Troy A. Carter

[constituency_baseline] District summary: Louisiana's 2nd Congressional District stretches from New Orleans west and north to Baton Rouge, covering parts of Orleans, Jefferson, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. John the Baptist, St. James, Assumption, Iberville, West Baton Rouge, and East Baton Rouge Parishes. It is the only Democratic district in Louisiana (Cook PVI D+25 to D+63 depending on source) and is a majority-minority district: 49.9% Black, 34.1% White, and 10.6% Hispanic. The median household income of $55,374 is well below the national median, with a high poverty rate of 16.2%. Homeownership is 60.6%, and only 27.5% of residents hold a bachelor's degree. The economy centers on the Port of New Orleans, energy and petrochemical industries along the Mississippi River ('Cancer Alley'), healthcare, tourism, and higher education. Key concerns include environmental justice and pollution, hurricane resilience, affordable housing, and economic inequality.

Voted yea on H.R. 8404 (Respect for Marriage Act (codifying federal protections for same-sex and interracial marriage)) on 2022-12-08: Carter was the only member of Louisiana's six-member House delegation to vote for the Respect for Marriage Act, standing alone against Louisiana Republicans including Speaker Mike Johnson and Majority Leader Steve Scalise. He was the first Louisiana legislator to introduce a bill banning employment discrimination based on sexual orientation (1993). His vote aligned with his district's majority-Black constituency while defying substantial local conservative pressure.

Voted nay on S. 1071 / H.R. 2670 (National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 ($901 billion defense authorization)) on 2025-12-10: Carter voted against the FY2026 NDAA, citing 'problematic and divisive amendments' that restricted reproductive healthcare for servicewomen and attacked LGBTQ+ rights. He had previously voted against the FY2024 NDAA on similar grounds. As the spouse of a U.S. Army Brigadier General, his vote crossed personal and institutional military ties for progressive principles, placing him among the minority opposing a historically bipartisan bill.

Voted nay on H.R. 1 (One Big Beautiful Bill Act (Trump budget reconciliation — tax cuts with estimated $1 trillion+ in Medicaid cuts)) on 2025-07-03: Carter called the bill 'catastrophic and down right cruel,' warning it would cut Medicaid, SNAP, and other safety-net programs. His district has 16.2% poverty, 49.9% Black residents, and a significant Medicaid-dependent population. Carter hosted a town hall with Hakeem Jeffries blasting the bill's impact on Louisiana's most vulnerable residents. All Louisiana Democrats — Carter and Cleo Fields — voted no.

Voted yea on H.R. 3746 (Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 (debt ceiling suspension with spending caps and SNAP work requirements)) on 2023-05-31: Carter voted to prevent a catastrophic U.S. default, joining 165 Democrats while 46 progressive Democrats voted no. His district's median income of $55,374, 16.2% poverty rate, and 26% senior population in New Orleans meant default would devastate Social Security, Medicare, and veteran benefits recipients. He justified the vote as protecting constituents from economic catastrophe despite the bill's SNAP work requirements.