Thread by @antigravitymag

Cedric went to Washington, and early voting has begun—on March 20th voters can weigh in on the primary for US Rep, 2nd Congressional District. Here is your voter education guide: antigravitymagazine.com/feature/voter-…

The field has 15 candidates, and the Louisiana Democratic Party has endorsed all eight Democrats. Due to Louisiana’s jungle primary electoral system (wherein a single candidate must achieve a simple majority to win outright), we'll vote again in April. antigravitymagazine.com/feature/voter-…

As of 2018, District 2 was 61% Black and the median income was $38,131. Seven of the 10 most air-polluted census tracts in America are in District 2. To understand the legacy that this new candidate will be inheriting, refer to our November guide. antigravitymagazine.com/feature/antigr…

Since 2014 we have published and lovingly crafted voter guides as a service to our readers, first in collaboration with Trystereo, now just under the ANTIGRAVITY banner. Our most consistent position? That no aspiring politician has earned our endorsement. antigravitymagazine.com/feature/voter-…

We review candidates with the mentality that we ought to elect the people who we might most successfully push and pressure, to lessen suffering among those most likely to suffer. In other words, we vote for who we most want as our opponents. antigravitymagazine.com/feature/voter-…

We're releasing this guide at the onset of early voting per the demands of our readers. News relevant to this ballot will continue to break, so keep yourselves informed, we can't keep updating it. (we've got a lil side project, just did our 200th issue). antigravitymagazine.com

A team of six people, including editorial staff, created this. We pored over local media and social media. We watched forums. Our research included (but was not limited to) campaign finance reports, court filings, police reports, and real estate records. antigravitymagazine.com/feature/voter-…

This voter education guide was not produced by a political party or organization—in fact, many of us have little (or no) faith in electoralism. We are invested in creating this document as a way to dissect and map power. antigravitymagazine.com/feature/voter-…

Local politics impact us most, and vice-versa. We prioritize issues that involve New Orleans, Louisiana, and the Gulf region. We reject post-Katrina opportunism, pandemic-era exploitation, and austerity at all levels of government and the private sector. antigravitymagazine.com/feature/voter-…

Any analysis of power ought to center the needs and experiences of the most vulnerable among us—those most subject to bodily and institutional violence and neglect, not just by the State but also by mainstream politicians, including progressives. antigravitymagazine.com/feature/voter-…

We seek to promote justice, dignity, and autonomy for historically punished and exploited populations like Black people, Indigenous people and people of color, people with disabilities, poor people, and queer and trans people.

For immigrants with and without documentation, youth, elderly people, women, unhoused people, and people who use drugs. antigravitymagazine.com/feature/voter-…

We center people who earn income in informal or stigmatized industries like sex work, currently or formerly imprisoned people, and people most affected by climate crisis. antigravitymagazine.com/feature/voter-…

We write this guide as unapologetic utopians: we refuse to let the scarcity and horrors of our present dystopia limit our imaginations.

The single ballot item is a clown car from which 15 candidates emerge, vying for a spot in next month's inevitable run-off. antigravitymagazine.com/feature/voter-…

Chelsea Ardoin is the benefits project manager for human resources at Entergy, meaning it’s no surprise she’s looking for a new job. Who’s just barely less-hated in South Louisiana than Entergy? Why, state politicians of course. antigravitymagazine.com/feature/voter-…

Returning again is Belden “Noonie Man” Batiste, recently in the news after a messy run-in with Councilmember Jay Banks. Drama aside, policy-wise Noonie Man is solid. He’s been a longtime advocate for economic equality. antigravitymagazine.com/feature/voter-…

Claston Bernard is the official candidate of
@LAGOP. He is drawn to right wing conspiracies, including those that foment violence against Asian-Americans. He’s also anti-abortion—his website includes a video of a pregnancy ultrasound, looping forever. antigravitymagazine.com/feature/voter-…

Troy Carter has held positions in nearly every level of local and state government. We found areas of concern: a PAC and campaign getting pretty cozy, discrepancies between his fundraising claims and actual reports, and a tepid platform. antigravitymagazine.com/feature/voter-…

Joining Troy Carter as a frontrunner is State Senator Karen Carter Peterson. One talking point Peterson has parroted throughout this campaign is her track record for sticking to her principles and values, and never compromising. We evaluated that claim. antigravitymagazine.com/feature/voter-…

Gary Chambers is an activist born and raised in Baton Rouge, and has by far the most grassroots support of any candidate in this race. We are impressed with all the times he has walked the walk, but wonder if he can take criticism. antigravitymagazine.com/feature/voter-…

Harold John, a retired postal worker, previously ran for state rep of the 99th in 2019. He describes himself as the "true labor candidate," and has lucid observations on education. But his take on reforming the police (who aren't workers) falls short. antigravitymagazine.com/feature/voter-…

J. Christopher Johnson, the youngest candidate in the race, has strong #NotMeUs vibes (though if he declared himself a socialist, that's news to us). Johnson is the founder of Mobilizing Millennials, a hashtaggy nonprofit. antigravitymagazine.com/feature/voter-…

Brandon Jolicoeur has worked in film and as a catastrophe adjuster. His platform is largely centered around environmental justice, but his plans on how to achieve that left us scratching our heads a bit. antigravitymagazine.com/feature/voter-…

Lloyd M. Kelly doesn’t appear to have a huge campaign presence, but supports extending the moratorium on foreclosures and evictions, ending the slavery exception in the 13th Amendment, reparations, and partial student debt forgiveness. antigravitymagazine.com/feature/voter-…

Republican Greg Lirette is such a bummer that we, for the first time ever, had to preface his section with a trigger warning. We discovered a long track record of misogynist abuse. If that's not enough (it is) his politics of course also suck. antigravitymagazine.com/feature/voter-…

Mindy McConnell, running as a Libertarian, is an uncertified charter school leader with all the usual Libertarian selective objections to government overreach (e.g. anti-mask, pro-forced birth). antigravitymagazine.com/feature/voter-…

Desiree Ontiveros moved here in 2015 to “take it easy.” She lives and works in the Quarter and is a charter school board member. Ontiveros runs a balloon company with dubious labor practices, as evidenced by legal complaints from a former clown underling. antigravitymagazine.com/feature/voter-…

Jenette Porter is on the recruiting committee of the NAACP’s New Orleans branch and has said she was motivated to run by concerns about racism and violence by police. She doesn’t appear to have set up a campaign website or campaign social media. antigravitymagazine.com/feature/voter-…

Sheldon Vincent Sr. is a frequently unelected Republican landlord who wants to make it the law for every home to have a hetero mom and also a dad who is a cop (not an exaggeration). antigravitymagazine.com/feature/voter-…

What's our summary? Read and find out. The people of Louisiana deserve better than what we are offered. We must look beyond the ballot box to survive. Look after one another, we’re all we’ve got—as New Orleanians know, the State is not coming to help. antigravitymagazine.com/feature/voter-…

This voter guide is offered without cost as a service to our beloved readers, but we do accept donations to help cover research fees and labor. A suggested donation of whatever your lifestyle considers $5 is much appreciated. antigravitymagazine.com/feature/voter-…

We hope this thread finds you well. See you next month, dear readers, and thank you for the messages asking if we were going to do a guide. Of course...we’re here for you, babe. antigravitymagazine.com/feature/voter-…