INCUMBENT: Cameron Henry (Republican)

DESCRIPTION: House District 82 is located in the Eastbank of Jefferson Parish and includes portions of Metairie and Jefferson. This is a district that contains lower, middle and upper income precincts (Old Metairie was added to the district after the 2011 reapportionment), although the predominant tone of this district is middle class.

DISTRICT MAP:

District Map

RED/BLUE RATING (using 2008, 2012, and 2014 elections): 67% Republican

JMCEL’s SUMMARY:  House District 82 is a suburban district that has long has Republican representation ever since a former Democrat (Quentin Dastague) switched parties in 1984 as a reaction against tax increases former Governor Edwards pushed through the legislature that year. This district is also notable for having ambitious legislators who all have sought higher office with varying levels of success, as Rep. Dastague vacated the seat in 1995 to make an abortive attempt at running for Governor. Republican Steve Scalise succeeded him, and served until he was term limited out in 2007, when he was actually elected to the state Senate first before getting elected to the US House of Representatives several months later (incidentally, the vacant Congressional seat Scalise successfully ran for in 2008 was vacated by “Bobby” Jindal after his election as Governor). In the open seat race to succeed Scalise, former Scalise aide Cameron Henry was elected in the primary with 57% of the vote and was unopposed for re-election in 2011. He is allowed to serve one more term and shouldn’t have any problems with re-election – the only question for Rep. Henry is which office he will run for next, given the ambitions of the last two occupants of this seat.