Following the resignation of Republican State Representative Paula Davis in late 2025, the race for Louisiana House District 69 has drawn a crowded field for the March 14, 2026 special election. While three Republicans — Adam Beach, Lynn Coxe Graham, and Paul Sawyer — battle for the conservative base, one candidate is offering a distinct alternative for voters tired of partisan gridlock: Angela Roberts.
Roberts, the only Democrat on the ballot, is pitching a campaign rooted not in ideological slogans, but in the granular details of how government functions — or fails — for everyday families.
A “Systems” Approach to Governance
Roberts’ professional background offers a unique value proposition. She is not a career politician; she is a paralegal, a legal transcriptionist, and a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA).
Roberts argues that her work has given her a front-row seat to the disconnect between legislative intent and real-world implementation. “My experience is rooted in how systems function, or fail, step by step,” Roberts says. “I see how decisions made on paper affect families, courts, schools, and agencies in practice.”
Her pitch to District 69 is simple: the legislature needs fewer speechmakers and more people willing to “read bills carefully, question implementation, and hold agencies accountable for results.”
Key Platform: Infrastructure, Insurance, and Education
Roberts has identified three systemic failures hurting the district, framing them as quality-of-life issues rather than partisan battlegrounds:
- Infrastructure and Drainage: Roberts criticizes the current state of affairs where “growth outpaced planning and maintenance.” She advocates for putting infrastructure planning ahead of development to solve the district’s chronic drainage and traffic woes.
- The Insurance Crisis: Connecting dots that many politicians avoid, Roberts links rising premiums to risk, arguing that the state must focus on mitigation to stabilize the market.
- School Stability: Perhaps her most personal issue, Roberts emphasizes the need for “predictable systems” in education. As the mother of a son with autism, protecting special education is “always going to be the forefront” of her mind. She insists that any changes to the school system must be based on data and outcomes, ensuring that vulnerable children are not abandoned in rushed transitions.
Nuance on St. George
In a district often polarized by the St. George breakaway movement, Roberts takes a pragmatic, democratic stance. She refuses to “relitigate” decisions already made by voters, stating, “I am pro voters deciding for themselves.”
However, she offers a critical check on the process. Her concern is ensuring that the new city — or any municipal change — doesn’t leave schools underfunded or infrastructure unplanned. “Creating a new city doesn’t automatically fund schools responsibly, fix drainage planning, insurance markets, or state funding decisions,” Roberts notes. “Those are state-level responsibilities, and that’s the job I’m running for.”
The “Family” Model of Government
Roberts’ personal history informs her political philosophy. Raised in Catahoula Parish, she experienced childhood instability, moving between parents and schools — one of which was closed down due to consolidation. This background drove her to become a CASA volunteer to provide the consistency for foster children that she lacked growing up.
Roberts says she envisions a state government that is “proactive, not reactive.” She summarizes her governing philosophy with a relatable analogy: “Government needs to work like families do: responsibly and with accountability.”
But Can a Democrat Win District 69?
Roberts acknowledges the challenge of running as a Democrat in a red district but believes the electorate is more nuanced than party labels suggest. Her strategy relies on the belief that neighbors agree on more than they admit — specifically on the desire for safe schools, health, and affordable living.
“The issues people care about here aren’t partisan,” Roberts asserts. “Voters are looking for competence and follow through more than party labels”.
Election Details
- Primary Election: Saturday, March 14, 2026.
- Early Voting: Feb. 28 – March 7, 2026.
- The Field: Angela Roberts (D) faces Republicans Adam Beach, Lynn Coxe Graham, and Paul Sawyer.