By Nolan McKendry
(The Center Square) − A Democrat challenging House Majority Leader Steve Scalise supports a universal basic income program to address Louisiana’s economic, education and health care issues.
The seven-term Republican is likely to coast to reelection for an eighth term in Louisiana’s 1st Congressional District despite facing four challengers in the open or “jungle primary” on Nov. 5.
Scalise faces opposition from two Republicans, one unaffiliated and one Democrat. The Democratic candidate, Mel Manuel, is the only challenger with any reported campaign donations, with $10,367. According to Federal Education Commission records, the Democrat has $4,645 remaining in campaign funds.
A certified public school teacher with 15 years of classroom experience, Manuel has outlined a sweeping reform agenda focused on education, abortion rights, a universal basic income and LGTBQ+ rights.
Manuel, a passionate advocate for overhauling Louisiana’s public education system, emphasized the need to make teaching a more attractive and competitive profession.
“Not only is pay low here, but conditions in schools are absolutely terrible for the majority of educators. The only way we’re going to attract the best teachers is if we pay competitive salaries,” Manuel told The Center Square.
Beyond teacher compensation, Manuel stressed the need for significant improvements to the physical and emotional environments in schools, pointing to the “prison-like” conditions students endure.
According to the candidate, Manuel’s 13-year-old daughter faces long, grueling school days that start as early as 6 a.m. and offer little opportunity for rest or recreation.
“Schools start way too early for junior high and high schoolers… She’s exhausted, and the food is poor quality. How can we expect children to perform well in these kinds of conditions?” Manuel wrote in an email.
Manuel called for shorter school days or the elimination of homework to allow children more time to play and rest.
On broader social issues, Manuel signaled support for universal basic income and health care, as well as housing and food subsidies.
“When people are doing well financially, when they’re not struggling, crime goes down and mental health goes up,” Manuel explained.
Randall Arrington, one of the Republican challengers, has no reported campaign donations or official website and has campaigned primarily from YouTube and X. Arrington, on his X account, claims to be a professor of political science and a retired naval aviator.
“I will never trash talk [Scalise] during the campaign,” Arrington said in post on X. “But, it’s time for another Louisiana citizen to perform his civic duty, and allow Steve to go back to private life.”
The second Republican challenger, Ross Shales, has a campaign which appears more official, though his platform deviates from today’s GOP platform.
Policy proposals from Shales include redrafting the Second Amendment and term limits for the Supreme Court. He is also very critical of Donald Trump.
“The Republican party can and should do tremendously better than its presidential candidate and any politician supporting him,” Shales wrote in an X post.
