Louisiana State Senate elections, 2011
 Louisiana's 2011 elections: • Governor • Attorney General • Secretary of State • Other executive offices • State Senate • State House • Ballot measures |
Elections for the office of Louisiana State Senator were held on November 19, 2011. Each of the state's 39 senators were up for election. Members are elected to four-year terms.
The 2011 election will be the state's first election under its new legislative maps. Following the 2010 census, the state redrew its legislative boundaries to account for growth and shifts in the state's population. The Louisiana State Legislature was responsible for the redistricting process. Louisiana's 39 senate seats are comprised of 39 single-member legislative districts.
Louisiana is just one of four states that held state senate elections in 2011. The other three states that hold their state senate elections in odd-numbered years are New Jersey, Mississippi and Virginia. Louisiana is the only state to hold its 2011 legislative elections on a Saturday.
Candidates wishing to run for the Louisiana State Senate were required to file their nominating signatures or candidate filing fees between September 6 and September 8. The state primary election took place on Saturday, October 22, 2011. As they become available, candidate information and election results will be reflected on this page.
General election results
The following candidates won election on October 22, 2011 and November 19, 2011:
- A.G. Crowe
- Barrow Peacock
- Ben Nevers
- Conrad Appel
- Dale Erdey
- Dan Claitor
- Dan Morrish
- Daniel Martiny
- David Heitmeier
- Edwin Murray
- Elbert Guillory
- Eric LaFleur
- Francis Thompson
- Fred Mills, Jr.
- Gary Smith, Jr.
- Gerald Long
- Gregory Tarver
- Jack Donahue
- Jean-Paul J. Morrell
- Jody Amedee
- John Alario
- John R. Smith (Louisiana politician)
- Jonathan Perry
- Karen Peterson
- Mack White, Jr.
- Mike Walsworth
- Neil Riser
- Norby Chabert
- Patrick Cortez
- R.L. Allain II
- Richard Gallot, Jr.
- Rick Ward III
- Robert Adley
- Robert Kostelka
- Ronnie Johns
- Sharon Weston Broome
- Sherri Smith Buffington
- Troy Brown
- Yvonne Dorsey-Colomb
Term limits
Of the 15 states, it is the only state where term limits were imposed by the state's legislators, rather than through the ballot initiative process. Under Louisiana's term limits, state senators can serve no more than three 4-year terms in the senate.
There are 39 Louisiana State Senators. In 2011, 6 of them who are current members, or 15.4% of the total senate seats, will be ineligible to run for the senate again. Of them, 5 are Democratic state senators and 1 is a Republican.
In addition to the 6 state senators who are leaving office because of term limits, 10 state representatives are also termed-out.
The 6 current members of the state senate who will be ineligible to run in November are:
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Democrats (5): |
Republicans (1): |
Why odd-year elections?
Clerk of the Louisiana House Alfred "Butch Speer explains why the state holds odd-year elections:
For scores of years we conducted our party primaries in the winter of the odd numbered years, with any necessary 2d primary held in January. Because Republican voter registration was so miniscule from 1877 until 1980, the general elections were mere irritants to the Democrat primary victor. Once we scrapped the partisan primary system [1975] we set the entire system up to run in the fall of the odd numbered year, our traditional election season.[1]
Impact of redistricting
- See also: Redistricting in Louisiana
Every 10 years, the Constitution requires states to redraw Congressional and state legislative districts based on updated Census information. In 2011, Louisiana was the second state to complete its state legislative redistricting. Its 39 senate and 105 house districts were re-drawn by the Legislature and approved by Governor Bobby Jindal.
During the redistricting process, Louisiana legislators faced a compressed timeline compared to other states. The odd year elections meant that the 2011 elections in the fall would need districts soon enough to get clearance from the Department of Justice per the Voting Rights Act, allow candidates to file in the appropriate districts, and leave time for the Blanket primary and the general election to happen in early November 2011.
The State Senate added two new majority-minority district for the 2011 elections, but took away seats from the New Orleans area overall, reflecting the loss of population in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The new Senate map has 11 majority-minority districts.
Figure 1: This map shows the Louisiana Senate districts after the 2000 census.
Figure 2: This map shows the Louisiana Senate districts after the 2010 census.
Majority control
- See also: Partisan composition of state senates
Going into the November 2011 elections, the Republican Party was the majority party in 29 state senates, including Louisiana. One chamber (Nebraska) is officially non-partisan and in one chamber (Alaska), several Republicans vote with a caucus other than the Republican caucus. In 19 states, the Democratic Party held the majority party.
