An Even Dozen

The qualifying period for candidates in Louisiana closed Friday at 5:00pm central time and embattled Congressman William Jefferson will face 12 opponents in the Louisiana primary on November 7th (click here for complete list of candidates (www.blackpolicy.org/black-races.php?s=LA). If no candidate receives 50% or more in November the top two candidates will enter a run-off on December 9.

Congressman Jefferson, who is under an FBI investigation for bribery, had his office raided by investigators in May and has seen two former aides plead guilty to various charges, was the first African American from Louisiana to be elected to Congress since Reconstruction.