GOP, Democrats trade congressional seats in Louisiana runoffs

AP ^ | 12/4/4 | ADAM NOSSITER

[SmithL]

NEW ORLEANS -- Republicans picked up a congressional seat in southern Louisiana on Saturday, but gave another right back to Democrats in a second, much closer runoff election that was also in Cajun country.

A longtime Democratic bastion in Louisiana's 7th District went to Republican Charles Boustany, a retired heart surgeon. With 94 percent of the precincts reporting, Boustany had 72,223 votes or 55 percent, and Democratic state Sen. Willie Landry Mount had 58,968 or 45 percent.

Farther south, Billy Tauzin III narrowly lost a race to succeed his retiring father, a Republican House of Representatives powerhouse. In the 3rd District, with 100 percent of precincts reporting, Democrat Charles Melancon had 57,609 votes, and Tauzin trailed him by barely 500 votes, with 57,092.

Louisiana has no law requiring an automatic recount of a close election. All absentee votes were included, and no clerks reported provisional ballots.

[Seattle Conservative]

500 votes! Sounds like we need a recount. While I see LA law doesn't have an auto recount, shouldn't the Repubs demand one? Hey, if the Dims can do a 2nd recount in WA for Gov....

[BerniesFriend]

Actually..the dems have really elected another GOP congressman in the house..melancon, outside of voting for pelosi, which is sickening in its own right, is going to vote GOP on every issue..he saw that he barely beat a lightweight this go round..he runs in two years and he might face a better opponent..

[Galactic Overlord-In-Chief]

I hope he is as conservative as you say he is...with all the mudslinging going about in this race I have no idea what his complete record and positions are like.

[BerniesFriend]

I don't know who melancon is..but after watching the results tonite..he is going to vote GOP or he is out in two years..win win for the GOP here in Louisiana..which is rare..I am just so happy that my district..the seventh finally has ELECTED a Republican congressman..wow..

[Galactic Overlord-In-Chief]

I feel for you...and the best part is that winning that seat plugs a giant RAT hole that keeps churning out people like Edwin Edwards, John Breaux, Chris John, and now it's ours!

[staytrue]

Losing Tauzin III is no great loss. I'm glad the heart surgeon won, but Tauzin was not a very good candidate.

[Torie]

Well, I am 0-2 for these two elections. Tauzin fils turned out to be a flop, and I am amazed at the other race, without really knowing the candidates, but knowing the district. Maybe that was a flip side sort of thing. Time for some psephological humility I guess. God, I hate when that happens.

[nj26]

"Losing Tauzin III is no great loss."

Dynastic candidates are always a risk. We need to remember that in 2008, before anybody launches a "draft Jeb" campaign.

[Torie]

Come to think of it, MD's really have a tail wind when they catch the political bug, unlike lawyers. That is very unfair. Someone ought to write a book about how folks just love docs, when they run for office.

[Torie]

Congressional incumbents almost never lose down there in swamps.

[crasher]

I think, In 2000, LA-07 went for Bush by more than LA-03. I think that year, LA-03 was 2nd most Democratic in state by prez numbers.

[Torie]

Of course in checking the numbers you are right. You have a very pleasant way of pointing out that I am a dumb-ass, and for that I salute you. :)

[LdSentinal]

I don't care much for Romero; he endorsed Blanco over Jindal last year. Melancon won't switch to the GOP as easily as did Rodney Alexander.

[staytrue]

We need to remember that in 2008, before anybody launches a "draft Jeb" campaign.

I've met Jeb. I really like Jeb. Jeb has a 70% approval rating. Further, Jeb is not a Tauzin. Comparing the Tauzin's to the Bush's is absurd. I've also met Marvin Bush and we all know about Neil Bush and running those guys for anything higher than state legislature would be a mistake. But Jeb would be a terrific president.

[staytrue]

I forgot to add that a lot of people really like George P. Bush, Jeb's son for president in something like 2020.

[Theodore R.]

Why do people think Melancon will be conservative? He was once an aide to J. Bennett Johnston, Jr., who dictated Mary Landrieu as Johnston's own successor in the Senate.

[goldstategop]

I dunno but Cajuns like someone from the country in one of the Senate seats in the Pelican State. If Landrieu did not have her name going for, she'd be gone long ago.

[gop_gene]

I don't care much for Romero; he endorsed Blanco over Jindal last year. Melancon won't switch to the GOP as easily as did Rodney Alexander.

I don't know much about Melancon, but why is that? Tauzin came really close to him this time, despite the fact that he's a lightweight and may have been hurt by the perception that he was trying to ride in on his daddy's name.

[ambrose]

The surgeon thing seems to work well....