By Rachel Mipro
Louisiana Illuminator
Southwest Louisiana residents were divided over keeping their congressional district intact at Wednesday’s public hearing on political redistricting in Lake Charles.
Louisiana’s 3rd Congressional District includes 10 parishes, with industries that range from seafood and agriculture to petrochemicals. It runs from Calcasieu Parish to Iberia Parish and Lafayette.
The Legislature is due to redraw political districts for its congressional members, the Louisiana Legislature, state school board Public Service Commission and possibly the state’s Supreme Court. The redistricting process will determine Louisiana’s political landscape for the next ten years.