Mel Manuel
Mel Manuel (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Louisiana's 1st Congressional District. Manuel lost in the primary on November 5, 2024.
Manuel completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Mel Manuel was born in Covington, Louisiana. Manuel earned a high school diploma from Covington High School, a graduate degree from La Sapienza University in 2009, and a bachelor's degree from Tulane University in 2006. Manuel's career experience includes working as a public school teacher. Manuel co-founded Queer Northshore and has been a board member and spokesperson for St. Tammany Library Alliance.[1]
Elections
2024
See also: Louisiana's 1st Congressional District election, 2024
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
Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House Louisiana District 1
Incumbent Steve Scalise won election outright against Mel Manuel, Randall Arrington, Ross Shales, and Frankie Hyers in the primary for U.S. House Louisiana District 1 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Steve Scalise (R) | 66.8 | 238,842 |
 | Mel Manuel (D)  | 24.0 | 85,911 | |
 | Randall Arrington (R) | 5.0 | 17,856 | |
 | Ross Shales (R) | 2.3 | 8,330 | |
 | Frankie Hyers (Unaffiliated) | 1.9 | 6,781 | |
| Total votes: 357,720 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Manuel in this election.
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Mel Manuel completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Manuel's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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- THRIVING, NOT SURVIVING. In America, even though we are the wealthiest nation on Earth, life expectancy is going down, housing is becoming increasingly unaffordable, wages have stagnated since the 70s, the majority of American bankruptcies are the result of medical expenses, nearly 60% of workers live paycheck to paycheck and nearly a quarter of Americans can’t afford their prescription drugs. At the same time more and more jobs performed by humans are being replaced with technological advances. It is time for a single payer healthcare system and an unconditional universal basic income for all.
- PROGRESSIVE LEADERSHIP. Even though there are more registered democrats than Republicans in Louisiana, gerrymandering has left us very little progressive representation and no queer legislators in Louisiana. A priority of my campaign is to increase the number of registered progressive voters, re-engage disengaged voters and encourage progressives (especially queer, female and POC residents) to run for public offices in their communities.
- LGBTQ+ RIGHTS. There are currently 471 anti-LGBTQ laws proposed in the United States including 9 in Louisiana. Transgender people, especially trans people of color, are far more likely to be victims of violence than their cisgendered peers. LGBTQ+ youth are 4 times more likely attempt suicide than their peers. We must ensure that all LGBTQ+ individuals enjoy equal rights and can live openly and freely without discrimination or persecution. By running I hope to empower the LGBTQ+ community and allies to fight back.
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.
Campaign website
Manuel’s campaign website stated the following:
| “ |
Progressive Leadership Even though there are more registered democrats than Republicans in Louisiana, gerrymandering has left us very little progressive representation. A priority of Mel's campaign is to increase the number of registered progressive voters, re-engage disengaged voters and encourage progressives (especially queer, female and POC residents) to run for public offices in their communities. LGBTQ+ Rights There have been a record 600+ anti-LGBTQ laws proposed in the United States this year, including in Louisiana, where most of them have been signed into law. Transgender people, especially trans people of color, are far more likely to be victims of violence than their cisgendered peers. LGBTQ+ youth are 4 times more likely attempt suicide than their peers. We must ensure that all LGBTQ+ individuals enjoy equal rights and can live openly and freely without discrimination or persecution. By running, Mel hopes to empower the LGBTQ+ community and allies to fight back. Our Bodies, Our Rights The government should not have a right to control our bodies especially when 80% of Americans support the right to choose abortion. Current anti-choice laws and punishments are draconian and dangerous. Now is the time to codify the reproductive rights previously afforded by Roe V. Wade into federal law, and to set precedents protecting our rights to gender affirming care. Gun Control There were 604 mass shootings last year and gun violence is the number one cause of death among American children and teens. Mel supports a variety of gun control legislation to curb gun violence including red flag laws, child access prevention laws, universal background checks, a national gun registration to track firearm ownership, banning devices like bump stocks that make guns more deadly, raising the age of gun ownership to 25, eliminating gun shows and restricting the places where guns can be sold (no more guns in Walmart, for example). Environmental Protection We must transition to renewable energy, enforce strict regulations on corporate polluters, and invest in green jobs. Prioritizing clean air, water, and soil is essential, alongside reforestation efforts and sustainable agriculture. Strong action on climate change through carbon taxes and promoting electric vehicles is crucial. Environmental justice should ensure marginalized communities are protected from pollution and benefit from green solutions. Free Healthcare Mel is committed to ensuring everyone in Louisiana has access to comprehensive healthcare, regardless of political obstacles. Mel will advocate for expanding Medicaid and increasing federal funding for community health centers to improve access to physical, mental, maternal, and pediatric care. Additionally, Mel will support legislation that protects reproductive rights and pushes for evidence-based drug policies focused on treatment and harm reduction, not punishment. We must fight for a healthcare system that prioritizes people’s well-being over politics, ensuring all Louisianans receive the care they deserve. Mel supports federally mandated universal healthcare for all Americans. Investing in Public Education Mel believes every child deserves access to high-quality public education. To protect funding for public schools in Louisiana, Mel will advocate for increased federal investment in K-12 education, ensuring funds are allocated equitably and transparently. Mel will work to limit the redirection of public funds to private and charter schools, holding these institutions to the same standards and accountability as public schools. Additionally, Mel will support policies that strengthen public schools, such as increasing teacher pay, improving infrastructure, and expanding access to resources. Mel's focus is on investing in and revitalizing our public education system for the benefit of all students. |
” |
| —Mel Manuel’s campaign website (2024)[3] | ||
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
See also
2024 Elections
External links
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Candidate U.S. House Louisiana District 1 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on May 9, 2023
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Mel Manuel’s campaign website, “Why,” accessed September 24, 2024