In the other 3 states with state senate elections in 2011 (Mississippi, New Jersey and Virginia), the Democratic Party held the majority party in Virginia and New Jersey, while the Republican Party held the majority party in the Mississippi State Senate.
The current partisan composition of the Louisiana State Senate before and after the election:
| Louisiana State Senate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 2011 | After the 2011 Election | |
| Democratic Party | 17 | 15 | |
| Republican Party | 22 | 24 | |
| Total | 39 | 39 | |
Competitiveness
Incumbents unopposed by a major party
Eighteen incumbents (46.2%) face no competition in the November 8 general election and are thus, barring unforeseen circumstances, guaranteed re-election in November.
- 5 Democratic incumbents face no November challenger.
- 13 Republican incumbent face no November challenger
2 challengers (one Democrat and one Republican) face no competition in the November 8 general election and are thus, barring unforeseen circumstances, guaranteed re-election in November.
Primary challenges
Six incumbents faced competition in the October 22 primary.
The following 6 incumbents faced primary opposition:
- District 12: Incumbent Democrat Ben Nevers is opposed by Michael Skinner (D) and Beth Mizell (R)
- District 14: Incumbent Democrat Yvonne Dorsey is opposed by Michael Jackson (D) and Christopher Toombs (R)
- District 24: Incumbent Democrat Elbert Guillory is opposed by Donald Cravins (D) and Kelly Scott (D)
- District 30: Incumbent Republican John Smith is opposed by James David Cain (R) and Terry Fowler (D)
- District 38: Incumbent Republican Sherri Smith Cheek is opposed by Troy Terrell (R) and Douglas Day (D)
- District 39: Incumbent Republican Lydia Jackson is opposed by Gregory Tarver (D) and Jim Slagle (R)
Retiring incumbents
Nine incumbent senators did not run for re-election, while 30 (76.9%) ran for re-election. Of the 9 incumbents who did not run for re-election, 6 are Democrats and 3 are Republicans. Furthermore, 6 of the retiring incumbents are ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits and 1 was displaced by redistricting.
Incumbents who are retiring are:
- District 2: Incumbent Democrat Cynthia Willard-Lewis, displaced by redistricting
- District 6: Incumbent Republican Julie Quinn
- District 17: Incumbent Democrat Robert Marionneaux, term limited
- District 19: Incumbent Democrat Joel Chaisson, term limited
- District 21: Incumbent Democrat Butch Gautreaux, term limited
- District 23: Incumbent Republican Michael Michot, term limited
- District 27: Incumbent Democrat Willie Mount, term limited
- District 29: Incumbent Democrat Joe McPherson, term limited
- District 37: Incumbent Republican B.L. Shaw
Incumbents displaced by redistricting
One incumbent senator was displaced by the 2011 redistricting process. District 2 Democratic senator Cynthia Willard-Lewis was displaced and is now running for election in district 3.
Qualifications
In order to qualify to run for the State Senate, a candidate must:
- Must be 18 years of age or older[2].
- Must be a resident of the district they seek to hold office to for a minimum of two years[2].
- Must not have served more than two and one half terms previously in office. This is for any candidate who has held office in the past after January 8, 1996[3].
- Have not been convicted of a felony offense[3].
- Have no outstanding fines with the Louisiana Ethics Administration Program[3].
- Pay a $225 filing fee with the Clerk of Court in the parish they reside in or collect 400 signatures[4].
- If running as a Republican or Democrat, pay an additional $112.50 filing fee with the state and/or parish executive committee of their party[4].
Campaign contributions
This chart shows how many candidates ran for state senate in Louisiana in past years and the cumulative amount of campaign contributions in state senate races, including contributions in both primary and general election contests. All figures come from Follow The Money.[5]
| Year | Number of candidates | Total contributions |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 90 | $18,266,324 |
| 2003 | 95 | $13,648,458 |
| 1999 | 78 | $12,374,378 |
The top 10 donors in 2007 were:[6]
| Donor | Amount |
|---|---|
| Leach Jr., Claude (Buddy) | $293,669 |
| Senate Democratic Campaign Cmte of Louisiana | $249,598 |
| Leach, Claude Buddy | $237,000 |
| Louisiana Republican Party | $230,380 |
| Quinn, Patrick & Julie | $230,000 |
| Peacock, Barrow | $229,782 |
| Jack Donahue | $205,000 |
| John A. Alario, Jr. | $200,000 |
| Louisiana Republican Legislative Delegation Campaign Cmte | $185,000 |
| Louisiana Association of Business & Industry | $174,344 |
Races to watch
On September 12, 2011, Louisiana news organization Bayou Buzz issued a report on the top five Louisiana Senate races to watch. They are as follows:[7]
- 1. District 19 - State Rep. Gary Smith, Jr. (D) vs. Garrett Monti (R)
- While Smith has received the support of retiring Senate President Joel Chaisson and was initially considered to be a clear replacement, the report cites Monti as gaining ground because of Smith's status as an insider.
