Louisiana's 3rd congressional district

Louisiana's 3rd congressional district is a United States congressional district in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The district covers the southwestern and south central portion of the state, ranging from the Texas border to the Atchafalaya River.

Louisiana's 3rd congressional district
Louisiana's 3rd congressional district since January 3, 2013.
Representative
  Clay Higgins
RLafayette
Distribution
  • 73.4% urban[1]
  • 26.6% rural
Population (2019)785,101[2]
Median household
income
$51,504[2]
Ethnicity
Cook PVIR+20[3]

The district is currently represented by Republican Clay Higgins, a former sheriff's deputy from Port Barre known for his controversial Crime Stoppers videos. He was first elected to the United States House of Representatives in the December 10th runoff against public service commissioner Scott Angelle to replace Charles Boustany.[4]

History

Louisiana gained its 2nd and 3rd congressional districts in 1823 as part of the 18th United States Congress. Since at least the 1870s, the district has been strongly influenced by southern Louisiana's Acadian culture.

Although the 3rd congressional district had been Democratic through much of its history, it is the sole district in Louisiana to have been represented by three parties during the 20th century, in that Whitmell P. Martin represented the district as a "Bull Moose" Progressive from 1915 to 1919, when he switched to the Democratic Party. Since the turn of the 20th century, it had dominated Louisiana as a one-party state after the legislature passed a new constitution that effectively disenfranchised African Americans through the 1960s. Martin remained in office as a Democrat until his death in 1929.

The district became more competitive for the Republicans later in the 20th century, when conservative whites shifted into the Republican Party after passage of civil rights legislation by Congress. In 1966, Hall Lyons of Lafayette, polled 40 percent of the vote as a Republican candidate against veteran Democratic incumbent Edwin E. Willis. In 1972, the district elected David C. Treen as the first Republican U.S. representative from Louisiana since 1891.

The state legislature redistricted in the 1980s, pushing the district out of the fast-growing suburbs of Metairie and the city of Kenner, to help keep the seat in the hands of Treen's Democratic successor, Billy Tauzin. Tauzin eventually switched to the Republican Party in 1995, making the 3rd congressional district unique in 20th-century Louisiana politics as the sole district to have two representatives who switched parties (Martin, who switched from the Progressives to the Democrats in 1918, and Tauzin, who switched from the Democrats to the Republicans in 1995). As a Republican, Tauzin continued to serve until retiring from Congress in 2005. Democrat Charlie Melançon won the seat in 2004 (seated in 2005), was reelected in 2006, and was unopposed in 2008.

For most of the time from 1823 to 2013, the district contained large portions of southeastern and south central Louisiana, including the River Parishes and East Acadiana, In its final configuration, it included many exurban and rural areas near New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Lafayette. It contained the cities of Chalmette, Gonzales, Houma, Thibodaux, Morgan City, and New Iberia.

However, when Louisiana lost a district after the 2010 census, the old 3rd was dismantled. The new 3rd included most of southwestern Louisiana, including Lafayette and Lake Charles. Most of this territory had been the 7th district before the 2010 census. The old 3rd's last congressman, freshman Republican Jeff Landry, had his home in New Iberia, along with much of the western portion of his district, drawn into the new 3rd. He opted to challenge the 7th district's four-term incumbent, fellow Republican Charles Boustany, in the GOP primary. However, Landry could not overcome the fact that he was running in a district in which more than 60 percent of his constituents were new to him. He lost to Boustany in the primary, ending his brief congressional career. The new 3rd, like both the old 3rd and 7th, has a rich Cajun culture.

Recent presidential elections

Election results from presidential races
Year Office Results
2000 President Bush 52–45%
2004 President Bush 58–41%
2008 President McCain 61–37%
2012 President Romney 66–32%
2016 President Trump 67–29%
2020 President Trump 68–30%

List of members representing the district

Member
(Residence)
Party Years Cong
ress
Electoral history District location
District created March 4, 1823
William Leigh Brent
(Saint Martinville, St. Martin Parish)
Democratic-Republican March 4, 1823 –
March 3, 1825
18th
19th
20th
Elected in 1822.
Re-elected in 1824.
Re-elected in 1826.
Retired.
1823–1833
Avoyelles, Catahoula, Concordia, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Rapides, Saint Landry, Saint Martin, and Saint Mary parishes[5]
Anti-Jacksonian March 4, 1825 –
March 3, 1829
Walter Hampden Overton
(Rapides Parish)
Jacksonian March 4, 1829 –
March 3, 1831
21st Elected in 1828.
Retired.

