Incumbent Sen. Karen Carter Peterson (at left) has drawn three challengers for the Uptown-based District 5 seat: “Fox Rich” Richardson (left), Allen Borne Jr. and Ronald Brown Jr. (not pictured). (via candidate Facebook pages)
In the final hours of qualifying on Thursday, the already-crowded field of contenders for about a dozen seats representing New Orleans in the state legislature swelled again to nearly 40 candidates — including the entry of three challengers to Sen. Karen Carter Peterson and a fifth candidate for House District 91.
District 91 candidates Pepper Bowen Roussel, Carling Dinkler, Mandie Landry and Robert McKnight. Not pictured: John Perry III. (via candidate websites)
The biggest change to the ballot for many Uptown voters is in Senate District 5, which represents almost all of Uptown except for the Audubon area. Incumbent Sen. Karen Carter Peterson, who was unopposed for most of the qualifying period, drew three challengers on Thursday afternoon, all fellow Democrats: Allen Borne Jr. and “Fox Rich” Richardson of New Orleans, and Ronald Brown Jr. of Metairie.
Borne is an attorney with an office on South Claiborne Avenue, according to his firm’s website. Richardson is an activist in criminal-justice reform who was formerly incarcerated alongside her husband after a botched bank robbery and now works with the Voice of the Experienced, according to her personal website. No campaign or professional website could be located for Brown as of Friday morning.
One of the two open Uptown seats in the House of Representatives, District 91, drew a fifth contender, “Pepper” Bowen Roussel. Roussel is an attorney specializing in food and environmental issues, and director of The Culinaria Center for Food Law, Policy and Culture.
Senate District 9, which is based in Metairie but also represents the Audubon and university areas of Uptown not covered by District 5, drew a second contender, Jon Frankie Hyers, a Republican from Metairie. Hyers will face off against Republican state Rep. Cameron Henry, who is term-limited in his House district.
House District 94, which covers much of Lakeview and part of Mid-City, drew another challenger, Saudia Marcha Broyard, an independent from Mid-City. She joins what was already a competitive three-way race among incumbent Rep. Stephanie Hilferty, who was already facing challenges from fellow Republican Kirk Williamson and Democrat Tammy Savoie.
The open Senate District 3, held by term-limited Sen. J.P. Morrell, drew two new challengers, Kathleen Doody, a Republican from Arabi, and Brandon Gregoire, a Democrat.
Finally, the open House District 99 drew one new contender, Harold John.
A complete list of candidates in the contested New Orleans delegation seats follows:
Contested elections include:
- House District 91, which runs from the Irish Channel through Milan and Broadmoor into Hollygrove and is being vacated by term-limited Rep. Walt Leger: food attorney “Pepper” Bowen Roussel (D), Carling Dinkler (vice president of an investment firm) (D), attorney Mandie Landry (D), attorney Robert McKnight of the Orleans Parish public defenders office (D) and John Perry III (D).
- House District 98, which expands from the Riverbend through Audubon, the university area, Carrollton and Freret and is being vacated by term-limited by Rep. Neil Abramson: attorney Evan Bergeron (D), Max Hayden Chiz (D), business consultant Aimee Adatto Freeman (D), environmentalist Marion “Penny” Freistadt (D), attorney Ravi Sangisetty (D), attorney Kea Sherman (D) and charter-education activist Carlos Zervigon (D).
- Senate District 5, representing most of Uptown: incumbent Karen Carter Peterson (D), Allen Borne Jr. (D), Ronald Brown Jr. of Metairie (D), and “Fox Rich” Richardson (D).
- Senate District 9, based in Metairie but including parts of Audubon and the university area: state Rep. Cameron Henry (R), Jon Frankie Hyers (R).
- Senate District 3, being vacated by Sen. J.P. Morrell: current District 100 state Rep. John Bagneris (D), current District 97 state Rep. Joe Bouie (D), Kay Doody (R), and Brandon Gregoire (D).
- House District 94, which covers Lakeview and part of Mid-City: incumbent Rep. Stephanie Hilferty (R), Saudia Marcha Broyard (Independent), Tammy Savoie (D), Kirk Williamson (R).
- House District 97, being vacated by Bouie, which covers Mid-City and Gentilly: Ethan Ashley (D), Belden “Noonie Man” Batiste (Independent), Eugene Green (D), Durrell Laurent (D), and Matthew Willard (D).
- House District 100, being vacated by Bagneris: Jason Hughes (D) and Anthony Jackson Jr (D).
- House District 99, held by Wesley Bishop, who is not seeking re-election: Adonis C. Expose’ (D), Harold John (D), Candace Newell (D), Jameel Shaheer (D).
Uncontested seats include:
- House District 93, which includes the Garden District and Central City: incumbent Royce Duplessis (D).
- Senate District 4, currently held by Sen. Wesley Bishop: current District 99 state Rep. Jimmy Harris (D).
- Senate District 1: incumbent Sen. Sharon Hewitt (D).
- Senate District 7: incumbent Sen. Troy Carter (D).
Note: Campaign photos of Allen Borne Jr., Ronald Brown Jr., John Perry III, Max Hayden Chiz and Marion “Penny” Freistadt have yet to be made publicly available.
