For months, political insiders have speculated about the future political goals of New Orleans District C Councilman James Carter, a Democrat. He has been mentioned as a potential candidate for Mayor or Council at Large in 2010 among other offices. Carter put the questions to rest on Tuesday when he announced his intention to run for the 2nd congressional district, a seat currently held by embattled incumbent Bill Jefferson.

Carter will be a formidable contender in what will be a crowded and expensive race for Congress. He has made his mark on the Council by working to reduce crime and serving as Chairman of the Criminal Justice Committee. His council district includes both banks of the Mississippi River and diverse neighborhoods such as the French Quarter and Algiers. The 2nd congressional district includes most of Orleans Parish as well as sections of Jefferson Parish on the West Bank and south Kenner. After two years on the New Orleans Council, Carter is well known to Orleans voters. His challenge will be to gain support in Jefferson Parish and compete against an array of formidable challengers.

Along with Jefferson and Carter, former WDSU-TV newscaster Helena Moreno jumped into the race. Moreno will be making her first race for office. She is a very familiar personality due to his seven years on local television as an anchor and reporter. Moreno, who once interned for U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton, will also be running as a Democrat. Former New Orleans Councilman Troy Carter, Jefferson Parish Councilman Byron Lee, State Representative Cedric Richmond (D-New Orleans), and Kenya Smith, the former Director of Intergovernmental Affairs for the Nagin administration will also be running.

This race marks the best chance challengers will have to unseat Jefferson in his 18 years in Congress. The incumbent is facing a 16-count indictment and a trial which is set for December. He has had tremendous difficulty raising funds, has been stripped of committee assignments and was recently ranked as one of the most ineffective members of Congress. Jefferson will receive almost no support from the state or national Democratic Party and will actually be opposed by many party officials who hope he can be defeated, thus removing a target that Republicans have used to attack the Democratic Party on the issue of ethics.

Nevertheless, Jefferson should not be counted out. For the first time in over 30 years, there will be party primaries, with the initial primary set for September 6. Among Democrats in the district, Jefferson still has some appeal, so if he can win that party’s primary, he will likely be elected again. The voter registration in the district is 6-1 Democratic, so the real race is for the Democratic nomination, which is why Jefferson is still the candidate to beat in this election.