Henry Adams Bullard
(Natchitoches Parish)
Anti-Jacksonian March 4, 1831 –
January 4, 1834
22nd
23rd
Elected in 1830.
Re-elected in 1832.
Resigned to become judge of Supreme Court of Louisiana.
1833–1843
[data unknown/missing]
Vacant January 4, 1834 –
April 28, 1834
23rd
Rice Garland
(Opelousas, St. Landry Parish)
Anti-Jacksonian April 28, 1834 –
March 3, 1837
23rd
24th
25th
26th
Elected to finish Bullard's term.
Re-elected later in 1834.
Re-elected in 1836.
Re-elected in 1838.
Resigned to become judge of Supreme Court of Louisiana.
Whig March 4, 1837 –
July 21, 1840
Vacant July 21, 1840 –
December 17, 1840
26th

John Moore
(Franklin, St. Mary Parish)
Whig December 17, 1840 –
March 3, 1843
26th
27th
Elected to finish Garland's term.
Re-elected later in 1840.
Lost re-election.

John Bennett Dawson
(St. Francisville, West Feliciana Parish)
Democratic March 4, 1843 –
June 26, 1845
28th
29th
Redistricted from the 2nd district and re-elected in 1842.
Re-elected in 1844.
Died.
1843–1853
[data unknown/missing]
John Henry Harmanson
(Avoyelles Parish)
Democratic ????, 1845 –
October 24, 1850
29th
30th
31st
Elected to finish Dawson's term.
Re-elected in 1846.
Re-elected in 1848.
Died.
Vacant October 24, 1850 –
December 30, 1850
31st
Alexander Gordon Penn
(St. Tammany Parish)
Democratic December 30, 1850 –
March 3, 1853
31st
32nd
Elected to finish Harmanson's term.
Also elected to the next full term.
Retired.
John Perkins Jr.
(Madison Parish)
Democratic March 4, 1853 –
March 3, 1855
33rd Elected in 1852.
Retired.
1853–1861
[data unknown/missing]

Thomas Green Davidson
(Springfield, Livingston Parish)
Democratic March 4, 1855 –
March 3, 1861
34th
35th
36th
Elected in 1854.
Re-elected in 1856.
Re-elected in 1858.
Withdrew due to onset of Civil War.
Vacant March 3, 1861 –
July 18, 1868
36th
37th
38th
39th
40th
Civil War and Reconstruction era

Joseph Parkinson Newsham
(Saint Francisville, West Feliciana Parish)
Republican July 18, 1868 –
March 3, 1869
40th Elected to finish the vacant term.
Redistricted to the 4th district
1868–1873
[data unknown/missing]

Chester Bidwell Darrall
(Morgan City, St. Mary Parish)
Republican March 4, 1869 –
February 20, 1878
41st
42nd
43rd
44th
45th
Elected in 1868.
Re-elected in 1870.
Re-elected in 1872.
Re-elected in 1874.
Re-elected in 1876.
Lost election contest.
1873–1883
[data unknown/missing]

Joseph H. Acklen
(St. Mary Parish)
Democratic February 20, 1878 –
March 3, 1881
45th
46th
Won election contest.
Re-elected in 1878.
Retired.

Chester Bidwell Darrall
(Morgan City, St. Mary Parish)
Republican March 4, 1881 –
March 3, 1883
47th Elected in 1880.
Lost re-election.

William Pitt Kellogg
(New Orleans)
Republican March 4, 1883 –
March 3, 1885
48th Elected in 1882.
Lost re-election.
1883–1893
[data unknown/missing]

Edward James Gay
(New Orleans)
Democratic March 4, 1885 –
May 30, 1889
49th
50th
51st
Elected in 1884.
Re-elected in 1886.
Re-elected in 1888.
Died.
Vacant May 30, 1889 –
December 2, 1889
51st

Andrew Price
(Franklin, St. Mary Parish)
Democratic December 2, 1889 –
March 3, 1897
51st
52nd
53rd
54th
Elected to finish Gay's term.
Re-elected in 1890.
Re-elected in 1892.
Re-elected in 1894.
Retired.
1893–1903
[data unknown/missing]

