Louisiana's 5th congressional district

Louisiana's 5th congressional district
Map
Map
Interactive map of district boundaries
Representative
Distribution
  • 51.65% rural[1]
  • 48.35% urban
Population (2023)754,781[2]
Median household
income
$48,546[3]
Ethnicity
Cook PVIR+17[4]

Louisiana's 5th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The 5th district encompasses rural northeastern Louisiana and much of central Louisiana, as well as the northern part of Louisiana's Florida parishes in southeastern Louisiana, taking in Monroe, Alexandria, Amite and Bogalusa.

In 2013, six-term Representative Rodney Alexander resigned to take a state cabinet post; in the special election, Republican newcomer Vance McAllister, a businessman from Swartz, Louisiana, handily defeated fellow Republican State Senator Neil Riser of Columbia in Caldwell Parish to claim the seat in a special election. McAllister beat Riser, 54,449 (59.7) to 36,837 (40.3 percent).[5]

Analysts considered McAllister's victory as a rejection of Governor Bobby Jindal's efforts to have the seat vacated and to replace Alexander with his hand-picked candidate in a low-turnout special election.[6] The runoff turnout was less than 19%, three percent less than in the primary.[7]

In 2014, Ralph Abraham defeated Monroe Mayor Jamie Mayo for the 113th United States Congress, replacing McAllister, who was defeated in the Louisiana primary. On February 26, 2020, Abraham announced he would not be seeking re-election for a fourth term, honoring his pledge to only serve three terms in Congress.[8]

The district is currently represented by Republican Julia Letlow, who was elected in a 2021 special election to replace her husband, representative-elect Luke, who died of COVID-19 days before he was set to be sworn in.

As part of the 2024 map redistricting, the 5th loses Lincoln, Jackson, Winn, Grant, Rapides, and half of Ouachita Parishes to the 4th district, and also Pointe Coupee and half of Avoyelles Parish to the new 6th; in exchange, 5th gains parts of East Baton Rouge, Tangipahoa and Livingston Parishes. The new territory includes two of the state's largest universities, Louisiana State (LSU) in Baton Rouge and Southeastern Louisiana (SLU) in Hammond.[9]

Recent presidential elections

[edit]
Election results from presidential races
Year Office Results
2000 President Bush 57–40%
2004 President Bush 62–37%
2008 President McCain 62–37%
2012 President Romney 61–38%
2016 President Trump 64–34%
2020 President Trump 64–34%

List of members representing the district

[edit]
Member Party Years Cong
ress
Electoral history Location
District created March 4, 1863
Vacant March 4, 1863 –
July 18, 1868
38th
39th
40th
Civil War and Reconstruction

W. Jasper Blackburn
(Homer)
Republican July 18, 1868 –
March 3, 1869
40th Elected to finish the vacant term.
Retired to run for Lieutenant Governor.

Frank Morey
(Monroe)
Republican March 4, 1869 –
June 8, 1876
41st
42nd
43rd
44th
Elected in 1868.
Re-elected in 1870.
Re-elected in 1872.
Re-elected in 1874.
Lost contested election.

William B. Spencer
(Vidalia)
Democratic June 8, 1876 –
January 8, 1877
44th Won contested election.
Retired and resigned to become associate justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court.
Vacant January 8, 1877 –
March 3, 1877

John E. Leonard
(Lake Providence)
Republican March 4, 1877 –
March 15, 1878
45th Elected in 1876.
Died.
Vacant March 15, 1878 –
November 5, 1878

J. Smith Young
(Homer)
Democratic November 5, 1878 –
March 3, 1879
45th Elected to finish Leonard's term.
Retired.[10]

J. Floyd King
(Vidalia)
Democratic March 4, 1879 –
March 3, 1887
46th
47th
48th
49th
Elected in 1878.
Re-elected in 1880.
Re-elected in 1882.
Re-elected in 1884.
Lost renomination.

Cherubusco Newton
(Bastrop)
Democratic March 4, 1887 –
March 3, 1889
50th Elected in 1886.
Lost renomination.

Charles J. Boatner
(Monroe)
Democratic March 4, 1889 –
March 20, 1896
51st
52nd
53rd
54th
Elected in 1888.
Re-elected in 1890.
Re-elected in 1892.
Re-elected in 1894.
House declared seat vacant after election was contested by Alexis Benoit.
Vacant March 20, 1896 –
June 10, 1896
54th

Charles J. Boatner
(Monroe)
Democratic June 10, 1896 –
March 3, 1897
Elected to finish his own term.
Retired.

Samuel T. Baird
(Bastrop)
Democratic March 4, 1897 –
April 22, 1899
55th
56th
Elected in 1896.
Re-elected in 1898.
Died.[11]
Vacant April 22, 1899 –
August 29, 1899
56th

Joseph E. Ransdell
(Lake Providence)
Democratic August 29, 1899 –
March 3, 1913
56th
57th
58th
59th
60th
61st
62nd
Elected to finish Baird's term.
Re-elected in 1900.
Re-elected in 1902.
Re-elected in 1904.
Re-elected in 1906.
Re-elected in 1908.
Re-elected in 1910.
Retired to run for U.S. senator.

