Louisiana's 6th congressional district special election, 2008
Encyclopedia
The February 2, 2008 resignation of Republican
Richard Baker
triggered a special election for Louisiana's 6th district
. In anticipation of this election, party qualifying occurred before Baker's resignation. The timeline mirrored that of the 2008 special election for the 1st congressional district
. The two elections were the first Louisiana congressional elections not based on Louisiana's jungle primary
system since the 1970s.
Democrat
Don Cazayoux
won the 6th district election, beating Republican Woody Jenkins
by three percentage points, as well as two independent
candidates and a member of the Constitution Party
. He was sworn in on May 6, switching the party affiliation of the seat. (This was the second time such a party switch occurred due to a special election during the 110th Congress.)
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Richard Baker
Richard Baker (politician)
Richard Hugh Baker , an American politician,is a lobbyist and former Republican member of the United States House of Representatives, having represented the 6th District of Louisiana from 1987 to 2008.-Early life and career:...
triggered a special election for Louisiana's 6th district
Louisiana's 6th congressional district
Louisiana's 6th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Louisiana. Located in south-central Louisiana, the district contains the state capital of Baton Rouge and its suburbs and the western half of the Florida Parishes and areas west and south of Baton Rouge...
. In anticipation of this election, party qualifying occurred before Baker's resignation. The timeline mirrored that of the 2008 special election for the 1st congressional district
Louisiana's 1st congressional district special election, 2008
Voters in voting in a special election on May 3, 2008, elected Steve Scalise as a new member of the United States House of Representatives, replacing Representative Bobby Jindal who resigned on January 14, 2008, to become Governor of Louisiana....
. The two elections were the first Louisiana congressional elections not based on Louisiana's jungle primary
Jungle primary
A nonpartisan blanket primary is a primary election in which all candidates for elected office run in the same primary regardless of political party. Under this system, the top two candidates who receive the most votes advance to the next round, as in a runoff election...
system since the 1970s.
Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Don Cazayoux
Don Cazayoux
Donald J. 'Don' Cazayoux, Jr. is a former Democratic U.S. Representative from Louisiana's 6th congressional district. He is currently US Attorney for the Middle District of Louisiana....
won the 6th district election, beating Republican Woody Jenkins
Woody Jenkins
Louis Elwood "Woody" Jenkins is a newspaper editor in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, who served as a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1972–2000 and waged three unsuccessful races for the United States Senate....
by three percentage points, as well as two independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
candidates and a member of the Constitution Party
Constitution Party (United States)
The Constitution Party is a paleoconservative political party in the United States. It was founded as the U.S. Taxpayers' Party by Howard Philips in 1991. Phillips was the party's candidate in the 1992, 1996 and 2000 presidential elections...
. He was sworn in on May 6, switching the party affiliation of the seat. (This was the second time such a party switch occurred due to a special election during the 110th Congress.)
Candidates
- Don CazayouxDon CazayouxDonald J. 'Don' Cazayoux, Jr. is a former Democratic U.S. Representative from Louisiana's 6th congressional district. He is currently US Attorney for the Middle District of Louisiana....
, Louisiana State RepresentativeLouisiana House of RepresentativesThe Louisiana House of Representatives is the lower house in the Louisiana State Legislature, the state legislature of the US state of Louisiana. The House is composed of 105 Representatives, each of whom represents approximately 42,500 people . Members serve four-year terms with a term limit of... - Michael L. Jackson, Louisiana State RepresentativeLouisiana House of RepresentativesThe Louisiana House of Representatives is the lower house in the Louisiana State Legislature, the state legislature of the US state of Louisiana. The House is composed of 105 Representatives, each of whom represents approximately 42,500 people . Members serve four-year terms with a term limit of...
- Jason DeCuir — Lawyer and unsuccessful State Senate candidate
- Andy KopplinAndy KopplinAndy Kopplin is the former chief of staff to Louisiana Governors Mike Foster and Kathleen Babineaux Blanco . He has also served as Executive Director with the Louisiana Recovery Authority. Kopplin is a graduate of Rice University and the John F...