Robert Foligny Broussard
(New Iberia, Iberia Parish)
Democratic March 4, 1897 –
March 3, 1915
55th
56th
57th
58th
59th
60th
61st
62nd
63rd
Elected in 1896.
Re-elected in 1898.
Re-elected in 1900.
Re-elected in 1902.
Re-elected in 1904.
Re-elected in 1906.
Re-elected in 1908.
Re-elected in 1910.
Re-elected in 1912.
Retired to run for U.S. senator.
1903–1913
[data unknown/missing]
1913–1923
[data unknown/missing]

Whitmell P. Martin
(Thibodaux, Lafourche Parish)
Progressive March 4, 1915 –
March 3, 1919
64th
65th
66th
67th
68th
69th
70th
71st
Elected in 1914.
Re-elected in 1916.
Re-elected in 1918.
Re-elected in 1920.
Re-elected in 1922.
Re-elected in 1924.
Re-elected in 1926.
Re-elected in 1928.
Died.
Democratic March 4, 1919 –
April 6, 1929
1923–1933
[data unknown/missing]
Numa Francois Montet
(Thibodaux, Lafourche Parish)
Democratic August 6, 1929 –
January 3, 1937
71st
72nd
73rd
74th
Elected to finish Martin's term.
Re-elected in 1930.
Re-elected in 1932.
Re-elected in 1934.
Lost renomination.
1933–1943
[data unknown/missing]

Robert L. Mouton
(Lafayette)
Democratic January 3, 1937 –
January 3, 1941
75th
76th
Elected in 1936.
Re-elected in 1938.
Lost renomination.

James Domengeaux
(Lafayette)
Democratic January 3, 1941 –
April 15, 1944
77th
78th
Elected in 1940.
Re-elected in 1942.
Resigned to join the Armed Forces.
1943–1953
[data unknown/missing]
Vacant April 15, 1944 –
November 7, 1944
78th

James Domengeaux
(Lafayette)
Democratic November 7, 1944 –
January 3, 1949
78th
79th
80th
Elected to finish his own term.
Also elected to the next full term.
Re-elected in 1946.
Retired to run for U.S. senator.

Edwin E. Willis
(Arnaudville, St. Landry Parish)
Democratic January 3, 1949 –
January 3, 1969
81st
82nd
83rd
84th
85th
86th
87th
88th
89th
90th
Elected in 1948.
Re-elected in 1950.
Re-elected in 1952.
Re-elected in 1954.
Re-elected in 1956.
Re-elected in 1958.
Re-elected in 1960.
Re-elected in 1962.
Re-elected in 1964.
Re-elected in 1966.
Lost renomination.
1953–1963
[data unknown/missing]
1963–1973
[data unknown/missing]

Patrick T. Caffery
(New Iberia, Iberia Parish)
Democratic January 3, 1969 –
January 3, 1973
91st
92nd
Elected in 1968.
Re-elected in 1970.
Retired.

Dave Treen
(Metairie, Jefferson Parish)
Republican January 3, 1973 –
March 10, 1980
93rd
94th
95th
96th
Elected in 1972.
Re-elected in 1974.
Re-elected in 1976.
Re-elected in 1978.
Resigned when elected governor.
1973–1983
[data unknown/missing]
Vacant March 10, 1980 –
May 22, 1980
96th

Billy Tauzin
(Chackbay, Lafourche Parish)
Democratic May 22, 1980 –
August 8, 1995
96th
97th
98th
99th
100th
101st
102nd
103rd
104th
105th
106th
107th
108th
Elected to finish Treen's term.
Re-elected later in 1980.
Re-elected in 1982.
Re-elected in 1984.
Re-elected in 1986.
Re-elected in 1988.
Re-elected in 1990.
Re-elected in 1992.
Re-elected in 1994.
Re-elected in 1996.
Re-elected in 1998.
Re-elected in 2000.
Re-elected in 2002.
Retired.
1983–1993
[data unknown/missing]
1993–2003
[data unknown/missing]
Republican August 8, 1995 –
January 3, 2005
2003–2013

Charlie Melançon
(Napoleonville, Assumption Parish)
Democratic January 3, 2005 –
January 3, 2011
109th
110th
111th
Elected in 2004.
Re-elected in 2006.
Re-elected in 2008.
Retired to run for U.S. senator.