James Walter Elder
(Monroe)
Democratic March 4, 1913 –
March 3, 1915
63rd Elected in 1912.
Lost renomination.[12]

Riley J. Wilson
(Ruston)
Democratic March 4, 1915 –
January 3, 1937
64th
65th
66th
67th
68th
69th
70th
71st
72nd
73rd
74th
Elected in 1914.
Re-elected in 1916.
Re-elected in 1918.
Re-elected in 1920.
Re-elected in 1922.
Re-elected in 1924.
Re-elected in 1926.
Re-elected in 1928.
Re-elected in 1930.
Re-elected in 1932.
Re-elected in 1934.
Lost renomination.

Newt V. Mills
(Monroe)
Democratic January 3, 1937 –
January 3, 1943
75th
76th
77th
Elected in 1936.
Re-elected in 1938.
Re-elected in 1940.
Lost renomination.

Charles E. McKenzie
(Monroe)
Democratic January 3, 1943 –
January 3, 1947
78th
79th
Elected in 1942.
Re-elected in 1944.
Lost renomination.

Otto Passman
(Monroe)
Democratic January 3, 1947 –
January 3, 1977
80th
81st
82nd
83rd
84th
85th
86th
87th
88th
89th
90th
91st
92nd
93rd
94th
Elected in 1946.
Re-elected in 1948.
Re-elected in 1950.
Re-elected in 1952.
Re-elected in 1954.
Re-elected in 1956.
Re-elected in 1958.
Re-elected in 1960.
Re-elected in 1962.
Re-elected in 1964.
Re-elected in 1966.
Re-elected in 1968.
Re-elected in 1970.
Re-elected in 1972.
Re-elected in 1974.
Lost renomination.

Jerry Huckaby
(Ringgold)
Democratic January 3, 1977 –
January 3, 1993
95th
96th
97th
98th
99th
100th
101st
102nd
Elected in 1976.
Re-elected in 1978.
Re-elected in 1980.
Re-elected in 1982.
Re-elected in 1984.
Re-elected in 1986.
Re-elected in 1988.
Re-elected in 1990.
Lost re-election.

Jim McCrery
(Shreveport)
Republican January 3, 1993 –
January 3, 1997
103rd
104th
Redistricted from the 4th district and re-elected in 1992.
Re-elected in 1994.
Redistricted to the 4th district.

John Cooksey
(Monroe)
Republican January 3, 1997 –
January 3, 2003
105th
106th
107th
Elected in 1996.
Re-elected in 1998.
Re-elected in 2000.
Retired to run for U.S. senator.

Rodney Alexander
(Quitman)
Democratic January 3, 2003 –
August 9, 2004
108th
109th
110th
111th
112th
113th
Elected in 2002.
Re-elected in 2004.
Re-elected in 2006.
Re-elected in 2008.
Re-elected in 2010.
Re-elected in 2012.
Resigned to become Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs.
2003–2013
Republican August 9, 2004 –
September 26, 2013
2013–2023
Vacant September 26, 2013 –
November 16, 2013
113th

Vance McAllister
(Swartz)
Republican November 16, 2013 –
January 3, 2015
Elected to finish Alexander's term.
Lost re-nomination.

Ralph Abraham
(Alto)
Republican January 3, 2015 –
January 3, 2021
114th
115th
116th
Elected in 2014.
Re-elected in 2016.
Re-elected in 2018.
Retired.[13]
Vacant January 3, 2021 –
April 14, 2021
117th Representative-elect Luke Letlow died December 29, 2020.[14]

Julia Letlow
(Start)
Republican April 14, 2021 –
present
117th
118th
Elected to finish her husband's term.
Re-elected in 2022.
2023–2025

Recent election results

[edit]

2002

[edit]
Louisiana's 5th Congressional District Runoff Election (2002)
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Rodney Alexander (Incumbent) 86,718 50.28
Republican Lee Fletcher 85,744 49.72
Total votes 172,462 100.00
Democratic hold

2004

[edit]
Louisiana's 5th Congressional District Election (2004)
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Rodney Alexander (Incumbent) 141,495 59.44
Democratic Zelma "Tisa" Blakes 58,591 24.61
Republican John W. "Jock" Scott 37,971 15.95
Total votes 238,057 100.00
Republican gain from Democratic
  • NOTE: Rodney Alexander switched from the Democratic to the Republican Party.

