“Page” Cortez (R)
Term limited in 2019
District Map

2002 Senate Race (Runoff)
Mary Landrieu (D) 3,267 (29%)
Suzy Terrell (R) 8,073 (71%)

2003 Governors Race (Runoff)
Kathleen Blanco (D) 5,178 (36%)
“Bobby” Jindal (R) 9,029 (64%)

2004 Presidential Race
George W. Bush (R) 12,350 (78%)
John Kerry (D) 4,273 (21%)
Others 197 (1%)

2004 Senate Race
David Vitter (R) 12,350 (64%)
Chris John (D) 5,537 (29%)
Others 1,397 (7%)

2006 Secretary of State Race
Jay Dardenne (R) 1,462 (23%)
Francis Heitmeier (D) 825 (13%)
Mike Francis (R) 3,186 (51%)
Mary Chehardy (R) 440 (7%)
Others 371 (6%)

2007 Governors Race
“Bobby” Jindal (R) 9,485 (72%)
Walter Boasso (D) 1,201 (9%)
John Georges (I) 1,583 (12%)
Foster Campbell (D) 780 (6%)
Others 148 (1%)

2007 Agriculture Commissioner Race
“Bob” Odom (D) 3,140 (25%)
Mike Strain (R) 6,692 (53%)
Wayne Carter (R) 1,767 (14%)
Don Johnson (R) 981 (8%)

Lafayette is one part of Louisiana that can usually be counted to support Republicans in contested races due to the presence of the oil industry, with its most Republican neighborhoods’ located in the southern part of town.

House District 43 contains southeast Lafayette Parish south of the Vermillion River and east of Verot School Road. Precincts near the river typically turn in 3 to 1 (or better) performance for Republican candidates. Further south, the district takes in bedroom (and fast suburbanizing) communities of Broussard and Youngsville. It has a low and stable 9% African-American voter presence. It is one of the fastest growing House districts in the state, with growth 5 times that of the statewide average.

Republicans can count on this district for support, even when Acadiana-based Democrats are running. The “Acadiana factor” merely reduced Bobby Jindal (in 2003) and David Vitter’s percentages to the same 64% of the vote. Without the “Acadiana factor”, Suzy Terrell received 71% of the vote, “Bobby” Jindal in 2007 received 72%, and President Bush received 78-21% support – support that was exceeded in a handful of house districts.

Despite the strong Republican preference, Democrats were still competitive here until about a decade ago. From 1975 to 1987, it elected Mike Thompson, who switched to the Republican party in 1978 (and ran unsuccessfully against then-Congressman John Breaux that year). Representative Thompson was defeated in 1987 by Independent Odon Bacque. Bacque didn’t run for re-election, and was succeeded by Democrat Don Higginbotham. When Rep. Higginbotham retired in 1995, he was succeeded by Democrat Mike Michot, who was elected with 69% of the vote against a Republican. Representative Michot switched parties in 1997, and successfully challenged incumbent Republican Senator Max Jordan. Michot’s move to the state Senate resulted in Republican Ernie Alexander’s being elected with 69% of the vote in the runoff against a fellow Republican. He was unopposed in 2003, but decided not to run for re-election in 2007.

Representative Alexander decided to retire four years before term limits would have applied to him, and was succeeded by Republican Page Cortez, who defeated a fellow Republican with 55% of the vote.