Axios New Orleans

June 02, 2026
🍗 Hi there! It's Tuesday.
- It's also National Rotisserie Chicken Day, which we observe regularly for weeknight meals. Thank you, Sam's and Costco.
- Have you tried the fancy option from Here Today?
Today's weather: Mostly cloudy with afternoon storms possible. High of 89.
🎂 Happy birthday to our Axios New Orleans member Kenneth Rubenstein!
🎧 Sounds like: "Hand Clapping Song" by The Meters.
Today's newsletter is 961 words — a 3.5-minute read.
1 big thing: 🗳️ New lines, new stakes
Louisiana congressional hopefuls are gearing up for another midterm election after state lawmakers redrew the state's map and reset the clock.
Why it matters: The new map dismantles one of the state's two majority-Black districts and will likely flip a Democratic-held seat to Republicans.
The big picture: The Republican-led state Legislature raced for the past month to pass a new map after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the Callais case that the state's previous one relied too much on race.
- The decision came during the state's midterm elections, which were in progress with more than 42,000 absentee ballots cast.
- Gov. Jeff Landry suspended the U.S. House elections April 30, saying the state needed a new map before proceeding. Several lawsuits are contesting his decision.
Zoom in: Candidates have to qualify again for the districts they hope to represent. The deadline is Aug. 7, Secretary of State Nancy Landry said in a statement.
- All eyes will be on the Baton Rouge-based district currently represented by Democrat Cleo Fields.
- Lawmakers redrew it with new borders to be majority white, which in Louisiana historically equates to a Republican district.
- The U.S. House primary is Nov. 3, the same day as the state's general election for other offices.
Yes, but: The party primaries won't be closed, as they were in the now-suspended election.
- It will be a jungle primary under a newly passed bill, writes Piper Hutchinson with the Louisiana Illuminator. The bill also voids the previous ballots and hides the total number from public disclosure.
- Meanwhile, voters head to the polls this month for runoffs in party primaries for U.S. Senate and other races.
Between the lines: Louisiana was part of a national effort, encouraged by President Trump, to redraw congressional maps to favor Republicans for the midterm elections.
- Democrats have been responding in Louisiana by packing state Capitol meetings, signing a gubernatorial recall petition and hosting town halls.
What's next: The new map is already being challenged legally, according to the AP, with more lawsuits expected.
2. ⚖️ State-city clash
Baton Rouge won another round in its power struggle with New Orleans yesterday when the Louisiana Supreme Court settled a dispute over the Orleans Parish Clerk of Court's office.
Why it matters: The ruling ends a legal and political fight that drew in the attorney general, mayor and City Council.
The big picture: Chelsey Richard Napoleon will serve the full term of the Orleans Parish Clerk of Court, the justices ruled in a 4-3 decision.
- It's a blow to Calvin Duncan, who was petitioning to keep his elected position as Orleans criminal district court clerk. The job was eliminated when lawmakers recently consolidated clerk roles.
- It's also a loss for Mayor Helena Moreno and City Council members, who were advocating for two separate positions.
- They clashed with Attorney General Liz Murrill last month when five members voted to name a temporary clerk and hold a special election.
Friction point: Murrill responded by saying she could use the "Usurper Act" to remove Moreno, city District Attorney Jason Williams, the five council members and the interim clerk.
- In her letters, Murrill said Gov. Jeff Landry would appoint their replacements.
- Moreno and the council members responded with videos. "I won't back down," Moreno said.
Zoom in: The ACLU of Louisiana, which represents Duncan, decried the ruling, saying Calvin is not the first Black Louisianan "this administration has moved to push out of power."
- The ACLU's statement listed what the group sees as a pattern to minimize Black voting power through the redrawn congressional map and other legal changes.
What they are saying: City Council President JP Morrell in a statement says he's "disappointed" with the outcome and supports the city attorney's efforts seeking a rehearing.
- Moreno in a separate statement says she will "respect the court's decision."
- Murrill says the Supreme Court "got this right."
Behind the scenes: Sen. Jay Morris, who proposed the newly approved congressional map, which reduced Black representation, also proposed the court overhaul, which critics say targets Democrats.
What's next: The ACLU says it is representing Duncan in federal court.
3. Fully Dressed: 🌧️ A wet month
🌧️ Last month was the 11th-wettest May on record in New Orleans, with 9.34 inches of rain falling, the National Weather Service says. The normal amount is 5.64 inches. (X)
- Goodness gracious — our neighbors in Pearl River and Hancock counties got 25 to 30 inches of rain.
- Our drought stats are already improving. The latest figures come out Thursday.
🏀 Larry Barabino Jr., the CEO of NORD, resigned for a new position at the city's Housing Authority. (The Times-Picayune 🔒)
🍴 Three New Orleans restaurants were recognized last week as among the best in North America: Dakar (No. 4), Emeril's (No. 20) and Acamaya (No. 30). (50 Best)
👠 Shoe-Nami closed in Metairie after 23 years. "The economy is what it is and we really can't support having two stores." (Instagram)
- The Gretna store is still open.
Editor's note: An item in yesterday's newsletter has been corrected to reflect that Jay Cicero is the president and CEO of the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation (not the CEO of New Orleans & Co).
🐙 Carlie is crying about an octopus in "Remarkably Bright Creatures."
🐣 Chelsea is on parental leave. The book version of "Remarkably Bright Creatures" was one her favorite reads last year.
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Thanks to our editor Jen Burkett.
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