Herman Ray Hill (D)
Term limited in 2007
District Map

2002 Senate Race (Runoff)
Mary Landrieu (D) 4,623 (51%)
Suzy Terrell (R) 4,476 (49%)

2003 Governors Race (Runoff)
Kathleen Blanco (D) 6,823 (63%)
“Bobby” Jindal (R) 4,058 (37%)

2004 Presidential Race
George W. Bush (R) 10,125 (65%)
John Kerry (D) 5,264 (34%)
Others 265 (1%)

2004 Senate Race
David Vitter (R) 7,200 (49%)
Chris John (D) 5,281 (36%)
Others 2,073 (15%)

2006 Secretary of State Race
Jay Dardenne (R) 977 (13%)
Francis Heitmeier (D) 2,244 (30%)
Mike Francis (R) 2,805 (38%)
Mary Chehardy (R) 661 (9%)
Others 782 (10%)

2007 Governors Race
“Bobby” Jindal (R) 5,922 (46%)
Walter Boasso (D) 2,989 (23%)
John Georges (I) 1,347 (10%)
Foster Campbell (D) 2,312 (18%)
Others 427 (3%)

2007 Agriculture Commissioner Race
“Bob” Odom (D) 6,380 (51%)
Mike Strain (R) 4,054 (32%)
Wayne Carter (R) 1,196 (10%)
Don Johnson (R) 891 (7%)

District 32 is kind of a “border district” between Central and South Louisiana. It contains the southeast corner of Vernon Parish, most of northern Beauregard Parish except for DeRidder (that’s in John Smith’s district), and Allen Parish. It has a low (11%) African-American population, which has remained steady throughout the decade. The district’s count of registered voters has increased over twice as fast as the statewide rate, with gains in all but Vernon Parish from 2003-2007. Historically, the district was marginally Democratic because of the Democratic preferences of Allen Parish, where a majority of its voters reside. A Republican trend in Allen last year, however, tipped the district to the Bush and Vitter, who carried the district with 65 and 49% of the vote, respectively.

Like most North Louisiana House seats, District 32 has had little turnover in its legislative representation. James David Cain represented the district from 1971-1991. He retired in 1991 to run for the state Senate (where he has served since then), and was succeeded by Democrat Herman Ray Hill. Representative Hill has been unopposed since then and is term-limited in 2007.

Normally, we would rate this open seat race as a likely Democratic hold in 2007, as only a handful of Republicans have ever carried Allen Parish (which casts a majority of the district’s voters). And Rep. Hill’s wife Dorothy Sue is running in his place. But she has competition: State senator and Republican convert (and former representative) James David Cain, who despite his loss in the Insurance Commissioner’s race, received 76% of the district’s vote. Therefore, we rate the district as “leans Republican.” In addition to Sen. Cain and Rep. Hill’s wife, two others are running: Democrat Benjamin Jack and No Party candidate “Duckey” Crider. This is definitely a race to watch on Election Night.