INCUMBENT: Terry Brown (Independent)

DESCRIPTION: House District 22 is located in central and north Louisiana, and contains all of Grant Parish, as well as parts of LaSalle, Natchitoches, Red River, and Winn Parishes. This is a primarily rural district, although there has been some suburban overflow from Alexandria in Grant Parish.

DISTRICT MAP:

District Map

RED/BLUE RATING (using 2008, 2012, and 2014 elections): 78% Republican

JMCEL’s SUMMARY: House District 22 is one that is interesting to follow for several reasons. It in the last decade has generally voted Republican in statewide races (although it did give Democrat Kathleen Blanco 58% of the vote the first time “Bobby” Jindal was on the ballot in 2003). However, in legislative races, the district is noticeably less predictable and arguably is the most incumbent unfriendly legislative district in the entire state. Not only have four incumbents been defeated in this district since it was created in 1971, but since 1983, it has only once (in 2007) given the winning candidate more than 54% of the vote. Furthermore, it has twice elected Independents. The 2011 race here is a case in point of the turbulent politics of this district: former incumbent Billy Chandler (a Democrat) was narrowly elected in a 2006 special election and was easily elected to a full term in 2007, despite GOP legislative victories elsewhere in the area. And when former Rep. Chandler switched to the Republican Party early in 2011, it was thought he’d solidify his odds of being re-elected. Instead, he only received 48% of the vote in the runoff against Independent Terry Brown. Rep. Brown is allowed to serve two more terms. Given the turbulent electoral history of the district, he can expect a challenging re-election, especially since he’s an Independent, and the last Independent elected here (in 1991) only served a single term.