Louisiana 2011 Legislative Analysis – House District 81

District Map

 
 

House District 81

 

Voting History

 

2008 President
  Current District New District
John McCain (R) 16422 (78%) 13425 (70%)
Barack Obama (D) 4353 (21%) 5415 (28%)
Others 347 (2%) 389 (2%)

 

2008 Senate
  Current District New District
Mary Landrieu (D) 8325 (40%) 9000 (48%)
John Kennedy (R) 12174 (58%) 9242 (50%)
Others 385 (2%) 439 (2%)

 

2010 Senate
  Current District New District
David Vitter (R) 11493 (76%) 7745 (63%)
Charlie Melancon (D) 2985 (20%) 3992 (32%)
Others 619 (4%) 633 (5%)

 

2010 Lt Governor
  Current District New District
Jay Dardenne (R) 11632 (77%) 7469 (60%)
Caroline Fayard (D) 3387 (23%) 4904 (40%)

 Current District

House District 81 was located in Metairie and was bounded by the infamous 17th Street Canal in the east, Causeway Boulevard in the west, Lake Pontchartrain in the north, and the Earhart Expressway in the south. Within its boundaries were both the upper income neighborhood of Old Metairie and an old fishing village called Bucktown near the 17th Street Canal, which now is a mixture of shotgun houses, apartments, seafood restaurants, and expensive high-rises.

Demographically, this district was the whitest legislative district in the entire state, with a 4% black voter registration (up from 2% in 2003). Republicans generally get 3 to 1 from the voters of the district, although Mary Landrieu’s New Orleans roots have enabled her to be more competitive than other Democrats.

The legislative representation of the district has been unique in that it has been a Republican stronghold for years, and all of its recent occupants have sought higher office, with varying levels of success. Charles Cusimano, originally elected in 1980 as a Democrat, was one of about a dozen legislators who switched parties in 1984. When he resigned in 1988 to take a district judgeship, the race to succeed him generated national attention, because Democrat-turned-Republican former Klansman and Nazi David Duke defeated Republican John Treen (Dave Treen’s brother) by a razor-thin margin. Rep. Duke’s tenure, however, was brief, and during his legislative service, he unsuccessfully sought election to the U.S. Senate and Governor. In his landslide loss to Edwin Edwards in 1991, he even lost his own legislative district.

Duke was replaced by David Vitter in 1991, who had little trouble getting elected or keeping his seat. He left in early 1999 upon election to the U.S. House of Representatives (he is currently Louisiana’s first elected Republican Senator). Vitter was succeeded by another Republican (Jennifer Sneed) who resigned after her election to the Jefferson Parish Council in 2003. She was succeeded by Republican John LaBruzzo, who in 2005 unsuccessfully sought the state Senate seat that opened up as a result of the death of John Hainkel. While Rep. LaBruzzo can seek another term, his district was eliminated in redistricting, so he has to decide whether to run against a fellow Republican, seek a different office, or retire from politics.

Proposed District

Population losses in Orleans and Jefferson Parish made redistricting a tricky proposition for the area: while District 81 itself had 99% of the population needed for an ideal district, population losses in adjacent districts in the East Bank of Jefferson Parish and Orleans resulted in the district being eliminated. Precincts along the lake (and Rep. LaBruzzo’s home) that represented half of the district population were placed in District 94, which is represented by New Orleans Republican Nick Lorusso. Cameron Henry’s District 82 absorbed the precincts in Old Metairie south of I-10, while Metairie Republican Joe Lopinto absorbed a handful of precincts between Esplanade and Veterans.

The new district has been relocated to the exurbs of Baton Rouge and contains parts of four parishes. 52% of the voters live in portions of Livingston Parish south of I-12. While this 6% black area once supported populist Democrats, this fast growing area is now solidly conservative, and supported David Vitter 70-24% over Charlie Melancon. The southeastern portion of Ascension Parish represents another 12% of the district and is 14% black. This is also a rapidly growing area (as evidenced by the success of Pelican Point subdivision) that is rapidly moving into the Republican column: David Vitter carried this area 67-28%. The remainder (36% of the voters) of the district is in precincts on the east bank of St James and St John Parishes between Gramercy and Reserve. This Democratic leaning area is 34% black by voter registration and was more evenly split in the Senate race: David Vitter carried these precincts 51-44%.

Overall, you have a district that is likely to go Republican this fall, but the presence of precincts from the River Parishes of St James and St John means that a Democrat could make this a competitive race.