Jeff Landry
(Thibodaux, Lafourche Parish)
Republican January 3, 2011 –
January 3, 2013
112th Elected in 2010.
Lost re-election.

Charles Boustany
(Lafayette)
Republican January 3, 2013 –
January 3, 2017
113th
114th
Redistricted from the 7th district and re-elected in 2012.
Re-elected in 2014.
Retired to run for U.S. senator.
2013–present

Clay Higgins
(Lafayette)
Republican January 3, 2017 –
present
115th
116th
117th
Elected in 2016.
Re-elected in 2018.
Re-elected in 2020.

Recent election results

2002

Louisiana's 3rd Congressional District Election (2002)
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Billy Tauzin (Incumbent) 130,323 86.68
Libertarian William Beier 12,964 8.62
Independent David Iwancio 7,055 4.69
Total votes 150,342 100.00
Turnout   44.2
Republican hold

2004

Louisiana's 3rd Congressional District Runoff Election (December 4, 2004)
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Charlie Melançon 57,611 50.25
Republican Billy Tauzin III 57,042 49.75
Total votes 114,653 100.00
Turnout   27.8
Democratic gain from Republican

2006

Louisiana's 3rd Congressional District Election (2006)
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Charlie Melançon (Incumbent) 75,023 55.03
Republican Craig F. Romero 54,950 40.31
Democratic Olangee Breech 4,190 3.07
Libertarian James Lee Blake Jr. 2,168 1.59
Total votes 136,331 100.00
Turnout   34.4
Democratic hold

2008

Louisiana's 3rd Congressional District Election (2008)
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Charlie Melançon (Incumbent) 100.00
Total votes 100.00
Turnout  
Democratic hold

2010

Louisiana's 3rd Congressional District Election (2010)
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jeff Landry 108,963 63.77
Democratic Ravi Sangisetty 61,914 36.23
Total votes 170,877 100.00
Turnout   44.8
Republican gain from Democratic

2012

Louisiana's 3rd Congressional District Election (2012)
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Charles Boustany 58,820 60.90
Republican Jeff Landry 37,764 39.10
Total votes 96,584 100.00
Turnout   19.3
Republican hold

2014

Louisiana's 3rd Congressional District Election (2014)
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Charles Boustany 185,867 79
Republican Bryan Barrilleaux 22,059 9
No Party Russell Richard 28,342 12
Total votes 236,268 100.00
Turnout   51.1
Republican hold

2016

Louisiana's 3rd Congressional district election, 2016
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Clay Higgins 77,671 56.1
Republican Scott Angelle 60,762 43.9
Total votes 138,433 100
Turnout   28.1
Republican hold

2018

Louisiana's 3rd Congressional district election, 2016
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Clay Higgins 136,876 55.7
Democratic Mildred Methvin 43,729 17.8
Republican Josh Guillory 31,387 12.8
Democratic Rob Anderson 13,477 5.5
Democratic Larry Rader 9,692 3.9
Democratic Verone Thomas 7,815 3.2
Libertarian Aaron Andrus 2,967 1.2
Total votes 245,943 100
Republican hold

2020

Louisiana's 3rd congressional district, 2020
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Clay Higgins 230,480 67.76
Democratic Braylon Harris 60,852 17.89
Democratic Rob Anderson 39,423 11.59
Libertarian Brandon Leleux 9,365 2.75
Total votes 340,120 100.0
Republican hold

See also

References

  1. Bureau, US Census. "Geography Program". The United States Census Bureau.
  2. Center for New Media & Promotion (CNMP), US Census Bureau. "My Congressional District". www.census.gov.
  3. "Partisan Voting Index – Districts of the 115th Congress" (PDF). The Cook Political Report. April 7, 2017. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
  4. "Republicans Angelle, Higgins Set for Runoff in Louisiana's 3rd District". Roll Call. 2016-11-08. Retrieved 2016-11-19.
  5. "A New Nation Votes". elections.lib.tufts.edu.

Sources

  • Martis, Kenneth C. (1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
  • Martis, Kenneth C. (1982). The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
  • Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–present, bioguide.congress.gov; accessed November 18, 2016.

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