M.J. “Mert” Smiley (R)
Term limited in 2015
District Map

2002 Senate Race (Runoff)
Mary Landrieu (D) 5,703 (48%)
Suzy Terrell (R) 6,188 (52%)

2003 Governors Race (Runoff)
Kathleen Blanco (D) 7,438 (51%)
“Bobby” Jindal (R) 7,209 (49%)

2004 Presidential Race
George W. Bush (R) 13,718 (68%)
John Kerry (D) 6,327 (31%)
Others 223 (1%)

2004 Senate Race
David Vitter (R) 11,424 (59%)
Chris John (D) 4,402 (23%)
Others 3,699 (18%)

2006 Secretary of State Race
Jay Dardenne (R) 2,989 (50%)
Francis Heitmeier (D) 1,378 (23%)
Mike Francis (R) 947 (16%)
Mary Chehardy (R) 325 (5%)
Others 390 (6%)

2007 Governors Race
“Bobby” Jindal (R) 9,259 (61%)
Walter Boasso (D) 2,031 (13%)
John Georges (I) 1,354 (9%)
Foster Campbell (D) 2,294 (15%)
Others 180 (2%)

2007 Agriculture Commissioner Race
“Bob” Odom (D) 5,511 (38%)
Mike Strain (R) 6,393 (44%)
Wayne Carter (R) 1,892 (13%)
Don Johnson (R) 731 (5%)

Ascension and Livingston Parishes are Ground Zero for studying the effects of suburbanization on local politics. Historically, both parishes were solidly Democratic working-class parishes, sometimes supporting populist candidates with over 70% of the vote despite a low black population. This Democratic voting history is now a thing of the past, as Bush easily carried these parishes (and the district) with 69%, Vitter swept the district 59-23% in the Senate race, and “Bobby” Jindal received an impressive 61% of the vote – an improvement of 12% over his 2003 effort.

District 88 contains the portion of Livingston Parish south of I-12 and the easternmost fringes of Ascension. Even though this district is 95% white, it contains the more Democratic area of both parishes. However, suburban migration from Baton Rouge has begun to transform this district, and as a result a new house seat was created in 2000. Its first elected representative, Mert Smiley of St.Amant, is the first Republican ever elected from the area. He won his race with 54% of the vote, carrying his home base with 72% of the vote, and holding his opponent to 59% of the vote in Livingston Parish where most of the district’s voters live.

The district’s Republican trend undoubtedly helps Smiley, as does the benefits of incumbency. He was unopposed for his 2007 re-election race, and he can serve two more terms. The district itself has increased in voter population by a whopping 17% since 2003, with voters equally likely to register as Republicans or Independents. This has reduced the Democratic voter registration edge from 57-22% to 49-26% in four years.