Louisiana Congressional 1st District Race Challenge for 2018

Howard Lincoln Kearney was born in 1959 and is a current resident of Mandeville, LA, St. Tammany Parish since 1994. Howard previously lived in San Antonio, Texas and was raised as a “military-brat” where his parents retired from military duty.

Kearney is a computer programmer who has worked since 1996 for IBM, the world's leader in computer and information technology. He has a Masters of Science Degree in Information Technology and a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems.

Howard is married, with three children and (currently) one grandchild. He is an active member of First Baptist Church of Mandeville, a deacon, Sunday School teacher, and Audio-Visual and Information Systems coordinator. He worked with the Red Cross and Louisiana SBC for disaster relief and is "yellow-cap" trained.

Jim Francis, 46, attended the University of Akron and studied Computer Engineering. He has over 23 years of experience in programming, data analytics, security, and infrastructure development. Jim resigned from his position as the IT Director of a commercial laboratory to dedicate himself entirely to the campaign. He is not a politician but believes it is time to put real people back in Congress. He lives in Covington with his wife, Nicole, and their 10-year old son, Cooper. He also has a passion for political science and in his free time he builds guitars as a way to channel his creativity.

In Congress, Jim will fight for the people of Louisiana. He has innovative ideas about how to create jobs, help people to transition into better paying fields with no additional debt, raise wages, support Louisiana’s small businesses and unions, expand access to Medicare and affordable health care while lowering medical and prescription costs, protect Social Security and Medicare for our seniors as well as craft laws to ensure these services remain accessible. Jim wants to pass permanent tax reform that benefits working and middle-class families instead of just corporations, restore Louisiana’s coastline to protect our citizens, our infrastructure, and our environment for future generations. Jim will fight for reforming campaign finance, end gerrymandering, protect voting rights, equality, and fair access to opportunity. He is the candidate that will find common ground with both parties to get things done.

Jim is proud to be among a wave of citizens stepping up and standing up to a Congress that is run by powerful corporate lobbyists.