Who’s running so far in Louisiana’s party primary elections

Candidates have one day left to sign up for the 2026 elections in Louisiana, including the U.S. Senate, U.S. House, Public Service Commission, Louisiana Supreme Court and Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Louisiana has completely overhauled how voters will choose candidates. Instead of everyone facing off against each other in a “jungle primary,” separate primaries for Democrat and Republican candidates take place May 16, with runoffs on June 27 if needed. Candidates who advance from these primary elections move on to the general election Nov. 3.

Voters are limited to participating in the primary aligned with their party registration, though voters who are not party members can cast ballots in the primary election of their choice.

Here’s where the races stand as of end of day Thursday: 

U.S. Senate

Incumbent U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy and U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow are expected to qualify for the election Friday. 

State Treasurer John Fleming entered the Republican field Wednesday with a bang, accusing Gov. Jeff Landry of meddling in the election. Landry fired back at Fleming Thursday, implying that Fleming “may not be fit for office.”

Another Republican, Mark Spencer of Belle Chasse, signed up to run in the Senate race Thursday but declined to talk to the media. 

Democrat Jamie Davis of Ferriday signed up Wednesday.

If no other Democrat signs up to run, Davis, a farmer and member of the Democratic State Central Committee, will automatically make it into the November general election. 

1st Congressional District

Incumbent Steve Scalise of Jefferson, the Republican majority leader in the U.S. House, qualified Thursday to seek re-election to the seat he’s held since 2008. He faces a party primary challenge from Randall Arrington, a retired Navy veteran from Ponchatoula who ran against Scalise in 2024. 

Lauren Jewett is the only Democrat in the 1st District field so far. A special education teacher who lives in Jefferson Parish and works in New Orleans, she would advance to the November election if no one else from her party signs up Friday.

2nd Congressional District

U.S. Rep. Troy Carter of New Orleans, the Democratic incumbent who’s held the seat since 2021, has yet to draw opposition. 

3rd Congressional District

U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins, R-Lafayette, who has represented the district since 2017, has drawn two Democratic challengers so far: John Day, a former insurance industry employee from Lake Charles; and Tia LeBrun, a teacher from Sulphur.

Higgins will advance to the November election if no other Republicans qualify Friday.

4th Congressional District

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson of Benton has drawn two Republican challengers, retail worker Josh Morott and natural resources professional Mike Nichols, both of Vernon Parish.

The two Democrats who have qualified are Union Parish produce farmer Conrad Cable and educator Matt Gromlich of Caddo Parish.  

5th Congressional District

With Letlow running for the Senate, Louisiana’s 5th Congressional District seat is open. 

Seven Republicans have signed up for the primary election so far. Three are state legislators — Sen. Rick Edmonds of Baton Rouge, Sen. Blake Miguez of New Iberia and Rep. Mike Echols of Monroe.

Echols, a real estate developer, entered the race Thursday and said he is willing to put $1 million of his own money into his campaign. It would give him a huge advantage over his competitors who have to raise all their campaign cash in a crowded field.

For context, U.S. Rep. Cleo Fields, D-Baton Rouge, spent about $1.2 million when he won his race for the 6th Congressional District in 2024.

Edmonds could have a geographic advantage over other candidates, however. He is the only Republican running who lives in Baton Rouge, the largest population center in the congressional district.

Miguez lives well outside the 5th District. As a legislator, he has represented parts of Acadiana that overlap with 3rd District Congressman Clay Higgins’ seat for the past decade.

But Miguez has his own major advantage, an endorsement from President Donald Trump that could help him with fundraising and voters.

While he may be the president’s pick for the race, Miguez and Landry don’t get along, and it’s very unlikely the governor will back Miguez as a candidate. 

Echols, an ally of the governor, said Thursday he expects Landry will “stay on the sidelines” during the initial primary election in May but to possibly endorse someone in the June runoff. 

Misti Cordell of West Monroe, Landry’s appointed chair to the Louisiana Board of Regents, is also a candidate in the 5th District race.

Other Republicans running include Austin Magee, an industrial construction firm owner of Franklinton, travelling medical professional Michael Mebruer of St. Francisville and Sammy Wyatt, the chief compliance officer at LSU Health Shreveport who lives in Denham Springs.

Dairy farmer Jessee Fleenor of Loranger, theologian Larry Foy of Winnsboro and attorney Dan McKay of Bunkie are on the Democratic primary ballot. 

6th Congressional District

Democrat incumbent U.S. Rep. Cleo Fields of Baton Rouge has yet to draw a challenger from his own party.

Republicans who have qualified are Monique Appeaning of St. George, a staff member with East Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sid Edwards,  Livingston Parish Republican Executive Committee member Larry Davis of Denham Springs and Peter Williams, a farmer from Pointe Coupee Parish.

Louisiana Supreme Court

District Judge William “Billy” Burris of Franklinton and Appellate Judge Blair Downing Edwards of Hammond signed up Wednesday to run in the Republican primary for the District 1 seat on the Louisiana Supreme Court.

If no other Republicans or Democrats sign up for this race Friday, the candidate who wins the GOP primary on May 16 will claim the seat Associate Justice Will Crain left behind when President Trump appointed him to a federal judgeship.

No challengers have qualified yet for the other two court seats on the ballot, putting the two Republican incumbents on the cusp of new terms. 

Associate Justice Cade Cole of Lake Charles was elected unopposed to the 3rd District seat last year to complete the remainder of James Genovese’s term after he became president at Northwestern State University. 

Associate Justice Jay McCallum of Farmerville has held the 4th District since 2020. 

Public Service Commission

Three Republicans have signed up to fill the District 1 seat on the Louisiana Public Service Commission left vacant by Republican Eric Skrmetta, who is bumping up against his term limit on the utility regulatory body. 

Skrmetta announced last year he would run for U.S. Senate but had yet to qualify heading into Friday.

Two state legislators, Reps. Mark Wright of Covington and Stephanie Hilferty of New Orleans, and Metairie attorney “Big John” Mason have qualified for the GOP primary.

Democrat Connie Norris, a retired educator from Slidell, has filed to run in the Democratic primary.

If no other Democrat signs up to run in this race, Norris will automatically be on the November ballot against the Republican who emerges from the primary.

In District 5, two Republicans and one Democrat are looking to replace Commissioner Foster Campbell, a term-limited Democrat.

Caddo Parish Commissioner John Atkins of Shreveport and Aiden Joyner of West Monroe have qualified for the Republican primary.

Shreveport City Councilman James Green, pastor of Union Mission Baptist Church, has signed up for the Democratic primary. He would face the winner of the Republican primary in the November election if no other Democrats enter the race.

BESE, District 1

Former Congressman Joseph Cao of Harvey and Ellie Schroder of Abita Springs have signed up to run in the Republican primary for the open seat on the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. Former BESE member Paul Hollis stepped down late last year after President Trump appointed him to run the U.S. Mint.

Landry appointed Cao to the District 1 seat after Hollis’ resigned. Schroder is a teacher whose husband, former Louisiana Treasurer John Schroder, ran against Landry for governor in 2024.

No Democrat has signed up for the race yet. If no other Republican enters the field Friday, the election will be decided in the May 16 Republican primary.