Joel Robideaux (I)
Term limited in 2015
District Map

2002 Senate Race (Runoff)
Mary Landrieu (D) 3,983 (34%)
Suzy Terrell (R) 7,693 (66%)

2003 Governors Race (Runoff)
Kathleen Blanco (D) 5,933 (42%)
“Bobby” Jindal (R) 8,084 (58%)

2004 Presidential Race
George W. Bush (R) 13,574 (72%)
John Kerry (D) 5,145 (27%)
Others 248 (1%)

2004 Senate Race
David Vitter (R) 10,660 (58%)
Chris John (D) 6,082 (33%)
Others 1,591 (9%)

2006 Secretary of State Race
Jay Dardenne (R) 1,338 (26%)
Francis Heitmeier (D) 841 (16%)
Mike Francis (R) 2,431 (47%)
Mary Chehardy (R) 302 (6%)
Others 284 (5%)

2007 Governors Race
“Bobby” Jindal (R) 7,334 (65%)
Walter Boasso (D) 1,389 (12%)
John Georges (I) 1,719 (15%)
Foster Campbell (D) 757 (7%)
Others 141 (1%)

2007 Agriculture Commissioner Race
“Bob” Odom (D) 2,993 (28%)
Mike Strain (R) 5,580 (52%)
Wayne Carter (R) 1,425 (13%)
Don Johnson (R) 769 (7%)

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 45 contains a swath of southwest Lafayette along Johnston Street from the edge of downtown all the way to the Vermillion Parish line. Like District 43 to the southeast, the district can be counted on to support Republicans in contested statewide races, although the level of Republican support is consistently about 5% less than District 43 on contested elections. It has a low (9%) African-American voter presence, which is slightly up from 8% when the lines were drawn. It has also gained voters at about the same rate as the state as a whole.

This Republican preference at the statewide level has not yet affected the election results for this state House district. Democrat (and currently Governor) Kathleen Blanco’s first elected office was representing this district in the state house from 1983 to 1988. When she resigned in 1988 upon election to the Public Service Commission, she was succeeded by Democrat Jerry Luke Blanc (whose father was Blanco’s predecessor). Rep. LeBlanc served without opposition until Governor Blanco chose him as Commissioner of Administration in 2004. Upon his retirement, a spirited race ensued to succeed him. Though Republican candidates received 62% of the primary vote, Independent Joel Robideaux was victorious in the runoff with 55% of the vote. This was not a partisan victory, as he carried all but 5 precincts in the district.

Successful independent candidacies in Louisiana are uncommon, but given the district’s history of supporting incumbents, we rate this district as an “Independent hold.” Rep. Robideaux was unopposed, and can legally serve for two more terms after his 2007 election. Whenever he retires, we expect a Republican to win the seat.