Incumbent – Steve Pugh (R – Term Limited in 2019)

District Map

House District 73

Vote History

Current District 

Tangipahoa is one of several parishes in the Florida Parishes region whose politics are being changed by suburbanization. It contains a demographic “gumbo” similar to Baton Rouge: a state university (Southeastern), a noticeable black population generally in the northern part of the parish, and increasing suburbanization from both Baton Rouge and New Orleans that has accelerated since Hurricane Katrina – the parish grew 20% over the last decade, while Louisiana as a whole only grew 1.4%. 

In general, House District 73 includes Tangipahoa Parish south of US 190, and it includes Hammond and Ponchatoula. This portion of the parish is the more conservative portion that contains most of the new suburban neighborhoods developed for those fleeing Baton Rouge and New Orleans. The district has a modest 19% black voter registration (up from 16% when the lines were last drawn).

 Politically, this is a district that consistently votes for Republican candidates at the state and federal level, and those tendencies have grown stronger in recent years. This was one of several legislative districts that was part of the 1995 GOP wave that flipped several Florida Parish districts along the I-12 corridor to the Republicans. From 1972 to 1996, Democrat Dennis Hebert represented the district. Republicans never really attempted to compete here until 1991, and in that year, Rep. Hebert was held to a 53-47% runoff win against Republican Steve Pugh – it could be argued that the Edwards/Duke race that generated high minority turnout probably helped Hebert get re-elected. Four years later, however, Rep. Hebert lost to Republican insurance agent “Tank” Powell 51-49%. Powell served with little incident until term limits forced him to retire in 2007. 

In the open seat race to succeed Rep. Powell, the three Republicans running received a combined 89% of the vote, and businessman Steve Pugh (who came close to winning in 1991) was elected after the primary, when his runoff opponent withdrew from the race shortly after the primary. He is allowed to serve two more terms.

New District

Reapportionment was relatively simple in Tangipahoa Parish, due to the robust population growth. District 73 was 26% over populated, and had to contract in size. The Hammond precincts in the northern end of the district were moved over, mostly to the new district (District 86) which was created. Additionally, a handful of precincts along the Livingston and St. Tammany Parish lines were added to the district. These changes reduced the black voter registration from 19 to 16%, and strengthened an already decidedly Republican district. Rep. Pugh (or any other Republican) shouldn’t have problems with getting re-elected from this district.