Billy Chandler (D)
Term limited in 2019
District Map

2002 Senate Race (Runoff)
Mary Landrieu (D) 4,015 (40%)
Suzy Terrell (R) 5,997 (60%)

2003 Governors Race (Runoff)
Kathleen Blanco (D) 8,176 (61%)
“Bobby” Jindal (R) 5,232 (39%)

2004 Presidential Race
George W. Bush (R) 13,327 (75%)
John Kerry (D) 4,380 (24%)
Others 220 (1%)

2004 Senate Race
David Vitter (R) 10,400 (63%)
Chris John (D) 3,400 (20%)
Others 2,786 (17%)

2006 Secretary of State Race
Jay Dardenne (R) 1,230 (13%)
Francis Heitmeier (D) 1,533 (16%)
Mike Francis (R) 5,418 (56%)
Mary Chehardy (R) 651 (7%)
Others 803 (8%)

2007 Governors Race
“Bobby” Jindal (R) 8,173 (54%)
Walter Boasso (D) 2,487 (16%)
John Georges (I) 1,863 (12%)
Foster Campbell (D) 2,219 (15%)
Others 453 (3%)

2007 Agriculture Commissioner Race
“Bob” Odom (D) 6,265 (43%)
Mike Strain (R) 4,713 (33%)
Wayne Carter (R) 2,290 (16%)
Don Johnson (R) 1,232 (8%)

District 22 is located in central Louisiana and contains all of Grant and LaSalle Parishes, a portion of Winn parish and a precinct in Rapides Parish. It has a relatively low and decreasing 14% African-American population. Its voter population has remained steady over the past several years, as losses in the rural sections of the district have been offset by a little bit of suburban growth in Grant and Rapides Parishes. It generally gives Republican candidates for statewide elections good margins, but did give Kathleen Blanco a solid 61% of the vote for governor. Like District 20 to the north, the district strongly supported Republican candidates in 2004. Bush swept the district 3 to 1, Congressman Rodney Alexander received over 70% of the vote, and David Vitter won here 63-20%. The Republican trend was further confirmed by “Bobby” Jindal receiving 54% of the district’s votes in the 2007 primary, a 15% increase in support over his 2003 attempt.

Unlike most north Louisiana districts, District 22 has not been incumbent-friendly territory. It defeated its incumbents in 1987 and 1991, and has given incumbent Tommy Wright (who was first elected in 1995) only 52% of the vote against Republican challengers in 1999 and 2003. Representative Wright resigned his seat effective January 3, 2006, as part of a plea agreement over charges he and another man were caught in a lewd act in a public bath room. He was succeeded by Grant Parish Democrat Billy Chandler in a special election held earlier this year. Chandler defeated Republican Tony Owens of LaSalle Parish (who had received 48% against Wright in 2003) by carrying Winn and Rapides by narrow margins, and by sweeping Grant Parish with 76% of the vote. The Grant Parish vote alone propelled Chandler to a 54% runoff victory, but winning the other parishes more than padded the victory margin enough to compensate for Owens’ 64% victory in LaSalle Parish.

The district’s strong conservative leanings and Republican competition in the last three elections would seem to make this district a likely Republican pickup. However, Chandler’s recent victory, the district’s history of electing mostly Democrats, and the built in electoral advantage for a Grant Parish-based Democrat contributed to his 64% first primary victory in 2007 against two opponents.