Cedric Richmond Bio
Cedric Levan Richmond (born September 13, 1973) is an American attorney, politician, and political advisor who is a senior adviser to the Democratic National Committee. A Democrat from New Orleans, he represented Louisiana’s 2nd congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2011 to 2021, after serving in the Louisiana House of Representatives for the 101st district from 2000 to 2011.
From 2017 to 2019, Richmond chaired the Congressional Black Caucus and was the first national co-chair of Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign. In November 2020 he announced that he would leave Congress to join the Biden administration as Senior Advisor to the President and director of the White House Office of Public Engagement, a role later renamed from the Office of Public Liaison.
Early Life and Background
Cedric Levan Richmond was born in New Orleans in 1973 and raised in the New Orleans East area, where he attended local public schools. His father died when he was seven years old, and his mother worked as a public school teacher and small business owner, helping shape his early appreciation for public service and community life.
Richmond graduated from Benjamin Franklin High School in New Orleans. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts from Morehouse College, where he played college baseball as a pitcher for the Morehouse Maroon Tigers in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. He later earned a Juris Doctor from Tulane University School of Law and completed an executive program at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.
Path to US Politics
After law school, Richmond built a career as an attorney in New Orleans and stepped into local politics at a young age. He was elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives for the 101st district shortly after his 27th birthday, becoming one of the youngest legislators to serve in Louisiana when he took office. His committee work included chairing the House Committee on Judiciary and serving on the House Ways and Means Committee.
Richmond’s state-level experience prepared him for a national role, especially as he gained recognition for his work on legal and budget issues. During his time in the state legislature, he built the political base that would later carry him into Congress and position him as a rising voice within the Democratic Party in Louisiana.
Cedric Richmond Career
Early Career (2000–2010)
Cedric Levan Richmond served in the Louisiana House of Representatives for the 101st district from 2000 to 2011, representing Orleans Parish. He became a familiar figure in state politics, working on judicial and fiscal policy while earning a reputation as a disciplined campaigner.
In 2008, he entered the Democratic primary for Louisiana’s 2nd congressional district and finished third behind U.S. Representative William J. Jefferson and television newscaster Helena Moreno. Although the campaign exposed him to tough statewide scrutiny, including controversy over a 2005 disqualification from a New Orleans City Council race and a related six-month suspension of his law license, the experience set the stage for his next congressional bid.
Breakthrough (2010–2016)
Richmond challenged Republican incumbent Joseph Cao for Louisiana’s 2nd congressional district in 2010, becoming the first 2010 candidate to feature President Barack Obama in a television ad on his behalf. Backed by a strong Democratic-leaning district, he won the November 2 election with about 65 percent of the vote and took office in January 2011.
He was repeatedly reelected, winning again in 2012 with roughly 63.6 percent of the vote, in 2014, in 2016, and in 2018, with his campaign drawing significant support from the oil and gas sector. On November 30, 2016, he was elected chair of the Congressional Black Caucus for the 115th United States Congress, further raising his national profile.
During these years, Richmond introduced legislation such as the 2014 Honor Flight Act to give veterans smoother screening when visiting war memorials. He also played in the annual Congressional Baseball Game, serving as the starting Democratic pitcher for five straight seasons and leading his team to consecutive wins, before his first loss in 2016.
Democratic Party Era (2017–Present)
As CBC chair from 2017 to 2019, Richmond became one of the most visible Democrats in Congress on issues of racial justice, economic equity, and criminal justice reform. In 2019 he was named the first national co-chair of Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign, and on September 5, 2020, he was named a co-chair of the Biden presidential transition team.
On November 17, 2020, Richmond announced he would leave Congress in January 2021 to serve as Senior Advisor to the President and director of the White House Office of Public Engagement in the Biden administration. He resigned from the House on January 15, 2021, and later stepped down from the White House on May 18, 2022, to become a senior adviser at the Democratic National Committee, where he continues to shape party strategy.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the defining moments of his career, Richmond cast his vote on December 18, 2019, for the first impeachment of Donald Trump, a stand that drew national attention. He also navigated several controversies during his House tenure, including a 2017 dispute over a painting depicting police as pigs and a March 2017 joke about Kellyanne Conway that drew bipartisan criticism, both of which he later addressed publicly.
Cedric Richmond Career Wins
Cedric Levan Richmond built an unbroken streak of electoral wins at both the state and federal levels, beginning with his 1999 election to the Louisiana House of Representatives and continuing through five consecutive victories in Louisiana’s 2nd congressional district. His success rested on strong support in a heavily Democratic New Orleans-area seat, combined with high name recognition from his CBC leadership and presidential campaign work.
U.S. House of Representatives Highlights
Richmond won his first congressional race in 2010 with 65 percent of the vote against Republican incumbent Joseph Cao, then secured reelection in 2012 (63.6 percent), 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2020, completing five full terms before resigning to join the Biden administration in January 2021.
Other Wins & Achievements
Richmond was elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives for the 101st district in 1999 and served continuously from 2000 to 2011, including a 2003 reelection and a 2007 reelection. He also chaired the Congressional Black Caucus from 2017 to 2019 and became the first director of the White House Office of Public Engagement, cementing his legacy as both a legislator and an executive-branch adviser.
| Position | Wins | Year |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. Representative, Louisiana’s 2nd Congressional District | 5 | 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018 |
| Louisiana State Representative, 101st District | 3 | 1999, 2003, 2007 |
Cedric Richmond Family
Family Background and Public Service Lineage
Cedric Levan Richmond grew up in New Orleans East after his father’s death when he was seven. His mother, a public school teacher and small business owner, raised him while encouraging education and civic engagement, values that shaped his path into law and politics.
Personal Life
Richmond married Raquel Greenup in 2015. He has continued to make his home in New Orleans, Louisiana, even as his responsibilities expanded onto the national stage through his work in the U.S. House of Representatives, the Biden White House, and the Democratic National Committee.