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. In a May 5 election, state senator Steve Scalise won the race with 75% of the vote. See the special election tip sheet for more information.
Incumbent
Steve Scalise (R)
Elected in 2008; Seeking first full term.
Democrat
Jim Harlan (D)Harlan, a businessman, was nominated with 73% in a two-way primary.
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; Jefferson received 25% in a seven-way primary and 57% in a two-way runoff to advance to the Dec. 6 general election.
Challengers
Anh Cao (R)
Cao, an attorney, was unopposed in the Republican primary.
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; Melacon was unopposed in the primary.
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.
Republican
John Fleming
Fleming, a physician, received 35% in a three-way primary and 56% in a two-way runoff to advance to the Dec. 6 general election.
Democrat
Paul CarmoucheCarmouche, the Caddo District Attorney, received 48% in a four-way primary and 62% in a two-way runoff to advance to the Dec. 6 general election.
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; Alexander was nominated with 90% in a two-way primary.
Challengers
None
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. In a May 3 election, state representative Don Cazayoux won the race with 49% of the vote. See the special election tip sheet for more information.
Incumbent
Don Cazayoux (D)Elected in 2008; Seeking first full term; Cazayoux was unopposed in the primary.
Challengers
Bill Cassidy (R), a state senator, was unopposed in the primary.
Michael Jackson (I), a state representative, is running as an independent.
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; Boustany was unopposed in the primary.
Challengers
Don Cravins, Jr.(D)Cravins, a state senator, was unopposed in the primary.
Please send comments or corrections to AlmanacEditorial@nationaljournal.com.
Race Rankings
Based on likelihood of seat switching party control
1.
N.Y.-13
(Open-R)2.
N.Y.-25
(Open-R)3.
Ariz.-01
(Open-R)4.
Va.-11
(Open-R)5.
Fla.-16
(Mahoney-D)6.
Ill.-11
(Open-R)7.
Ohio-16
(Open-R)8.
Texas-22
(Lampson-D)9.
Alaska-AL
(Young-R)10.
Fla.-24
(Feeney-R)11.
N.J.-03
(Open-R)12.
Colo.-04
(Musgrave-R)13.
Mich.-09
(Knollenberg-R)14.
N.J.-07
(Open-R)15.
Minn.-06
(Bachmann-R)Previous Coverage
Check out National Journal's coverage of previous Louisiana house races.
