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Louisiana House committee alters, advances congressional map with 2nd Black district  – Louisiana Illuminator

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Louisiana House committee alters, advances congressional map with 2nd Black district  – Louisiana Illuminator


A Louisiana legislative committee advanced a congressional redistricting plan Thursday with two majority-Black districts after making substantial changes to the original version of the proposal. 

The House and Governmental Affairs Committee approved the Senate Bill 8 by Sen. Glen Womack, R-Harrisonburg, on a 14-1 vote after adopting the amendments without objection. The alterations include splitting East Baton Rouge parish into three congressional districts, which led to the lone vote against the bill from Rep. Denise Marcelle, D-Baton Rouge. 

Rep. Les Farnum, R-Sulphur, brought forward the amendments, saying his primary goal was to keep Calcasieu Parish in a single congressional district. In order to do so, he had to take voters from East Baton Rouge Parish and move them into the 3rd Congressional District, currently held by St. Landry Parish-based U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins. 

A congressional redistricting proposal put forward by Rep. Les Farnum, R-Sulphur, and Sen. Glen Womack, R-Harrisonburg

If the amended plan is enacted, Higgins would represent voters in the heart of the Capital City, including parts of the Garden District and neighborhoods around the LSU lakes. 

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The shape of the new majority-Black 6th Congressional District is largely maintained, slashing diagonally across the center of the state from Caddo Parish to a section of East Baton Rouge Parish. Farnum’s revisions make the new 6th District less compact but slightly increases its Black population along with the count in the 2nd District, which is already majority Black. 

Farnum’s plan received substantial pushback from Marcelle, who objected to Farnum keeping his home parish in a single district while carving up East Baton Rouge Parish and the 3rd, 6th and 5th districts, the latter represented by U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow, R-Monroe. 

“I’m not voting for any map that has Baton Rouge split three ways because that’s insane. It’s insane,” Marcelle said. 

Marcelle briefly left the committee room and was not present to object to the adoption of the amendments, although she later said she had intended to object.  

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The committee later rejected amendments Marcelle put forward that plaintiffs in the lawsuit Robinson v. Landry prefer. They have sued to block the implementation of a congressional district map the legislature approved in 2022 that has only one majority-Black district. U.S. District Judge Shelly Dick, an appointee of former President Barack Obama who is presiding over the case, has given lawmakers until Jan. 31 to redraw the lines to comply with the Voting Rights Act.

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In December, judges with the 5th Circuit denied an appeal from Republican state officials, the defendants in the lawsuit before Dick, to end the case. The U.S. Supreme Court had previously declined to intervene in the matter. 

If the legislature approves a congressional map before its special session ends Tuesday, the Robinson plaintiffs have the option of accepting it and letting it become law. If they reject the new boundaries, the map would replace the one being litigated. If the legislature does not approve a map, a trial on the merits of the 2022 version will occur, which would likely result in Dick redrawing the boundaries. 

Public Service Commissioner Davante Lewis, D-Baton Rouge, is among the Black voters who are plaintiffs in the case. He said the Farnum amendment was unnecessary but feels his fellow plaintiffs would support the plan if the two majority-Black districts meet Voting Rights Act standards. 

Some Republicans have encouraged lawmakers to reject a map with two majority-Black districts, including U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson and former state Sen. Sharon Hewitt, who chaired the Senate committee in 2022 that advanced the single Black district congressional plan. Both have suggested the federal court trial for the map from two years ago should move forward, potentially leading to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling.  

Reluctant Republicans in the legislature are moving forward with Womack’s map because it has support from Republican Gov. Jeff Landry, who has urged lawmakers to approve a map with two majority-Black districts. 

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A spokesperson for Landry has not yet responded when asked whether Landry will support the map with Farnum’s amendments. Womack did not oppose the changes. 

The Farnum amendments are the result of private negotiations that Womack said included Democratic Sens. Gary Carter of New Orleans and Cleo Fields of Baton Rouge, although Womack said Fields opposed splitting East Baton Rouge into three districts. Fields is widely believed to be considering a run for the new majority-Black seat in Congress. 

The amendments were given to committee members late Thursday afternoon, more than five hours after the panel was scheduled to begin debate on Womack’s bill. 

The lack of public notice on significant amendments — and the significant delay in debate posed by their drafting — presented an additional transparency problem on top of those already present in the rushed eight-day special session.

Steven Procopio, president of the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana, said a litany of factors lead to minimal public input and a lack of transparency. 

