Fred Mills (D)
Term limited in 2019
District Map

2002 Senate Race (Runoff)
Mary Landrieu (D) 6,855 (57%)
Suzy Terrell (R) 5,240 (43%)

2003 Governors Race (Runoff)
Kathleen Blanco (D) 9,933 (65%)
“Bobby” Jindal (R) 5,288 (35%)

2004 Presidential Race
George W. Bush (R) 10,093 (51%)
John Kerry (D) 9,399 (47%)
Others 373 (2%)

2004 Senate Race
David Vitter (R) 7,220 (37%)
Chris John (D) 9,420 (49%)
Others 2,646 (14%)

2006 Secretary of State Race
Jay Dardenne (R) 1,062 (15%)
Francis Heitmeier (D) 1,983 (29%)
Mike Francis (R) 2,706 (39%)
Mary Chehardy (R) 547 (8%)
Others 594 (9%)

2007 Governors Race
“Bobby” Jindal (R) 6,611 (47%)
Walter Boasso (D) 2,876 (21%)
John Georges (I) 1,849 (13%)
Foster Campbell (D) 2,271 (16%)
Others 358 (3%)

2007 Agriculture Commissioner Race
“Bob” Odom (D) 6,510 (51%)
Mike Strain (R) 4,814 (37%)
Wayne Carter (R) 790 (6%)
Don Johnson (R) 763 (6%)

There are several districts in South Louisiana that fit the stereotype of Louisiana being covered by swamps. District 46 is one of those districts. It can be simply described as “the St. Martin Parish district”, as it contains all of St. Martin Parish except for four precincts that are part of House Districts 39 and 50.

While most of South Louisiana has trended Republican over the years in Presidential and statewide races, there are several parishes (like St. Martin and Assumption) that remain staunchly Democratic. Some of this Democratic preference can be attributed to the large (31%) African-American voter registration here, a percentage that has changed little over the last several years. Though there is evidence of recent suburbanization - the district grew slightly faster than the statewide average from 2003-2007 – this growth hasn’t yet affected the election results.

District 46 is the kind of district that can be counted on to support Democrats in closely contested races, particularly south Louisiana Democrats. It gave good (57 and 65%) margins to Mary Landrieu and Kathleen Blanco. It also was one of a few districts to support Chris John in his Senate race, as he won here 49-37%. And although President Bush did carry St. Martin Parish in 2004, it was a narrow 51-47% win. And even without a Democrat from the region in the 2007 governor’s race, “Bobby” Jindal carried the district, but with less than an absolute majority.

The district normally supports its incumbents: since 1981, Democrats Harry Benoit and Sydnie Mae Durand have been its only representatives. The one seriously contested race was in 1991, when Durand defeated Benoit 53-47% in the primary. Since then, her lowest re-election percentage was 70% she received against a Republican in 1995. Even when she ran for the Public Service Commission in 1996 and lost 48-52%, she still received 83% of the vote in her district.

Representative Durand was term-limited in 2007 and is running for Craig Romero’s term-limited state Senate seat. Its current demographics and its electoral performance – its support for President Bush was marginal, and a local Democrat can easily exceed the 47% John Kerry received – led us to rate this district as a “Democratic hold.” St. Martin Parish Councilman Fred Mills, who is a Democrat, was easily elected with 84% over a fellow Democrat.