Decision 2015: JMCEL’s “bite sized politics” (House District 104)
INCUMBENT: Paul Hollis (Republican)
DESCRIPTION: House District 104 is located in Saint Tammany Parish and includes territory on both sides of I-12 between Covington and Slidell, and is centered on the town of Lacombe.
DISTRICT MAP:
RED/BLUE RATING (using 2008, 2012, and 2014 elections): 69% Republican
JMCEL’s SUMMARY: Saint Tammany Parish for decades has benefitted from continuing strong population growth, as its state House delegation has expanded to the point that the parish now contains all or parts of seven state house districts. House District 104 was created during the 2011 reapportionment, as a district that was once centered in Chalmette in Saint Bernard Parish was relocated here, thanks to heavy population losses in Saint Bernard Parish and additional population movement into Saint Tammany Parish in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. This is a heavily Republican district that will likely see strong suburban growth in the future, as areas around Slidell and Mandeville are beginning to run out of developable room. Since this seat was created in 2011, it has little in the way of political history, although it elected Republican Paul Hollis (whose late father once represented Metairie in the Louisiana Senate for years) with 56% of the vote in the primary. Rep. Hollis is allowed to serve two more terms, and is in excellent shape for re-election.