2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Louisiana

The 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Louisiana were held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012 and elected the six U.S. Representatives from the state of Louisiana, one from each of the state's six congressional districts, a loss of one seat following reapportionment according to the results of the 2010 Census. The elections coincided with elections for other federal and state offices, including a quadrennial presidential election. A jungle primary took place on November 6, with a runoff, if necessary, scheduled for December 8.[1]

2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Louisiana

November 6, 2012 (2012-11-06)

All 6 Louisiana seats to the United States House of Representatives
  Majority party Minority party Third party
 
Party Republican Democratic Libertarian
Last election 6 1 0
Seats won 5 1 0
Seat change 1
Popular vote 1,143,027 359,190 124,572
Percentage 67.02% 21.06% 7.30%

Overview

United States House of Representatives elections in Louisiana, 2012[2][3]
Party Votes Percentage Seats +/–
Republican 1,143,027 67.02% 5 -1
Democratic 359,190 21.06% 1
Libertarian 124,572 7.30% 0
Independents 78,828 4.62% 0
Totals 1,705,617 100.00% 6

Redistricting

During the redistricting process, U.S. Representative Charles Boustany advocated a plan which, rather than drawing his home and that of Landry into the same district (as the bill which became law did), would instead make fellow Republican Representative John Fleming's district potentially more competitive. Fleming later said of Boustany, "I don't feel like I can trust anything he says. Everything he told me, he reneged on."[4]

Due to difficulties reaching a consensus among the congressional delegation, U.S. Representatives Rodney Alexander, Bill Cassidy, Fleming, Jeff Landry and Steve Scalise wrote to Governor Bobby Jindal requesting that the state legislature postpone the redistricting process for a year.[5]

Nonetheless, a redistricting bill was passed by the Louisiana House of Representatives and Louisiana Senate, and was signed into law by Jindal on April 14, 2011.[6]

Louisiana is among the states which, according to a provision of the 1965 Voting Rights Act enacted upon states with a history of denial of voting rights, must submit legislative maps to the U.S. Department of Justice for approval in order to ascertain that the purpose and effects of the map are not discriminatory.[6]

District 1

Republican Steve Scalise, who has represented the 1st district since 2008, is running for re-election.[7][8] In redistricting the 1st district has been extended from Metairie towards the Gulf Coast, including areas from the old 3rd district.[9] and includes the cities of Slidell and Houma, and the two parishes hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina, St. Bernard and Plaquemines.[7] It comprises 373,405 White Americans registered voters, 46,542 African Americans and 30,126 people of other ethnicities. Of its voters, 167,824 are affiliated to the Democratic Party, 167,336 to the Republican Party, and 114,913 to neither party.[6]

Democratic Party

  • M.V. "Vinny" Mendoza, organic farmer, Air Force veteran, and perennial candidate

Republican Party

  • Gary King
  • Steve Scalise, incumbent

Independents

  • David "Turk" Turknett
  • Arden Wells, 2010 candidate for Louisiana's 1st congressional district[10][11]

Results

Louisiana's 1st congressional district, 2012 [12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Steve Scalise (incumbent) 193,496 66.6
Democratic M. V. "Vinny" Mendoza 61,703 21.3
Republican Gary King 24,844 8.5
Independent David "Turk" Turknett 6,079 2.1
Independent Arden Wells 4,288 1.5
Total votes 290,410 100.0
Republican hold

District 2

Democrat Cedric Richmond, who has represented the 2nd district since January 2011, is running for re-election.[13] In redistricting, the district was extended in redistricting to include areas of the old 3rd and 6th district, along the Mississippi River to include Baton Rouge.[7] It comprises 144,721 White Americans registered voters, 276,668 African Americans and 27,558 people of other ethnicities. Of its voters, 302,120 are Democrats, 51,268 are Republicans, and 95,559 are affiliated to neither party.[6]

Democratic Party

Republican Party

Libertarian Party

  • Caleb Trotter, banker and law school student[11][15]

Results

Louisiana's 2nd congressional district, 2012 [12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Cedric Richmond (incumbent) 158,501 55.2
Democratic Gary Landrieu 71,916 25.0
Republican Dwayne Bailey 38,801 13.5
Republican Josue Larose 11,345 3.9
Libertarian Caleb Trotter 6,791 2.4
Total votes 287,354 100.0
Democratic hold