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Not only were there no prefiled bills for the session, which would give the public an opportunity to consider the legislation before it is taken up, Procopio noted Landry gave no indication during his campaign for governor that he would ask the legislature to consider other election policy issues during the nine-day session. Most notably, he failed to mention his push to switch Louisiana to closed partisan primary elections

“You have bills that are released in less than 24 hours before committee,” Procopio said. “You’re trying to get it done quickly. Citizens can’t make it (to the Capitol) because there’s an ice storm.” 

“There’s a whole lot of transparency concerns,” he added.



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State Treasurer John Fleming accuses Jeff Landry of interfering in Louisiana Senate race

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State Treasurer John Fleming accuses Jeff Landry of interfering in Louisiana Senate race


BATON ROUGE (KNOE) – Louisiana State Treasurer John Fleming is accusing Governor Jeff Landry of interfering with the state Senate race, which Fleming is a part of.

Fleming took to social media to accuse Landry of working “behind the scenes” to get Congresswoman Julia Letlow elected to the Senate.

According to Fleming, Dr. Ralph Abraham offered him the position of Deputy Director of the CDC shortly before announcing he was stepping down. Fleming said he politely declined.

A week later, news broke that Abraham is now leading Letlow’s Senate campaign.

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“We know that Jeff has been heavily lobbying the Trump campaign team for the endorsement, he is pressuring the Republican Party of Louisiana and the Republican Executive Committees to support and endorse Letlow as well,” Fleming wrote on Facebook. “And, he is personally calling his donors to raise big money to save the Letlow campaign.

Landry formally endorsed Letlow for the U.S. Senate on March 4. Letlow also has the endorsement of President Donald Trump.

“We need a warrior who stands with the President to Make America Great. And there’s no greater warrior than a Louisiana mom,” Landry wrote on Facebook.

Fleming continued his commentary, asking when Landry will stop interfering with the state’s Senate race.

“Who is best to decide who represents you in Washington? Jeff Landry, or YOU?” Fleming asked.

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Also in the heated race is incumbent Bill Cassidy, M.D.

Party primary elections in Louisiana are set for May 16, 2026.



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Louisiana Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 results for March 3, 2026

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The Louisiana Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at March 3, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from March 3 drawing

07-21-53-54-62, Mega Ball: 16

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Pick 3 numbers from March 3 drawing

6-8-3

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from March 3 drawing

3-6-7-4

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 5 numbers from March 3 drawing

0-8-3-2-0

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Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

All Louisiana Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes over $600, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at Louisiana Lottery offices. Prizes of over $5,000 must be claimed at Lottery office.

By mail, follow these instructions:

  1. Sign and complete the information on the back of your winning ticket, ensuring all barcodes are clearly visible (remove all scratch-off material from scratch-off tickets).
  2. Photocopy the front and back of the ticket (except for Powerball and Mega Millions tickets, as photocopies are not accepted for these games).
  3. Complete the Louisiana Lottery Prize Claim Form, including your telephone number and mailing address for prize check processing.
  4. Photocopy your valid driver’s license or current picture identification.

Mail all of the above in a single envelope to:

Louisiana Lottery Headquarters

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555 Laurel Street

Baton Rouge, LA 70801

To submit in person, visit Louisiana Lottery headquarters:

555 Laurel Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70801, (225) 297-2000.

Hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes of any amount.

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Check previous winning numbers and payouts at Louisiana Lottery.

When are the Louisiana Lottery drawings held?

  • Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT Tuesday and Friday.
  • Pick 3, Pick 4 and Pick 5: Daily at 9:59 p.m. CT.
  • Easy 5: 9:59 p.m. CT Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Lotto: 9:59 p.m. CT Wednesday and Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Louisiana editor. You can send feedback using this form.



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Brother of Louisiana mayor accused of raping 16-year-old has a hauntingly similar criminal past

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Brother of Louisiana mayor accused of raping 16-year-old has a hauntingly similar criminal past


The brother of Louisiana mayor Misty Roberts — accused of raping her son’s teenage friend — is facing child sex crimes of his own.

Brandon Lee Roberts, 39, was accused of raping a teen girl and assaulting a young woman over the course of several years, KALB reported.

Brandon Lee Roberts, 39, is accused of raping a teen girl and assaulting a young woman over the course of several years. Beauregard Parish Sheriff’s Office

The alleged sexual abuse began when one of the victims was as young as 13, according to Beauregard Parish Sheriff Mark Herford.

He was arrested in October.

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Booking photo of Misty Clanton Roberts.
Brandon’s sister, Misty, the ex-mayor of DeRidder, Louisiana, allegedly raped her son’s teenage friend. AP

That comes years after his big sister – ex-mayor of DeRidder, 43-year-old Misty Roberts – allegedly got hot and heavy with her son’s 16-year-old friend at a drunken party at their home.

Roberts was allegedly caught in the tryst by her own kids.

She was arrested months later, and is currently on trial for rape charges.



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