Candy Christophe
Candy Christophe (Democratic Party) ran in a special election to the U.S. House to represent Louisiana's 5th Congressional District. She lost in the special primary on March 20, 2021.
Biography
Sandra "Candy" Christophe was born in Independence, Louisiana. She obtained an undergraduate degree in May 1990 after attending Louisiana College in Pineville, La., and Southern University in Baton Rouge, La.. She obtained a graduate degree in May 1993 from the Grambling State Unversity School of Social Work in Grambling, La. Her professional experience includes working as a licensed clinical social worker, a licensed addiction counselor, a small business owner, and the founder and volunteer executive director of a nonprofit organization.[1]
Christophe is affiliated with the National Social Workers Organization, and the Louisiana Probation and Parole Association.[1]
Elections
2021
See also: Louisiana's 5th Congressional District special election, 2021
Louisiana elections use the majority-vote system. All candidates compete in the same primary, and a candidate can win the election outright by receiving more than 50 percent of the vote. If no candidate does, the top two vote recipients from the primary advance to the general election, regardless of their partisan affiliation.
Nonpartisan primary election
Special nonpartisan primary for U.S. House Louisiana District 5
The following candidates ran in the special primary for U.S. House Louisiana District 5 on March 20, 2021.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Julia Letlow (R) | 64.9 | 67,203 |
 | Candy Christophe (D) | 27.3 | 28,255 | |
 | Chad Conerly (R)  | 5.3 | 5,497 | |
 | Robert Lansden (R) | 0.9 | 929 | |
 | Allen Guillory Sr. (R) | 0.4 | 464 | |
| Jim Davis (Independent) | 0.4 | 402 | ||
| Sancha Smith (R) | 0.3 | 334 | ||
 | M.V. Mendoza (Independent) | 0.2 | 236 | |
 | Jaycee Magnuson (R) | 0.1 | 131 | |
| Richard Pannell (R) | 0.1 | 67 | ||
 | Horace Melton (R) | 0.1 | 62 | |
| Errol Victor (R) | 0.0 | 36 | ||
| Total votes: 103,616 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
Noteworthy primary endorsements
This section includes noteworthy endorsements issued in the primary, added as we learn about them. Click here to read how we define noteworthy primary endorsements. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please email us.
| Louisiana's 5th Congressional District primary endorsements | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Endorsement | Christophe | Letlow | ||||
| Elected officials | ||||||
| Rep. Daniel Crenshaw (R)[2] | ✔ | |||||
| Sen. John Kennedy (R)[3] | ✔ | |||||
| Rep. Ashley Hinson (R)[4] | ✔ | |||||
| Rep. Mike Johnson (R)[5] | ✔ | |||||
| House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R)[6] | ✔ | |||||
| House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R)[7] | ✔ | |||||
| Individuals | ||||||
| Former Rep. Ralph Abraham (R)[8] | ✔ | |||||
| Former Vice President Mike Pence (R)[9] | ✔ | |||||
| Former President Donald Trump (R)[10] | ✔ | |||||
| Organizations | ||||||
| Defend Our Values PAC[11] | ✔ | |||||
| Democrats Work for America[12] | ✔ | |||||
| E-PAC[13] | ✔ | |||||
| Louisiana Democratic Party[14] | ✔ | |||||
| Louisiana Republican Party[15] | ✔ | |||||
| National Federation of Independent Business[16] | ✔ | |||||
| National Right to Life[17] | ✔ | |||||
| NATPAC 1947[18] | ✔ | |||||
| RightNOW Women PAC[19] | ✔ | |||||
| Stand for America PAC[20] | ✔ | |||||
| Susan B. Anthony List[21] | ✔ | |||||
| VIEW PAC[22] | ✔ | |||||
| United Rural Democrats[23] | ✔ | |||||
| Winning for Women[24] | ✔ | |||||
2020
See also: Louisiana's 5th Congressional District election, 2020
Louisiana elections use the majority-vote system. All candidates compete in the same primary, and a candidate can win the election outright by receiving more than 50 percent of the vote. If no candidate does, the top two vote recipients from the primary advance to the general election, regardless of their partisan affiliation.