, former Chief of Staff to Governors FosterMurphy J. Foster, Jr.Murphy James "Mike" Foster, Jr. served as 53rd Governor of Louisiana from January 1996 until January 2004. Foster's father was Murphy J. Foster, Jr., but Mike Foster uses "Jr." even though he is technically Murphy J. Foster, III. Foster is a businessman, landowner, and sportsman in St...
and BlancoKathleen BlancoKathleen Babineaux Blanco was the 54th Governor of Louisiana, having served from January 2004 until January 2008. She was the first woman to be elected to the office of governor of Louisiana....
, former LRALouisiana Recovery AuthorityThe Louisiana Recovery Authority is the governmental body created in the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita by Governor Kathleen Blanco to plan for the recovery and rebuilding of Louisiana...
Executive Director - Joe Delatte, construction worker
Results
Candidates
- Woody JenkinsWoody JenkinsLouis Elwood "Woody" Jenkins is a newspaper editor in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, who served as a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1972–2000 and waged three unsuccessful races for the United States Senate....
, former Louisiana State RepresentativeLouisiana House of RepresentativesThe Louisiana House of Representatives is the lower house in the Louisiana State Legislature, the state legislature of the US state of Louisiana. The House is composed of 105 Representatives, each of whom represents approximately 42,500 people . Members serve four-year terms with a term limit of...
, candidate for the United States Senate in 1996United States Senate election in Louisiana, 1996The 1996 Louisiana United States Senate election was held on November 5, 1996 to select a new U.S. Senator from the state of Louisiana to replace retiring John Bennett Johnston, Jr. of Shreveport...
, newspaper editor - Laurinda L. Calongne, lobbyist and owner of Robert Rose Consulting, a government relations firm.
- Michael Cloonan, United States NavyUnited States NavyThe United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
veteran, businessman - Paul Sawyer, former aide to former Congressman Richard Baker
Results
Constitution Party
- Randall T. Hayes, critic of plurality votingPlurality voting systemThe plurality voting system is a single-winner voting system often used to elect executive officers or to elect members of a legislative assembly which is based on single-member constituencies...
, proponent of instant runoff votingInstant-runoff votingInstant-runoff voting , also known as preferential voting, the alternative vote and ranked choice voting, is a voting system used to elect one winner. Voters rank candidates in order of preference, and their ballots are counted as one vote for their first choice candidate. If a candidate secures a...
Independent candidates
- Peter J. Aranyosi
- Ashley Casey, New mediaNew mediaNew media is a broad term in media studies that emerged in the latter part of the 20th century. For example, new media holds out a possibility of on-demand access to content any time, anywhere, on any digital device, as well as interactive user feedback, creative participation and community...
consultant, former press secretary to Gov. Buddy RoemerBuddy RoemerCharles Elson "Buddy" Roemer III is an American politician who served as the 52nd Governor of Louisiana, from 1988 to 1992. He was elected as a Democrat but switched to the Republican Party on March 11, 1991...
and Congresswoman Sue KellySue W. KellySue Weisenbarger Kelly was a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1995 to 2007, representing New York's 19th District. She is a Republican. She took over fellow Republican Hamilton Fish IV's seat after he dropped out of the 1994 race due to prostate cancer...
Results
See also
- Louisiana's 1st congressional district special election, 2008Louisiana's 1st congressional district special election, 2008Voters in voting in a special election on May 3, 2008, elected Steve Scalise as a new member of the United States House of Representatives, replacing Representative Bobby Jindal who resigned on January 14, 2008, to become Governor of Louisiana....
- List of special elections to the United States House of Representatives
- United States House of Representatives elections in Louisiana, 2008United States House of Representatives elections in Louisiana, 2008The 2008 congressional elections in Louisiana to determine representation for the state of Louisiana in the United States House of Representatives occurred November 4, 2008. Louisiana has seven seats in the House, apportioned according to the 2000 United States Census...
- Illinois's 14th congressional district special election, 2008Illinois's 14th congressional district special election, 2008After the resignation of Republican Party United States Congressman Dennis Hastert from his Illinois's 14th congressional district seat in the United States House of Representatives on November 26, 2007, a special election was held to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the 110th United States...
- Mississippi's 1st congressional district special election, 2008Mississippi's 1st congressional district special election, 2008The 2008 Mississippi 1st congressional district special election was a special election in the state of Mississippi to determine who would serve the remainder of former Representative Roger Wicker's term...