INCUMBENT: Taylor Barras (Republican)

DESCRIPTION: House District 48 is centered in New Iberia (in Iberia Parish), and also contains parts of Lafayette and Saint Martin Parishes that have seen substantial suburban growth as the Lafayette metropolitan area steadily moves southward and eastward. There is a simple reason for the unusual shape of the district that was once “the New Iberia district”: the 2011 reapportionment created a black majority district from black neighborhoods along Bayou Teche between New Iberia and Breaux Bridge, and many of those New Iberia precincts were supplied by District 48.

DISTRICT MAP:

District Map

RED/BLUE RATING (using 2008, 2012, and 2014 elections): 75% Republican

JMCEL’s SUMMARY: Few districts have seen their political complexion change as much District 48 has. Before the 2011 reapportionment, the district was centered on New Iberia and had a black voter registration of over 30%, which meant it could be counted on to vote Democratic at the legislative level, even as the affluent neighborhoods in New Iberia and along Bayou Teche enabled Republicans to carry the district in most statewide elections. The 2011 reapportionment changed the district by removing the black precincts in the center of New Iberia and moving the district towards Lafayette to include rapidly growing suburban neighborhoods in and around Youngsville. This resulted in a district that now had a solidly Republican constituency, with recent GOP levels of support near 80%. This change also had a direct impact on the district’s legislative representation. Before reapportionment, business friendly Democrat Taylor Barras was easily elected in 2007 when term limits created an open seat race. Even though Republicans gave him a pass that year (and they probably would have in 2011), once the new district lines took effect, he changed to the Republican Party right before qualifying, and this proved to be sound “re-election insurance” – he was unopposed in the 2011 election cycle. He is allowed to seek one more term, but a district that gave Barack Obama and Mary Landrieu less than 25% of the vote is not one a Republican incumbent should have problems with.