Louisiana House
Filing Deadline: July 11, 2008 • Primary Date: Sept. 6, 2008 • General Election: Nov. 4, 2008District Profile: This is the most upscale, affluent, educated district in Louisiana. It is by far the most Republican, supportive of political reformers and against economic redistribution. Full Profile
2006 results: Bobby Jindal (R) defeated David Gereighty (D) by 88-7%.
2008 special election: Jindal was elected governor of Louisiana in November 2007. See the special election tip sheet.
Republicans
Tim Burns, state representative
Steve Scalise, state senator
Democrat
Gilda Reed, psychologist
District Profile: New Orleans, for many years a speckled black-and-white city, had a 67% black majority in the 2000 Census (a figure that is all but certain to decline in the next Census), and the 2nd District was overwhelmingly Democratic. Full Profile
2006 results: William Jefferson (D) defeated Karen Carter (D) by 57-43% in a runoff.
Incumbent
William Jefferson (D)Elected in 1990; Seeking 10th term.
Challengers
None
District Profile: The ancestral language here is French, mainly Cajun but also Creole; the ancestral religion is Roman Catholic and the ancestral politics Democratic, though conservative. Full Profile
2006 results: Charlie Melancon (D) defeated Craig Romero (R) by 55-40%.
Incumbent
Charlie Melancon (D)Elected in 2004; Seeking third term.
Challengers
None
District Profile: This area seemed to be trending Republican in the 1980s, but in the middle 1990s it went the other way: Both Bill Clinton and Sen. Mary Landrieu carried the district in 1996. Full Profile
2006 results: Jim McCrery (R) won with 57%, defeating Artis Cash (D), Patti Cox (D) and Chester Kelley (R) by 17%, 13% and 12%, respectively.
Republicans
John Fleming, physician
Chris Gorman, trucking company executive
Democrats
None
District Profile: George W. Bush made his second-best showing in the state in the 5th District, which runs from from the river parishes to the hills of Winn Parish. Full Profile
2006 results: Rodney Alexander (R) defeated Gloria Hearn (D) by 68-29%.
Incumbent
Rodney Alexander (R)Elected in 2002; Seeking fourth term.
Challengers
Brent Sanders (R), activist
District Profile: Overall, the district is 33% black; historically, all of this territory was Democratic. In the 1990s, though, it became fairly closely balanced. Full Profile
2006 results: Richard Baker (R) defeated Richard Fontanesi (L) by 83-17%.
2008 special election: Baker resigned in Feburary 2008 to enter the private sector. See the special election tip sheet.
Republicans
Laurinda Calongne, business consultant
Woody Jenkins, former state representative
Democrats
Don Cazayoux, state representative
Michael Jackson, state representative
District Profile: The 7th covers much of the Cajun country. Some 21 percent of the population claims either French or French Canadian ancestry. Full Profile
2006 results: Charles Boustany (R) defeated Mike Stagg (D) by 71-29%.
Incumbent
Charles Boustany (R)Elected in 2004; Seeking third term.
Challengers
None
Race Rankings
Based on likelihood of seat switching party control
1.
Ill.-11
(Open-R)2.
Va.-11
(Open-R)3.
N.Y.-25
(Open-R)4.
Ariz.-01
(Open-R)5.
Texas-22
(Lampson-D)6.
N.J.-03
(Open-R)7.
N.J.-07
(Open-R)8.
N.M.-01
(Open-R)9.
Ohio-16
(Open-R)10.
Ohio-15
(Open-R)Previous Coverage
Check out National Journal's coverage of previous Louisiana house races.
