(By Jacob Mathews/The Center Square) – Louisiana’s 3rd Congressional District has a clear favorite, incumbent U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La., facing an underfunded field for the Nov. 5 election.
There are four candidates competing to represent the district that runs across the bottom of the boot from Cameron Parish to Terrebonne Parish. Higgins is used to crowded fields as every primary election for the district has had at least four contenders since he was first elected to the seat in 2016.
In this race, three of the candidates have received no donations to their campaigns. Higgins has more than $716,000 in campaign finance receipts according to data from the Federal Election Commission and spent $362,000 as of June 29.
Higgins has also won every election in the primary since 2018, with a 64% majority vote in 2022. In 2024, he faces one Republican and two Democrats.
Xan John is the Republican challenger and his professional experience includes working as a sommelier and a project manager for oil and gas production, according to Ballotpedia.
John wants the U.S. to be energy independent and wants to take down “rogue intelligence agencies.”
He also says, “J6 (Jan. 6, 2020) was a peaceful protest and infiltrated by the feds!” on his Ballotpedia page.
Priscilla Gonzales is a marketing director from McAllen, Texas. She has usual Democratic values on most issues like criminal justice reform, economic diversification and educational outcomes but also advocates lower taxes and protecting veterans’ health care.
Her website also has a section dedicated to what she believes are false claims by Higgins.
Sadi Summerlin is the other Democrat in the race. Her career experience includes being the founder of Pro Choice With Heart and a teacher.
According to Summerlin’s website, she says it is the duty of a member of Congress to further progress towards a more equal and equitable society.
This is represented by her goals, which include support of reproductive rights, educational rights and workers’ rights.