(The Center Square) – Four candidates seeking Louisiana’s 6th Congressional District seat clashed over President Donald Trump’s immigration policies, the war in Iran and the use of National Guard troops to combat crime during a televised debate Friday night in Baton Rouge.
State Sen. Rick Edmonds, R-Baton Rouge, was the only Republican to participate, defending several Trump administration policies against criticism from Democrats Pat Forbes, Chauna Banks and Lindsay “Rubia” Garcia.
State Sen. Blake Miguez, R-New Iberia, did not attend, citing a scheduling conflict.
Edmonds rebuked Miguez for his absence.
“I’m here today to tell you I’m not that guy,” Edmonds said. “I’m the guy who works hard.”
It marked at least the second congressional candidate forum Miguez has missed in recent weeks. He also skipped a late-September gathering of Republican candidates, drawing criticism from other contenders.
The three Democrats criticized Trump’s handling of the war in Iran, tariffs and the rising cost of living. Edmonds alone defended the war, declined to criticize the tariffs and supported cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
Forbes, a former state disaster recovery official, argued Republicans could not credibly promise to lower prices while supporting Trump’s foreign and economic policies.
“You’re either going to vote against this war, vote against these tariffs, vote to reverse that tax bill that gave millionaires tax breaks, or you’re going to work for the people,” Forbes said.
Edmonds argued that reducing federal spending would help curb inflation and the rising cost of living. He did not identify specific programs he would eliminate, though he advocated additional government investment in early childhood education, flood protection and a new Mississippi River bridge in Baton Rouge.
All four candidates supported securing the nation’s borders but disagreed over enforcement. Edmonds called for humane treatment of immigrants while defending aggressive enforcement measures as necessary to protect public safety. The three Democrats criticized the Trump administration over the arrests and deaths of people they said were innocent.
Despite their differences, all four candidates supported two congressional reforms: imposing term limits and restricting lawmakers’ ability to trade stocks while in office.
Forbes and Garcia also questioned what Louisiana has gained from having two Republicans – House Speaker Mike Johnson and House Majority Whip Steve Scalise – in congressional leadership.
Garcia, who has received the Louisiana Democratic Party’s endorsement, pointed to Louisiana’s poor performance on economic and social indicators.
Garcia has maintained a visible presence during the campaign, appearing at candidate forums in Monroe, Hammond, Baton Rouge and Plaquemine before participating in Friday’s televised debate. She also led a lawsuit challenging the state’s suspension of the spring congressional elections.
In August, Garcia addressed a packed Public Service Commission meeting and urged regulators to require Meta to disclose records supporting its job and electricity-demand projections for the company’s Louisiana data center.
A September poll commissioned by WBRZ showed a closely divided field. Edmonds received 13.8% support, followed by Banks at 13.2%, Miguez at 9.7%, Garcia at 7.7% and Forbes at 7.6%.
The survey of 790 likely voters found 35.7% were undecided. It had a margin of error of 3.5 percentage points.
Ten candidates are competing for the seat. If no one receives more than 50% of the vote Nov. 3, the top two finishers, regardless of party, will advance to a Dec. 12 runoff.
