Louisiana

Kamala Harris wins donations from Democratic voters across Louisiana

Published

2 years ago

July 26, 2024

Kamala Harris wins donations from Democratic voters across Louisiana

Kamala Harris’ nascent run for president has inspired voters across the state to donate to her — some of whom had never before given to a political campaign.

Harris, the vice president, is the likely Democratic presidential nominee after President Joe Biden quit the race on Sunday and endorsed her. Over the next 24 hours, her campaign reported a whopping $81 million in donations.

It’s unclear how many of those came from Louisianans. Such data is not yet available from the Federal Election Commission, and Harris’ campaign did not return an inquiry.

But over two dozen Louisianans said this week that they were among those who gave to her campaign. Some were relieved that Biden had dropped out after his disastrous debate performance June 27. Others were excited by Harris’ track record and thrilled by the possibility of the country’s first female president.

Helena Moreno, the president of the New Orleans City Council and a Democratic delegate, said Harris’ candidacy has energized Democrats.

“People throughout New Orleans…are constantly reaching out to me, to my office, (to ask) how they can get involved, what they can do to volunteer,” she said. “There is a very invigorated constituency.”

Louisiana’s Democratic National Committee delegates quickly lined up behind Harris after Biden endorsed her. The Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana, which according to Open Secrets has given nearly $400,000 to Democratic groups and candidates during the current election cycle, also appears poised to back Harris.

“(Biden’s) administration has been a tremendous partner for us, and I am confident that a Harris Administration would continue that partnership,” Marshall Pierite, chairman of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe, said in a statement. “Vice President Kamala Harris is just beginning her campaign, and as a delegate to the convention, I look forward to listening to ensure Indian Country’s needs are being met.”

Hoping for an alternative to Biden

Louisiana is deep red and will almost certainly give its electoral votes to Donald Trump, but that hasn’t dampened the excitement among voters eager to avoid a second Trump presidency.

Roland Darby, a 60-year-old teacher from the New Orleans area, said he was watching the news with his mother when they found out Biden had left the race.

“Within the hour of that announcement I actually got a text message asking for me to provide a donation (for Harris),” he said. “I had been getting that throughout this campaign season (and) I ignored it, but when I heard the announcement, I immediately donated without hesitation because I wanted to be a part of that.”

Darby is “terrified” by the prospect of another Trump presidency but was afraid of Biden’s chances, given his age and debate performance. With Harris, he feels hopeful again.

Darby also is excited that a biracial woman is within a grasp of the presidency.

“Being a Black man, any time you have a person of that prominence representing you and your culture, your race, there’s something about that that makes you invested,” he said.

‘I just hope more people donate to her’

Meanwhile, in Meraux, the news prompted another teacher, Bridget Derbyshire, to give to a campaign for the first time in her life.

“I like that she’s young, she’s energetic, she doesn’t mudsling, she I feel is someone who is going to get things done,” Derbyshire, 54, said of Harris, adding that the possibility of having the first woman president also motivated her.

Derbyshire said she does not vote based on political party but bases her decisions off the candidates. She was a registered Republican until 2018, when she switched her voter registration to Independent, she said.

Another first-time donor was Kevin Barnes, a 38-year-old from New Orleans who said he owns his own security company. For Barnes, it’s not Harris’ background but her qualifications that matter, he said. The vice president previously served as a U.S. senator and as California’s attorney general.

He gave $1,000, he said.

“It’s going to be an uphill battle for her. In order to really make her relevant she’s going to need money to run,” Barnes said. “I just hope more people donate to her.”

Other donors included Jason Petitjean, a 36-year-old physician from Covington, and Emily Rasch, a 27-year-old from Pearl River.

Bellah Bultron, a 20-year-old LSU student, said she gave $5 – what she could afford on her college budget.

Harris’ candidacy has excited her college friends, even some who are moderate or right-leaning.

Everyone is excited “to at the very least have another option,” Bultron said.

Where do bigger donors stand?

It’s unclear whether Harris can rely on support from some of the state’s biggest Democratic donors. Morris Bart, a trial attorney, declined comment through a spokesperson. His company, Morris Bart LLC, has given nearly $300,000 to Democratic groups and candidates during the 2024 election cycle, according to Open Secrets.

