Roy Burrell (D)
Term limited in 2015
District Map

2002 Senate Race (Runoff)
Mary Landrieu (D) 7,385 (88%)
Suzy Terrell (R) 974 (12%)

2003 Governors Race (Runoff)
Kathleen Blanco (D) 6,117 (81%)
“Bobby” Jindal (R) 1,455 (19%)

2004 Presidential Race
George W. Bush (R) 2,048 (17%)
John Kerry (D) 10,050 (82%)
Others 95 (1%)

2004 Senate Race
David Vitter (R) 1,739 (15%)
Chris John (D) 5,127 (46%)
Others 4,399 (39%)

2006 Secretary of State Race
Jay Dardenne (R) 380 (7%)
Francis Heitmeier (D) 3,760 (65%)
Mike Francis (R) 714 (12%)
Mary Chehardy (R) 308 (5%)
Others 623 (11%)

2007 Governors Race
“Bobby” Jindal (R) 1,122 (17%)
Walter Boasso (D) 2,220 (34%)
John Georges (I) 751 (11%)
Foster Campbell (D) 2,412 (37%)
Others 95 (1%)

2007 Agriculture Commissioner Race
“Bob” Odom (D) 4,299 (74%)
Mike Strain (R) 873 (15%)
Wayne Carter (R) 458 (8%)
Don Johnson (R) 213 (4%)

The advent of single-member districts in 1971 enabled African-Americans to be elected to the Louisiana legislature. One of those initial districts created was House District 2. The district basically includes neighborhoods along I-20 from the Red River all the way out to the edge of Cross Lake. It then crosses Bossier Parish to include a few precincts adjacent to the Red River.

The district itself has a solid 75% African-American voting majority, which is up slightly from a 74% majority in 2003. The change was entirely due to racial change in the Bossier Parish precincts. The district has also lost 3% of its voting population since the last statewide election in 2003, with nearly all of the loss occurring as a result of a recent voter purge.

Democrats have little trouble carrying the district, and can count on a minimum base of support of 80% in contested elections. Even with split Democratic opposition in the 2004 U.S. Senate race, David Vitter only received 15% of the vote here.

For 20 years after the district was created, African-American Democrat Alphonse Jackson represented the area in the state House. He was defeated 58-42% in the 1991 runoff by Danny Mitchell. Rep. Mitchell served two terms, and was re-elected in the 1995 primary with 58%. When he retired in 1999, Lydia Jackson was elected in the primary with 58% of the vote as well. She left in 2003 in a successful run for an open state Senate seat. Roy Burrell succeeded her in 2003 and was elected with 81% of the vote in the primary. He was easily re-elected in 2007 with 86% of the vote.

Rep. Burrell is allowed two more terms under current law, and when he retires, an African-American Democrat is assured of victory here.