“Steve” Pugh (R)
Term limited in 2019
District Map

2002 Senate Race (Runoff)
Mary Landrieu (D) 3,768 (39%)
Suzy Terrell (R) 5,867 (61%)

2003 Governors Race (Runoff)
Kathleen Blanco (D) 5,364 (42%)
“Bobby” Jindal (R) 7,449 (58%)

2004 Presidential Race
George W. Bush (R) 11,298 (68%)
John Kerry (D) 5,131 (31%)
Others 225 (1%)

2004 Senate Race
David Vitter (R) 11,368 (69%)
Chris John (D) 2,969 (18%)
Others 2,099 (13%)

2006 Secretary of State Race
Jay Dardenne (R) 2,036 (39%)
Francis Heitmeier (D) 1,235 (24%)
Mike Francis (R) 927 (18%)
Mary Chehardy (R) 636 (12%)
Others 384 (7%)

2007 Governors Race
“Bobby” Jindal (R) 8,417 (68%)
Walter Boasso (D) 1,408 (11%)
John Georges (I) 1,573 (13%)
Foster Campbell (D) 792 (6%)
Others 165 (2%)

2007 Agriculture Commissioner Race
“Bob” Odom (D) 3,827 (32%)
Mike Strain (R) 5,555 (47%)
Wayne Carter (R) 1,674 (14%)
Don Johnson (R) 766 (6%)

Tangipahoa is another parish whose politics are being changed by suburbanization. It contains a “gumbo” similar to Baton Rouge: a state university (Southeastern), a modest sized black population generally in the northern part of the parish, and increasing suburbanization from both Baton Rouge and New Orleans – in fact, the district’s 14% growth since 2003 makes it one of the six fastest growing districts in the state.

District 73 includes the more conservative, suburban, 17% black southern portion of the parish – roughly everything south of I-12 plus some parts of Hammond. It usually votes Republican in contested statewide races, giving Suzanne Terrell and Bobby Jindal (in 2003) about 60% of the vote, and about 69% of the vote to George Bush, David Vitter, and Bobby Jindal in his successful 2007 gubernatorial campaign. In fact, some suburban neighborhoods in the southern portion of the parish voted 4 to 1 Republican.

The district’s conservative trend also has also been apparent in House races over the past couple of decades. For years, Democrat Dennis Hebert represented the district with little fuss. Then in 1991, he was held to a 53% runoff victory against Republican Steve Push (who’s running again for the seat). He was then defeated 51-49 in 1995 by Republican insurance agent Henry “Tank” Powell of Ponchatoula. Since then, Powell has steadily increased his margin of victory to 75% of the vote in 2003.

Though Representative Powell was term-limited in 2007, the district’s conservative trend continued through the 2007 elections. Not only did “Bobby” Jindal get a solid 68% of the vote (a 10% improvement over his 2003 attempt), but the three Republicans running received a combined 89% of the vote. Businessman “Steve” Pugh finished first with 44% of the vote, and was then elected after his runoff opponent (who received 24%) withdrew from the race shortly after the primary. We see this seat as a “Republican hold” some time into the future.