The Gordon McKernan Law Firm and MMR Group, an electrical contractor, did not provide comment.

McKernan’s group gave $150,000 to Napoleon PAC this election cycle, a political action committee that supports Democratic candidates, Open Secrets shows. The group also directly gave smaller donations to several Republican candidates, and one Democratic contender.

MMR Group has given tens of thousands of dollars both to Republican and Democratic groups and candidates.

Meanwhile, the state’s Black sororities and fraternities are working to mobilize voters — particularly voters of color — through outreach efforts.

Those organizations typically do not endorse political candidates because of their nonprofit status. But their outreach efforts could prove a boon to Harris, who was a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.

Brian Turner, the vice president of the Sigma Lambda chapter of the Black fraternity Alpha Phi Alpha, said it’s a critical time to vote, especially on issues that could impact communities of color, Turner said.

“We want to make sure that people understand the issues, understand candidate positions,” he said, while noting that the fraternity does not endorse specific candidates.

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Louisiana

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

Published

9 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

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.

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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Louisiana

Louisiana Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 results for March 2, 2026

Published

22 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

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

Here’s a look at March 2, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from March 2 drawing

02-17-18-38-62, Powerball: 20, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from March 2 drawing

3-9-9

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from March 2 drawing

4-1-1-0

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 5 numbers from March 2 drawing

0-5-2-9-5

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:

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).
Photocopy the front and back of the ticket (except for Powerball and Mega Millions tickets, as photocopies are not accepted for these games).
Complete the Louisiana Lottery Prize Claim Form, including your telephone number and mailing address for prize check processing.
Photocopy your valid driver’s license or current picture identification.

Mail all of the above in a single envelope to:

Louisiana Lottery Headquarters

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.

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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Louisiana

National Guard deployment in New Orleans extended for six months

Published

1 day ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

National Guard deployment in New Orleans extended for six months

NEW ORLEANS — The Louisiana National Guard announced Monday that 120 troops will remain deployed in New Orleans through August.

The six-month extension comes after 350 Guard members deployed to New Orleans in late December, in the run-up to New Year’s and other high-profile events like the Sugar Bowl. The troops, which had mainly clustered in the city’s historic French Quarter, had been scheduled to depart in the aftermath of Mardi Gras.

New Orleans is one of several Democrat-run cities, such as Washington and Memphis, Tennessee, where the federal government deployed armed troops under the administration of President Donald Trump. Hundreds of federal agents also converged on Louisiana in December as part of a separate immigration crackdown in and around New Orleans.

During his State of the Union address last week, Trump touted the deployment in New Orleans as a “big success.” In January, Trump credited the troops with reducing the city’s violent crime within a week of their deployment. City police data shows violent crime rates have significantly declined over the past three years in parallel with national trends.

According to a press statement from the Louisiana National Guard, the remaining guard members will serve as a “visible presence to deter criminal activity in New Orleans.”

New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno, a Democrat who initially opposed the deployment, said that the troops would benefit the city in the coming weeks. She pointed out that National Guard troops had assisted the city during last year’s Mardi Gras in the aftermath of a vehicle-ramming attack in the French Quarter that killed 14 people on New Year’s Day.

“I continue to support the partnership with the LA National Guard to assist in our major events and there are several coming up in the next few weeks,” Moreno said in a statement.

While Moreno did not address which events she referred to, visitors flock to New Orleans in the spring for events like the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, a Republican and staunch Trump ally, requested the deployment of the National Guard last September, citing rising violent crime rates in New Orleans despite the data showing crime was down.

“This continued deployment will help us combat violence in New Orleans and other parts of Louisiana,” Landry wrote on the social platform X on Monday, noting Louisiana had also sent National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., last year.

Kate Kelly, a spokesperson for Landry, said the federal government would cover the cost of the extended deployment. She did not respond to a question about whether Guard members would be deployed outside New Orleans.

Maj. Gen. Thomas Friloux, adjutant general of the Louisiana National Guard, said in a statement the troops had already worked closely with other city, state and federal agencies to improve public safety during a stretch of high-profile events in the city, including the flood of visitors over Mardi Gras and the city’s carnival season.

“We remain committed to those partnerships as we continue supporting efforts to keep the City of New Orleans safe for residents and visitors,” Friloux said.

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