District 3

The 3rd district includes the homes of Republican incumbents Jeff Landry and Charles Boustany, who have represented the 3rd district since January 2011 and the now-defunct 7th district since 2005 respectively.[9] It comprises 336,889 White Americans registered voters, 107,033 African Americans and 14,497 people of other ethnicities. Of its voters, 229,704 are Democrats, 120,787 are Republicans, and 107,928 are affiliated to neither party.[6]

The district is located in southern Louisiana and stretches from the Texas border to Iberia and St. Martin parishes.[7] It incorporates Lake Charles and Lafayette, which were centers of population in Boustany's former district. Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes, which form a part of the district Landry currently represents, will no longer be in the 3rd district.[9]

Democratic Party

  • Ron Richard, attorney

Republican Party

  • Bryan Barrilleaux, physician
  • Charles Boustany, incumbent from Louisiana's 7th congressional district[16]
  • Jeff Landry, incumbent from Louisiana's 3rd congressional district[17]

Libertarian Party

Results

Louisiana's 3rd congressional district, 2012 (jungle primary)[12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Charles Boustany (incumbent) 139,123 44.7
Republican Jeff Landry (incumbent) 93,527 30.0
Democratic Ron Richard 67,070 21.5
Republican Bryan Barrilleaux 7,908 2.6
Libertarian Jim Stark 3,765 1.2
Total votes 311,393 100.0

Runoff

Louisiana's 3rd congressional district, 2012 (runoff)[19]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Charles W. Boustany, Jr. (incumbent) 58,820 60.9
Republican Jeff Landry (incumbent) 37,767 39.1
Total votes 96,587 100.0
Republican hold

District 4

Republican John Fleming, who has represented the 4th district since 2009, is running for re-election.[20] The district comprises 276,373 White Americans registered voters, 140,630 African Americans and 15,020 people of other ethnicities. Of its voters, 221,187 are Democrats, 118,015 are Republicans, and 92,721 are affiliated to neither party.[6] Its boundaries remain similar to those of its previous incarnation:[9] it is anchored by Shreveport and borders Texas and Arkansas.[7]

Candidates

No Democrat is running in this district.[11] Brian Crawford, Shreveport's assistant chief administrative officer and former fire chief; Keith Hightower, the former mayor of Shreveport; Kyle Robinson, an attorney; and state Representative Patrick Williams, all Democrats, had been sought as potential candidates but chose not to run.[13][21]

Republican Party

  • John Fleming, incumbent

Libertarian Party

  • Randall Lord, former chiropractor[22]

Results

Louisiana's 4th congressional district, 2012 [12][23]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican John Fleming (incumbent) 187,894 75.3
Libertarian Randall Lord 61,637 24.7
Total votes 249,531 100.0
Republican hold

District 5

Republican Rodney Alexander, who has represented the 5th district since 2003, is running for re-election.[13] The district comprises 294,830 White Americans registered voters, 144,744 African Americans and 11,107 people of other ethnicities. Of its voters, 239,963 are Democrats, 117,624 are Republicans, and 93,094 are affiliated to neither party.[6] The make-up of the 5th district, which mostly covers the northeast of the state,[7] now takes in the northern reaches of the Florida Parishes north of Baton Rouge, which were a part of the old 1st and 6th districts.[9]

Republican Party

  • Rodney Alexander, incumbent

Libertarian Party

  • Clay Grant, businessman

Independents

General election

Louisiana's 5th congressional district, 2012 [12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Rodney Alexander (incumbent) 202,536 77.8
Independent Ron Ceasar 37,486 14.4
Libertarian Clay Steven Grant 20,194 7.8
Total votes 260,216 100.0
Republican hold

District 6

Republican Bill Cassidy, who has represented the 6th district since 2009, is running for re-election.[24] The district comprises 334,899 White Americans registered voters, 88,460 African Americans and 16,873 people of other ethnicities. Of its voters, 194,088 are Democrats, 143,160 are Republicans, and 102,984 are affiliated to neither party.[6] It includes the suburbs of Baton Rouge and extends south as far as the outskirts of Houma.[7]