- 2. District 39 - Incumbent Lydia Jackson (D) faces Jim Slagle (R) and Gregory Tarver (D)
- Slagle is cited as having crossover appeal with Jackson's base, which could result in a split vote, allowing Tarver, a former senator, to reclaim his former seat.
- 3. District 14 - Incumbent Yvonne Dorsey (D) faces Michael Jackson (D) and Christopher Toombs (R)
- Dorsey was reported as not accomplishing much in the legislature, while Jackson raised his profile in the House. Jackson, it notes, would not be a solid Democratic vote, which Dorsey has been.
- 4. District 28 - Incumbent Eric LaFleur (D) vs. Paul Miller (R)
- Although LaFleur is the incumbent, his district has become more Republican. The Louisiana Committee for a Republican Majority and the GOP victory fund are expected to play big roles.
- 5. District 24 - Incumbent Elbert Guillory (D) faces Kelly Scott (D) and Don Cravins (D)
- The report states that Guillory advocated for a redistricting plan pushed for by the Louisiana Family Forum, an affiliate of Focus on the Family, that would have packed black voters into districts, reducing the number of majority-minority seats. This could potentially backfire, especially since Cravins has been popular while serving as Mayor of Opelousas.
List of candidates
District 1
- October 22 primary:
A.G. Crowe: 15,717 
Incumbent Crowe was first elected in 2007
- Nita Hutter: 7,025 - Hutter is a term-limited incumbent in the Louisiana House of Representatives
District 2
Note: Incumbent Cynthia Willard-Lewis (D) is running for election in District 3.
- October 22 primary:
Elton Aubert: 10,932 
- Michael Bell: 4,519
- Troy Brown: 12,082
- Alfred Carter: 4,966
- George Grace Jr.: 2,198
- Zaine Kasem: 584
November 19 General election candidates:
- Elton Aubert: 11,549
- Troy Brown: 12,863
District 3
- October 22 primary:
- Jean-Paul J. Morrell: 11,280 Incumbent Morrell was first elected in 2007.
- Cynthia Willard-Lewis: 9,911 - Willard-Lewis is the current incumbent in District 2. She is running in District 3 as a result of redistricting.
District 4
- October 22 primary:
- Edwin Murray Incumbent Murray was first elected in 2005.
District 5
- October 22 primary:
- Karen Peterson Incumbent Peterson was first elected in February 2010.
District 6
Note: Incumbent Julie Quinn (R) is not running for re-election.
- October 22 primary:
- Mike Mannino: 12,047
- Mack White Jr.: 12,886 White is the current incumbent in District 64 of the Louisiana House of Representatives.
District 7
- October 22 primary:
- David Heitmeier Incumbent Heitmeier was first elected in 2007.
District 8
- October 22 primary:
- John Alario Jr. Incumbent Alario was first elected in 2007.
District 9
- October 22 primary:
- Conrad Appel Incumbent Appel was first elected in 2007.
District 10
- October 22 primary:
- Daniel Martiny Incumbent Martiny was first elected in 2007.
District 11
- October 22 primary:
- Jack Donahue Jr.: 19,979 Incumbent Donahue was first elected in 2007.
- Gary Leonard: 4,580
District 12
- October 22 primary:
- Beth Mizell: 14,764
- Ben Nevers: 15,116 Incumbent Nevers was first elected in 2003.
- Michael Skinner Did not appear on primary ballot
District 13
- October 22 primary:
- Derek Babcock: 10,785
- Dale Erdey: 19,831 Incumbent Erdey was first elected in 2007.
District 14
- October 22 primary:
- Yvonne Dorsey: 9,373 Incumbent Dorsey was first elected in 2007.
- Michael Jackson: 4,540
- Christopher Toombs: 2,197
District 15
- October 22 primary:
- Sharon Weston Broome Incumbent Broome was first elected in 2005.
District 16
- October 22 primary:
- Dan Claitor Incumbent Claitor was first elected in 2009.
