisiana State Senate District 14, the seat left vacant by the unexpected death of Sen. Larry Selders on July 7 from a heart condition. A special election to fill the remainder of Selders’ term has been called for December 12, with a January 9 runoff if needed, according to the Louisiana Illuminator.
The announcement comes after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Louisiana’s congressional map in April in Louisiana v. Callais, invalidating what had been the state’s second majority-Black district. The ruling, decided 6-3, weakened a foundational provision of the Voting Rights Act that had protected minority voting rights for decades. Following that decision, the Louisiana state legislature passed a new congressional map in May that left Louisiana with just one majority-Black district, represented by U.S. Rep. Troy Carter of New Orleans.
Fields had previously indicated for weeks that he would not run again for Congress after the redistricting, according to reporting from the Louisiana Illuminator. In a statement, Fields said, “I feel my calling to serve the people is better put to use back home than here in D.C., and I intend to answer that.” He has scheduled a news conference for Friday in Baton Rouge to detail his plans.
Fields’ decision marks another chapter in a political career spanning more than three decades. He served three previous stints in the Louisiana State Senate, beginning in 1988 at age 24, continuing from 1997 to 2008, and most recently from 2020 to 2025 before winning his congressional seat. He previously served in Congress from 1993 to 1997 representing Louisiana’s 4th District and ran unsuccessfully for governor in 1995, advancing to a runoff against eventual winner Mike Foster. When the 4th District was redrawn to favor a Republican candidate, Fields opted not to run again—only to return to the U.S. Capitol 28 years later.
Selders, who succeeded Fields in the state Senate in 2025 after the congressman won the 6th Congressional District seat, had represented the Baton Rouge-area district. The special election filing deadline is October 14-16.
Sources
- Louisiana Illuminator — Fields’ announcement of his exit from the congressional race and plan to run for state Senate District 14; his political career history spanning three decades; Selders’ death on July 7 and the special election timeline
- Politico — Confirmation that Fields announced he will not seek reelection following the legislature’s redrawing of his district
- The Washington Post — Reporting on Fields’ decision not to seek reelection after the redistricting
- U.S. News & World Report — Coverage of Fields’ announcement and the context of the redrawn congressional district