General election
General election for U.S. House Louisiana District 5
Luke Letlow defeated Lance Harris in the general election for U.S. House Louisiana District 5 on December 5, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Luke Letlow (R) | 62.0 | 49,183 |
 | Lance Harris (R) | 38.0 | 30,124 | |
| Total votes: 79,307 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House Louisiana District 5
The following candidates ran in the primary for U.S. House Louisiana District 5 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Luke Letlow (R) | 33.1 | 102,533 |
| ✔ | | Lance Harris (R) | 16.6 | 51,240 |
| Candy Christophe (D) | 16.4 | 50,812 | |
 | Martin Lemelle (D) | 10.4 | 32,186 | |
| Randall Scott Robinson (R) | 7.7 | 23,887 | ||
| Allen Guillory Sr. (R) | 7.3 | 22,496 | |
 | Matt Hasty (R) | 3.2 | 9,834 | |
 | Phillip Snowden (D) | 3.0 | 9,432 | |
| Jesse Lagarde (D) | 2.3 | 7,136 | ||
| Total votes: 309,556 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Brody Pierrottie (D)
- John Robert Badger (Independent Conservative Democratic Party)
Campaign themes
2021
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Candy Christophe did not complete Ballotpedia's 2021 Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign website
Christophe’s campaign website stated the following:
| “ |
Candy is not from a wealthy family and understands the unique struggles that most Louisiana families experience on a limited income.Candy understands the issues of small business owners who need to make loans to pay annual taxes, the struggles of balancing the books to make sure your employees are paid, shopping around for the best package benefits for your staff, and concerns of how your business will survive the COVID-19 Pandemic. As the Founder & former Executive Director of Re-Entry Solutions, Candy has experienced first hand the enormous struggles of those who have very good intentions, are not seeking self-gain or recognition but are trying to simply do good and meet the unmet needs of their neighbors. Candy will stand up and fight for every man, woman, boy, and girl in Louisiana.
Candy’s maternal grandfather, Johnny Moore was a farmer in rural East Feliciana Parish. Her husband’s grandfather, Earnest Christophe was also a farmer. She knows what it is like to walk in the garden and eat hot watermelon picked right off the vine. Having battled obesity Candy understands the value of eating fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables. As a mother and grandmother, she also understands the effect food has on the next generation and how their learning is positively enhanced with eating fresh fruits and vegetables. Candy strongly believes in the survival and success of our farmers, both large and especially small. Candy also understands how the tariffs have negatively affected our farmers and how even if the crops don’t move the bills always continue. Candy will work hard to get Louisiana growing again and to get Louisiana farm products moving again!
As a small business owner, Candy understands what business owner‘s needs are, their risks, their struggles, and their concerns. Candy often says, “Team Work Makes the Dream Work!”, as your Congresswoman Candy will be that team member whom you and your business can always count on! Candy has been a front-line community worker all of her adult life. Candy has insight that many who are seeking election do not have: she understands the benefit of employment goes well beyond a paycheck for the employee and that the positive consequence of work has a multi-generational effect on the employee’s family.
Candy supports unions because she realizes the essential need to help set standards for education, skill levels, wages, working conditions, and quality of life for workers. Candy will continue to protect unions because they represent a successful way of putting “People First” by negotiating higher wages, better benefits, and offering more protection for our teachers, crafts, industry, professionals, and general workers. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Addiction Counselor, Candy understands the valuable need to work, have a safe supportive working environment, and have benefits to ensure the well being of employees and their families. Research supports the benefits of having access to preventive health care increases productivity on and off the job. You can be well assured that Candy will continue to ensure the protection of unions and our non-union workers because their success means the prospect of future generations to succeed is assured. We truly are stronger and better together when we put “People First!” *Second Amendment Rights
Candy does not want to take away your guns! Candy understands the love and culture of hunting in Louisiana and has even completed a concealed weapons class. Growing up in rural East Feliciana she has fond memories of hunting with her uncles who remain adamant hunters to this day. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Licensed Addiction Counselor Candy has also seen firsthand, the consequences of mental illness and the wrath that addiction can fuel. Candy will fight for the protection of all and will work to ensure that those who are unstable are not able to possess a weapon.
Candy has 3 uncles who have proudly served our country in the United States Armed Forces. Today, Candy has two daughters who serve in the U.S. Army. Candy will ensure that your sons and daughters are not put in harm’s way unnecessarily. She will look after them and fight to protect them as if they were her own because they are! Candy has insight like no other candidate as to the needs of our Veterans. Candy has two uncles who served in the U.S. Air Force and one who served in the U.S. Navy. She understands firsthand what it is like to worry when they are away and the direct impact their active duty service status has on the entire family.
