Shirley Bowler (R)
Term limited in 2007
District Map

2002 Senate Race (Runoff)
Mary Landrieu (D) 4,933 (33%)
Suzy Terrell (R) 10,006 (67%)

2003 Governors Race (Runoff)
Kathleen Blanco (D) 4,119 (26%)
“Bobby” Jindal (R) 11,782 (74%)

2004 Presidential Race
George W. Bush (R) 15,695 (75%)
John Kerry (D) 5,033 (24%)
Others 201 (1%)

2004 Senate Race
David Vitter (R) 15,452 (76%)
Chris John (D) 2,668 (13%)
Others 2,221 (11%)

2006 Secretary of State Race
Jay Dardenne (R) 3,497 (44%)
Francis Heitmeier (D) 1,198 (15%)
Mike Francis (R) 904 (11%)
Mary Chehardy (R) 1,905 (24%)
Others 499 (6%)

2007 Governors Race
“Bobby” Jindal (R) 10,147 (75%)
Walter Boasso (D) 1,043 (8%)
John Georges (I) 1,855 (14%)
Foster Campbell (D) 457 (3%)
Others 102 (1%)

2007 Agriculture Commissioner Race
“Bob” Odom (D) 2,993 (23%)
Mike Strain (R) 7,458 (57%)
Wayne Carter (R) 2,015 (16%)
Don Johnson (R) 520 (4%)

House District 78 is in the middle of the Eastbank of Jefferson Parish. Geographically, it includes a wedge-shaped area between Metairie and Kenner along the Soniat Canal, taking in Harahan, River Ridge, and portions of Metairie south of Esplanade. It is a predominately (over 95%) white district that has had little change in its population, although there has been some change in precincts bordering I-10 in the northern part of the district.

Politically, the district is pretty safe for Republicans, with typical support in the 75% range. Suzy Terrell’s 67% of the vote was low, but she was also running against an incumbent (Mary Landrieu) whose family has deep New Orleans roots.

For years, the district was represented by Democrat Eddie Doucet, who in 1986 switched to the Republican Party. This and other party switches enabled the Republicans to gain a foothold in the Louisiana House back in the mid 1980s. Despite his party switch, Doucet was defeated for re-election in 1987 against Republican Robert Garrity, who in turn was upset in 1991 by Republican Shirley Bowler. She nearly lost herself in 1995 against a Democrat, but has since entrenched herself in the seat, winning re-election with 69% of the vote in 2003 against three Republicans.

Representative Bowler is term-limited in 2007. We rate this district as a “Republican hold”; this was one of the first House seats statewide that was held by a party-switcher, and Democrats have avoided contesting this seat in over a decade. Four Republicans and a Democrat are seeking the seat: businessman John Illg, paralegal David Quidd, Lucky Dogs CEO Kirk Talbot, attorney John Treme, and attorney/Harahan Council member Tiffany Wilken. All but Quidd are Republicans.

Harahan/River Ridge actually contains some higher ground and was spared major damage from Katrina; however, we see that Jefferson Parish will eventually feel some of the effects of population out migration from metropolitan New Orleans; the voting population for the district has so far remained about the same since Katrina.