District 17
Note: Incumbent Robert Marionneaux (D) is ineligible to run because of term limits.
- October 22 primary:
- Larry Thomas: 11,000
- Rick Ward III: 25,645
District 18
- October 22 primary:
- Jody Amedee Incumbent Amedee was first elected in 2003.
District 19
Incumbent Joel Chaisson (D) is ineligible to run because of term limits.
- October 22 primary:
- Garrett Monti: 11,215
- Gary Smith Jr.: 16,501
District 20
- October 22 primary:
- Norby Chabert Incumbent Chabert was first elected in 2009.
District 21
Incumbent Butch Gautreaux (D) is ineligible to run because of term limits.
- October 22 primary:
- R.L. Allain II: 14,618
- Darrin Guidry: 13,846
District 22
- October 22 primary:
- Fred Mills, Jr. Incumbent Mills was first elected in 2011.
District 23
Incumbent Michael Michot (R) is ineligible to run because of term limits.
- October 22 primary:
- Patrick Cortez
District 24
- October 22 primary:
- Donald Cravins: 11,210
- Elbert Guillory: 12,768 Incumbent Guillory was first elected in 2009.
- Kelly Scott: 3,550
November 19 General election candidates:
- Donald Cravins: 10,504
- Elbert Guillory: 13,183
District 25
- October 22 primary:
- Dan Morrish Incumbent Morrish was first elected in 2007.
District 26
- October 22 primary:
- Jonathan Perry Incumbent Perry was first elected in February 2011.
District 27
Note: Incumbent Willie Mount (D) is ineligible to run because of term limits.
- October 22 primary:
- Ronnie Johns
District 28
- October 22 primary:
- Eric LaFleur: 19,392 Incumbent LaFleur was first elected in 2007.
- Paul Miller: 13,565
District 29
Note: Incumbent Joe McPherson (D) is ineligible to run because of term limits.
- October 22 primary:
- Rick Gallot: 12,992
- Tony Vets: 7,579
- Mary Wardsworth: 5,271
District 30
- October 22 primary:
- James David Cain: 6,628
- Terry Fowler: 5,496
- John Smith: 10,216 Incumbent Smith was first elected in 2007.
November 19 General election candidates:
- James David Cain: 5,772
- John Smith: 8,457
District 31
- October 22 primary:
- Gerald Long Incumbent Long was first elected in 2007.
District 32
- October 22 primary:
- Neil Riser Incumbent Riser was first elected in 2007.
District 33
- October 22 primary:
- Michael Walsworth Incumbent Walsworth was first elected in 2007.
District 34
- October 22 primary:
- Francis Thompson Incumbent Thopmson was first elected in 2007.
District 35
- October 22 primary:
- Jeff Guerriero: 13,494
- Robert Kostelka: 14,644 Incumbent Kostelka was first elected in 2003.
- Note: Harris Brown was on the ballot but dropped out of the race on September 21.[8]
District 36
- October 22 primary:
- Robert Adley Incumbent Adley was first elected in 2003.
District 37
Note: Incumbent B.L. Shaw (R) is eligible but not running for re-election.
- October 22 primary:
- Barrow Peacock: 10,331
- Jane Smith: 8,295
District 38
- October 22 primary:
- Sherri Smith Cheek: 10,570 Incumbent Cheek was first elected in 2003.
- Douglas Day Did not appear on primary ballot
- Troy Terrell: 7,912
District 39
- October 22 primary:
- Lydia Jackson: 9,393 Incumbent Jackson was first elected in 2003.
- Jim Slagle: 3,259
- Gregory Tarver: 9,015
November 19 General election candidates:
- Lydia Jackson: 8,295
- Gregory Tarver: 9,168
External links
See also
- Louisiana State Senate
- Louisiana State Legislature
- State legislative elections, 2011
- Blanket primary
References
- ↑ The Thicket, "Why do Four States Have Odd-Year Elections?," August 25, 2011
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Louisiana Secretary of State "Candidate Qualifications"
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Louisiana Secretary of State "Candidate Qualification Form"
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Louisiana Secretary of State "Filing Fees"
- ↑ Follow the Money, Louisiana
- ↑ Follow the Money: "Louisiana Senate 2007 Campaign Contributions"
- ↑ Bayou Buzz "Vitter, Jindal Ready To Hammer And Louisiana Legislative Races To Watch," September 12, 2011
- ↑ The Town Talk, "Guerriero, Kostelka remain in Louisiana Senate District 35," September 21, 2011
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