Jack Montoucet (D)
Term limited in 2019
District Map

2002 Senate Race (Runoff)
Mary Landrieu (D) 5,058 (53%)
Suzy Terrell (R) 4,533 (47%)

2003 Governors Race (Runoff)
Kathleen Blanco (D) 7,136 (62%)
“Bobby” Jindal (R) 4,451 (38%)

2004 Presidential Race
George W. Bush (R) 8,871 (58%)
John Kerry (D) 6,294 (41%)
Others 132 (1%)

2004 Senate Race
David Vitter (R) 5,287 (35%)
Chris John (D) 8,970 (59%)
Others 989 (6%)

2006 Secretary of State Race
Jay Dardenne (R) 622 (10%)
Francis Heitmeier (D) 1,939 (23%)
Mike Francis (R) 4,699 (55%)
Mary Chehardy (R) 432 (5%)
Others 623 (7%)

2007 Governors Race
“Bobby” Jindal (R) 4,948 (48%)
Walter Boasso (D) 2,425 (23%)
John Georges (I) 1,704 (16%)
Foster Campbell (D) 1,056 (10%)
Others 203 (3%)

2007 Agriculture Commissioner Race
“Bob” Odom (D) 4,628 (47%)
Mike Strain (R) 3,870 (40%)
Wayne Carter (R) 660 (7%)
Don Johnson (R) 617 (6%)

The town of Crowley, Louisiana is unique because, in the words of the Almanac of American Politics, “it seems to have produced more prominent politicians per capita than any other place in America.” It helped launch the career of former Governor Edwin Edwards, former Senator John Breaux, and former Congressman Chris John. House District 42 includes Crowley and the rest of southern Acadia Parish, plus two precincts in Lafayette Parish. It has a modest (21%) African-American population, and has registered a slight loss (1%) in its registered voters over the last few years.

This District almost always supports Democrats, particularly if they’re based in Acadiana. Mary Landrieu received 53% here, Kathleen Blanco swept the district with 62%, and Chris John easily outpolled David Vitter 59-35% here (one of the few districts where he received an absolute majority of the vote). However, the district is unfriendly to liberal national Democrats – President Bush received 58% of the vote here last year.

The District has also supported its incumbents, with competitive races only when the seat is open - with one exception: For years, John John (no, this is not a typo) was the incumbent until his death in 1983. Though Donald Thibodeaux succeeded him, Johns’ son Chris John upset Thibodeaux in 1987 to reclaim
the seat. Chris John served for two terms until he vacated the seat to run unsuccessfully for Lieutenant Governor in 1995 – the victor, interestingly, was another Acadiana-based Democrat, Kathleen Blanco. Gil Pinac then succeeded Chris John in 1995 and has since been re-elected without opposition.

Representative Pinac is term-limited in 2007 and, like Rep. Dan Morrish to the west, is running for Gerald Theunissen’s term-limited state Senate seat. He was succeeded by Democrat Jack Montoucet, who defeated former Crowley mayor Isabella delaHoussaye (who actually ran for the seat in 1995 as a Democrat) 58-42%, with comfortable margins in both parishes.