H.Bernard LeBas (D)
Term limited in 2019
District Map

2002 Senate Race (Runoff)
Mary Landrieu (D) 5,773 (52%)
Suzy Terrell (R) 5,408 (48%)

2003 Governors Race (Runoff)
Kathleen Blanco (D) 9,158 (69%)
“Bobby” Jindal (R) 4,095 (31%)

2004 Presidential Race
George W. Bush (R) 9,630 (57%)
John Kerry (D) 7,028 (42%)
Others 278 (1%)

2004 Senate Race
David Vitter (R) 6,718 (41%)
Chris John (D) 7,578 (47%)
Others 1,914 (12%)

2006 Secretary of State Race
Jay Dardenne (R) 1,496 (17%)
Francis Heitmeier (D) 2,870 (31%)
Mike Francis (R) 3,017 (33%)
Mary Chehardy (R) 798 (9%)
Others 947 (10%)

2007 Governors Race
“Bobby” Jindal (R) 6,046 (43%)
Walter Boasso (D) 3,873 (27%)
John Georges (I) 1,798 (13%)
Foster Campbell (D) 2,099 (15%)
Others 389 (2%)

2007 Agriculture Commissioner Race
“Bob” Odom (D) 6,461 (51%)
Mike Strain (R) 4,796 (38%)
Wayne Carter (R) 707 (6%)
Don Johnson (R) 756 (6%)

House District 38 is located in the heart of Acadiana. It contains all but a handful of precincts on the southern fringe of Evangeline Parish, plus the northern and eastern fringes of St. Landry Parish. It has a modest (27%) African-American population that has remained stable over the past few years. Though its voting population as a whole has barely changed (and actually had dropped 1% before Katrina), Evangeline Parish has lost voters (3% since 2003) almost to the extent St. Landry parish has gained them (11% since 2003). This has not yet had a major impact on the districts’ politics, because Evangeline Parish still casts 68% of the district’s vote.

In local races, the district is reliably Democratic. In federal and statewide races, the district tends to be a swing district. While President Bush and Mary Landrieu received percentages equal to their statewide averages here, Kathleen Blanco and Chris John both ran about 20 percent better than their statewide average. This can best be explained by the fact that both candidates from Acadiana (and in Chris John’s case, he represented the area in Congress), so there was some “home town loyalty” at play here. Interestingly, the portions of Evangeline and St. Landry have supported the same candidates in each of the major races.

Unlike most House districts in the area, District 38 has had competitive politics, with four Democratic representatives since 1984. Daniel Lemoine served for two terms until Dirk Deville defeated him 52-48% in the 1991 runoff. Dirk Deville also served for two terms, and retired in 2000. His successor was Eric Lafleur, who was victorious in his second attempt – he ran against Rep. Deville in 1995 and held him to a 60-40% win. Representative Lafleur was elected without opposition in 2000 and minor opposition in 2003. He was then successfully elected to an open state Senate seat in 2007, and was succeeded by Ville Platte Democrat Bernard LeBas, who was elected without opposition.