Troy Carter

U.S. Rep. Troy Carter is running for a third full term representing Louisiana’s second Congressional district, facing a challenge from New Orleans business and nonprofit founder Renada Collins in the May 16 closed party primary election.

The heavily Democratic district is rooted in New Orleans but stretches through majority-Black communities along the Mississippi River all the way north to Iberville Parish, covering parts of Iberville, Assumption, Ascension, St. James, St. John, Jefferson and St. Charles parishes.

Early voting for the May 16 closed party primary begins Saturday and runs through May 9. No Republicans are running, which means the winner of the Democratic primary will take office.

Carter, D-New Orleans, was first elected to his seat in a hotly contested 2021 special election after then-Rep. Cedric Richmond resigned to join President Joe Biden’s administration. Since then, Carter has easily won re-election, receiving 77% of the vote in 2022 against a lone Republican and 60% of the vote against four challengers in 2024.

Carter serves on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and sits on the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee. He is a frequent critic of Donald Trump, blasting cuts to Medicaid in the president’s big tax and budget bill and excoriating aggressive immigration enforcement tactics.

He touts his efforts to bring violence-prevention programs to the district, spur development at the Port of New Orleans and land hurricane resiliency funding, among other work.

Collins is the executive director of Impacting Potentials Inc., a firm that assists with business development, policy writing and growth strategy. She is also an entrepreneur, founding BEA Beauty Cosmetics, Sommer’s Youth Explorers, and BIGG Mouth Media Group.

On the issues, Collins said she is focused on using her business background to help develop small businesses and the economy and on housing stability, creating community land trusts and sustainable development. She also supports turning the old New Orleans airport terminal into a regional bus hub to connect nearby parishes.

Collins ran last year for mayor of New Orleans. She received 190 votes as Helena Moreno was elected with 57,797 votes.

This election is the first since Louisiana moved to closed party primaries, meaning only members of a political party can vote in that party’s primary election. “No party” voters can choose to receive a ballot for either party, but can only vote in elections for the party they select.