[StBernard] State Rep. Cedric Richmond seeking 2nd Congressional District post

[Westley Annis]

This may be our new congressman after reapportionment:



State Rep. Cedric Richmond
<http://house.legis.state.la.us/H_Reps/members.asp?ID=101>  of New Orleans
announced today that he will run again for the 2nd Congressional District
seat next year, after narrowly missing the Democratic runoff in 2008.

The 35-year-old Democrat wasted little time aligning himself with President
Barack Obama -- a popular figure in the overwhelmingly Democratic district
-- while also noting Republican incumbent Anh "Joseph" Cao's
<http://josephcao.house.gov/> votes in opposition to some of the White House
agenda. 

"The metropolitan area deserves a representative who will work with
President Obama to bring economic recovery to Louisiana, promote better and
more affordable health care and keep assault weapons off our streets,"
Richmond said, adding that Cao has sided with GOP leadership on critical
votes such as the economic stimulus. 

Richmond finished third in the Democratic primary last year. He garnered
17.5 percent of the vote, missing the runoff behind upstart Helena Moreno
and party titan William Jefferson, who held the seat for 18 years before
ethics troubles spelled the end of his career in the general election.

Despite failing to make the runoff, Richmond has been considered a strong
contender for the seat since Cao's unlikely upset of Jefferson. 

The nation's first congressman of Vietnamese descent, Cao now tops most
political prognosticators' list of vulnerable Republicans. Jefferson was
convicted on corruption charges earlier this summer and awaits sentencing in
the matter that defined the 2nd District's last two campaigns.

Richmond, who has also been viewed as a potential New Orleans mayoral
candidate at some point, announced his congressional bid days after City
Council President Arnie Fielkow delayed his decision on the 2010 mayor's
race. It also comes as state Rep. Karen Carter Peterson, D-New Orleans,
continues mull her options for both the congressional seat and the mayor's
chair.

A native of New Orleans east, Richmond represents the 101st House District
in the Louisiana Legislature, where he is chairman of the House Judiciary
Committee. He also serves on the Ways and Means Committee. Richmond
graduated from Benjamin Franklin High School, before earning a bachelor's
degree from Morehouse College in Atlanta and his law degree from Tulane
University.