INCUMBENT: Joe Lopinto (Republican)

DESCRIPTION: House District 80 is located in the heart of Metairie in Jefferson Parish along either side of I-10 roughly between the Clearview and Causeway exits.

DISTRICT MAP:

District Map

RED/BLUE RATING (using 2008, 2012, and 2014 elections): 69% Republican

JMCEL’s SUMMARY: House District 80 has long been a heavily Republican district, although demographic changes in the apartment complexes along I-10 have resulted in a district that has a 10% black voter registration. Plus, the district has shown some affection for former senator (and New Orleans native) Mary Landrieu. In legislative elections, this is one of the few legislative districts that has had Republican representation since the 1970s, and it typically only sees contested races when the seat opens up, which last happened in 2007. In that race, Republican Joe Lopinto was elected with 59% of the vote in the primary against a fellow Republican and was unopposed for re-election in 2011. He is allowed to serve one more term, and shouldn’t have re-election problems this year.