In a swift correction this week, the Louisiana Democratic Party announced that its official endorsement for the open 5th Congressional District race now belongs to Antonio Wilson of Tallulah, replacing state Rep. Pat Moore of Monroe.
Why the change?
Party Chairman Randal Gaines told reporters that the first endorsement, made at the August 30 meeting of the Democratic State Central Committee, was based on an erroneous vote count. Committee members originally believed Moore had secured a majority of the endorsement votes, but a review showed she fell short of the 50 percent threshold because four members voted to withhold endorsement altogether.
“The initial endorsement of Pat Moore was premature based on the fact that four people voted to not endorse, and she didn’t get 50 % of the votes,” Gaines said.
Second vote confirms Wilson
After the miscount was discovered, the committee reconvened remotely with only two candidates on the ballot – Moore and Wilson. In that retaken vote, Wilson emerged as the clear choice and was formally endorsed on September 16, more than two weeks after the party’s first announcement.
Wilson, who runs a construction firm, said the party’s willingness to admit and fix the mistake demonstrates a commitment to transparency. “The party understands that they made a mistake and they corrected the mistake,” he said in an interview.
Candidate backgrounds
Moore has served in the Louisiana House of Representatives since 2019 and previously sat on the Ouachita Parish Police Jury from 2007 to 2019. While her legislative record includes experience, she has taken positions that clash with the state party’s platform, including voting for legislation that bars pediatric gender treatments for school‑age youth and opposing exceptions to Louisiana’s strict unborn‑child ban for cases of rape or incest.
Moore explained her personal connection to the abortion issue, noting she was conceived as a result of rape and raised by her great‑grandmother after her teenage mother could not care for her.
Wilson, by contrast, has never held elected office but has run three times for mayor of Tallulah. His campaign highlighted his business experience and his recent residency challenges, which were dismissed by judges in both 2019 and this year. Wilson provided a copy of his driver’s license and utility bills to confirm his current residence in Tallulah.
Party unity and future outlook
Gaines emphasized that most Democratic State Central Committee members remain loyal to the national party platform, especially on issues of abortion rights and pediatric gender treatments. “My party members are typically very consistent with standing behind and supporting the national party platform,” he said.
Both candidates acknowledge that the endorsement process has caused confusion among voters. Moore warned that the party should have considered Wilson’s prior residency disputes before granting him the endorsement, while Wilson urged voters to focus on his commitment to the district’s economic development.
What’s next?
The 5th District race will continue to draw attention as the primary filing deadline approaches. Voters in northeastern Louisiana now have a clear picture of the party’s official backing, and both campaigns are ramping up outreach ahead of the upcoming primary election.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