Republican Party

  • Bill Cassidy, incumbent

Libertarian Party

  • Rufus Holt Craig, Jr., lawyer and 2004 Democratic candidate for Louisiana's 6th congressional district[22]

Independents

  • Richard "RPT" Torregano, technician[25]

Results

Louisiana's 6th congressional district, 2012 [12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Bill Cassidy (incumbent) 243,553 79.4
Libertarian Rufus Holt Craig 32,185 10.5
Independent Richard "RPT" Torregano 30,975 10.1
Total votes 306,713 100.0
Republican hold

References

  1. "2012 Elections" (PDF). Secretary of State of Louisiana. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 13, 2012. Retrieved August 10, 2012.
  2. "Statistics for the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 6, 2012" (PDF). Karen Haas, Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. February 28, 2013. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  3. The numbers presented are those cast on November 6, 2013 and do not include the votes cast in the election of December 8, 2012 in the 3rd Congressional District. Charles Boustany (Rep.) received 58,820 votes and Jeff Landry (Rep.) received 37,767 votes in that election.
  4. D'Aprile, Shane (April 14, 2011). "New Louisiana map sets up GOP primary battle". The Hill. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
  5. Ballard, Mark; Shuler, Marsha (April 9, 2011). "Majority of congressmen ask for redistricting delay". The Advocate. Retrieved May 21, 2011.
  6. "Jindal signs bill creating new Louisiana congressional, legislative districts". The Times-Picayune. April 14, 2011. Retrieved May 21, 2011.
  7. Miller, Joshua (May 31, 2011). "Race Ratings: Primaries Are What to Watch in Louisiana". Roll Call. Retrieved June 29, 2011.
  8. "Rep. Steve Scalise helps recruit new GOP candidates". The Times-Picayune. July 31, 2011. Retrieved May 5, 2012.
  9. Isenstadt, Alex (April 13, 2011). "Louisiana map sets up incumbent clash". Politico. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
  10. "In Louisiana, fall congressional races start to take shape". The Times-Picayune. August 15, 2012. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
  11. Anderson, Ed (August 17, 2012). "Louisiana's 6 congressional seats will all be contested". The Times-Picayune. Retrieved August 24, 2012.
  12. "Louisiana Secretary of State Official Election Results for 11/06/2012". November 6, 2012. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  13. Burnett, Lou Gehrig (May 1, 2012). "Louisiana Congressional Races Dull, GOP, Democrat Parties Lively". BayouBuzz.com. Retrieved May 5, 2012.
  14. Tilove, Jonathan (August 17, 2012). "Cedric Richmond draws mysterious challenger in person of Josue Larose". The Times-Picayune. Retrieved August 24, 2012.
  15. Anderson, Ed (August 17, 2012). "U.S. Rep. Rodney Alexander draws challenger; all incumbents now opposed". The Times-Picayune. Retrieved August 24, 2012.
  16. Persac, Nicholas (January 20, 2012). "Boustany will 'absolutely' seek re-election". The Lafayette Daily Advertiser. Retrieved January 24, 2012.
  17. Tilove, Jonathan (May 14, 2012). "Jeff Landry announces he will go head-to-head with Boustany for re-election". The Times-Picayune. Retrieved May 14, 2012.
  18. Hasten, Mike (August 15, 2012). "Boustany, Landry to face two challengers". The Daily Advertiser. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
  19. "Louisiana Secretary of State Official Election Results for 12/08/2012". December 8, 2012. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  20. "Rep. John Fleming fails to intimidate Democrats with his tweets". The Times-Picayune. April 7, 2012. Retrieved May 5, 2012.
  21. Burnett, Lou Gehrig (February 1, 2012). "Bananas over Foster". Bossier Press-Tribune. Retrieved June 2, 2012.
  22. Roberts III, Faimon A. (August 16, 2012). "Nov. 6 qualifying starts". The Advocate. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
  23. As a candidate received more than 50% of the vote in the Non-Partisan Primary, that candidate was declared elected to the House seat and no General Election was held.
  24. Blum, Jordan (May 3, 2012). "Blum: 2014 election already under way". The Advocate. Retrieved May 5, 2012.
  25. Alford, Jeremy (August 16, 2012). "Candidates added to regional races". The Houma Courier. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
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