Candy has insight like no other LA-05 candidate as to the needs of the veterans who have served our country, the V.A. System and its management, and the issues of our veterans who continue to struggle today. Candy completed her requisite master’s degree internship at the V.A. Medical Center in Pineville, La. During this internship Candy worked directly with all areas and aspects of the VA hospital including the medical floor, psychiatric unit, outpatient clinic, and nursing home. During her time at the VA, Candy experienced veteran substance abuse, women's veteran issues, and burdensome disability claims and follow up. Candy possesses the exact type of insight that is needed to ensure our Military Families and Veterans issues get resolved without unnecessary bureaucracy. *Health Care
Candy has been a professional health care worker for 25 years. Throughout her career she has worked with hospitals, small clinics, Rehabilitation Centers, corrections, community-based, school-based, and private practice. She understands the value of and strongly supports the expansion of Medicaid. Not only does it produce jobs, but it prolongs life and the quality of life. Candy often quotes her mother and grandmother by saying, “everybody is somebody’s somebody.” It is because of her wholehearted belief in this that she is able to see the value and worth in all people. Protecting and ensuring health care and its workers are an extension of the effort to value all. *LGBTQ+
Candy believes that everyone is deserving of respect and dignity. We all are God's children and that love is to be extended to all and not hate. Although the LGBTQ form of lifestyle is not right for me. I think their rights should be acknowledged and protected. I believe that people should have the right to be who they are and have the right to love and marry who they chose to love. |
” |
| —Candy Christophe’s campaign website (2021)[26] | ||
2020
Video for Ballotpedia
| Video submitted to Ballotpedia Released May 21, 2020 |
Candy Christophe completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Christophe's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
| Collapse all
- I am here to serve the people of Louisiana who live in District 5 and not to be served.
- Our tax dollars should be used to provide the needed resources of our local communities.
- I am front line ready to serve our district, and I pledge to do so with transparency and integrity.
2. Protecting our democracy.
3. Ensuring certified teachers are educating our students.
4. Creation of jobs in our rural areas.
5. Ensuring employment opportunities are available for those without degrees.
6. Criminal justice reform.
"Just Mercy" is a recent book by Bryan Stevenson.
I possess invaluable insight to the needs of the people who live in District 5.
I am professionally trained to write policies and procedures.
I am professionally trained to explore and work toward resolve of complex problems and issues.
To work diligently to address the needs of all constituents regardless of race, social economic status, or other differences.
To be accessible and genuinely listen to the ongoing needs and concerns for their constituents.
To be the first African American to be elected to serve Louisiana Congressional District 5
A young woman completed a long sentence in our state women's prison. She had been released and was working for the past 4 years in a restaurant and had wanted to get a better job that had benefits and a higher wage. She met me with tears in her eyes and said, "Mrs. Candy, after being placed on the orientation schedule for my new job, I just received a phone call stating that I was a no-hire." She said tearfully, "I have done my time, and I am still not good enough to bake bread at the local big box chain store bakery."
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
See also
2021 Elections
External links
|
Candidate U.S. House Louisiana District 5 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on May 25, 2020
- ↑ Twitter, "Dan Crenshaw on January 18, 2021," accessed February 18, 2021
- ↑ Facebook, "Julia Letlow on March 8, 2021," accessed March 8, 2021
- ↑ Twitter, "Ashley Hinson on January 22, 2021," accessed February 18, 2021
- ↑ Facebook, "Julia Letlow on March 13, 2021," accessed March 15, 2021
- ↑ Twitter, "Kevin McCarthy on January 14, 2021," accessed February 18, 2021
- ↑ Twitter, "Steve Scalise on January 14, 2021," accessed February 18, 2021
- ↑ Twitter, "Julia Letlow on March 17, 2021," accessed March 17, 2021
- ↑ Julia Letlow campaign website, "Vice President Mike Pence Endorses Julia Letlow for Congress," accessed March 15, 2021
- ↑ Julia Letlow campaign website, "President Donald J. Trump Endorses Julia Letlow for Congress," accessed March 15, 2021
- ↑ Facebook, "Julia Letlow on March 11, 2021," accessed March 15, 2021
- ↑ Twitter, "Democrats Work For America on February 17, 2021," accessed March 1, 2021
- ↑ Twitter, "Elise Stefanik on February 3, 2021," accessed February 18, 2021
- ↑ Twitter, "Louisiana Democrats on February 13, 2021," accessed February 18, 2021
- ↑ Twitter, "Republican Party of Louisiana on February 1, 2021," accessed February 18, 2021
- ↑ Facebook, "Julia Letlow on March 9, 2021," accessed March 15, 2021
- ↑ Facebook, "Julia Letlow on March 5, 2021," accessed March 8, 2021
- ↑ Facebook, "NATPAC 1947 on March 10, 2021," accessed March 15, 2021
- ↑ Twitter, "RightNOW Women PAC on February 26, 2021," accessed March 1, 2021
- ↑ Twitter, "Nikki Haley on March 18, 2021," accessed March 18, 2021
- ↑ Twitter, "Susan B. Anthony List on March 2, 2021," accessed March 8, 2021
- ↑ Twitter, "VIEW PAC on January 22, 2021," accessed February 18, 2021
- ↑ Twitter, "United Rural Democrats on February 1, 2021," accessed March 15, 2021
- ↑ Twitter, "Winning for Women on February 10, 2021," accessed February 18, 2021
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Candy Christophe’s campaign website, “Platform,” accessed February 18, 2021