2006

[edit]
Louisiana's 5th Congressional District Election (2006)
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Rodney Alexander (incumbent) 78,211 68.26
Democratic Gloria Williams Hearn 33,233 29.00
Libertarian Brent Sanders 1,876 1.64
Independent John Watts 1,262 1.10
Total votes 114,582 100.00
Republican hold

2008

[edit]
Louisiana's 5th Congressional District Election (2008)
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Rodney Alexander (incumbent) 100.00
Total votes 100.00
Republican hold

2010

[edit]
Louisiana's 5th Congressional District Election (2010)
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Rodney Alexander (incumbent) 122,033 78.57
Independent Tom Gibbs Jr. 33,279 21.43
Total votes 155,312 100.00
Republican hold

2012

[edit]
Louisiana's 5th Congressional District Election (2012)
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Rodney Alexander (incumbent) 202,536 77.83
No Party "Ron" Ceasar 37,486 14.41
Libertarian Clay Steven Grant 20,194 7.76
Total votes 260,216 100.0
Republican hold

2013 (special)

[edit]
Louisiana's 5th Congressional District Special Election (2013)
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Vance McAllister 54,449 59.65
Republican Neil Riser 36,837 40.35
Total votes 91,286 18.9
Republican hold

2014

[edit]
Louisiana's 5th Congressional District Election (2014)
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jamie Mayo 67,611 28.22
Republican Ralph Abraham 54,449 22.73
Republican "Zach" Dasher 53,628 22.39
Republican Vance M. McAllister 26,606 11.11
Republican Clyde C. Holloway 17,877 7.46
Republican Harris Brown 9,890 4.13
Republican "Ed" Tarpley 4,594 1.92
Libertarian Charles Saucier 2,201 0.92
Green Eliot S. Barron 1,655 0.69
Total votes 239,551 100
Turnout   52.6
Louisiana's 5th Congressional District Election (2014 Runoff)
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ralph Abraham 134,616 64.22
Democratic Jamie Mayo 75,006 35.78
Total votes 209,622 100
Turnout   45.2
Republican hold

2016

[edit]
Louisiana's 5th Congressional District Election (2016 Primary)
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ralph Abraham 208,545 81.57
Republican Billy Burkette 47,117 18.43
Total votes 255,662 100
Turnout   66.8
Republican hold

2018

[edit]
Louisiana's 5th Congressional District Election (2018 Primary)
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ralph Abraham 149,018 66.54
Democratic Jessee Carlton Fleenor 67,118 29.97
Independent Billy Burkette 4,799 2.14
Libertarian Kyle Randol 3,011 1.35
Total votes 223,946 100.00
Republican hold

2020

[edit]
Louisiana's 5th Congressional District Election (2020 Primary)
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Luke Letlow 102,533 33.12
Republican Lance Harris 51,240 16.55
Democratic Sandra "Candy" Shoemaker-Christophe 50,812 16.41
Democratic Martin Lemelle Jr. 32,186 10.40
Republican Scotty Robinson 23,887 7.72
Republican Allen Guillory Sr. 22,496 7.27
Republican Matt Hasty 9,834 3.18
Democratic Phillip Snowden 9,432 3.05
Democratic Jesse P. Lagarde 7,136 2.30
Total votes 309,556 100.0
Louisiana's 5th Congressional District Election (2020 Runoff)
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Luke Letlow 49,182 62.02
Republican Lance Harris 30,124 37.98
Total votes 79,306 100.0
Republican hold

2021 (special)

[edit]
Louisiana's 5th Congressional District Special Election (2021)
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Julia Letlow 67,203 64.86
Democratic Sandra "Candy" Christophe 28,255 27.27
Republican Chad Conerly 5,497 5.31
Republican Robert Lansden 929 0.90
Republican Allen Guillory 464 0.45
No party preference Jim Davis 402 0.39
Republican Sancha Smith 334 0.32
Republican M.V. "Vinny" Mendoza 236 0.23
Independent Jaycee Magnuson 131 0.13
Republican Richard H. Pannell 67 0.06
Republican Horace Melton III 62 0.06
Republican Errol Victor Sr. 36 0.03
Total votes 103,616 100.00
Republican hold

2022

[edit]
Louisiana's 5th Congressional District Election (2022)
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Julia Letlow (incumbent) 151,080 67.6
Democratic Oscar "Omar" Dantzler 35,149 15.7
Democratic Walter Earl Huff 19,383 8.7
Republican Allen Guillory 12,159 5.4
Republican Hunter Pullen 5,782 2.6
Total votes 223,553 100.0
Republican hold

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Congressional Districts Relationship Files (state-based)". www.census.gov. US Census Bureau Geography.
  2. ^ "My Congressional District". www.census.gov. Center for New Media & Promotion (CNMP), US Census Bureau.
  3. ^ "My Congressional District".
  4. ^ "2022 Cook PVI: District Map and List". Cook Political Report. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
  5. ^ "5th congressional district special election returns, November 16, 2013". staticresults.sos.la.gov. Retrieved November 16, 2013.
  6. ^ 'Riser, Alexander and Jindal' Archived August 26, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, The Advocate, James Gill, November 3, 2013. Retrieved November 17, 2013.
  7. ^ Lauren McGaughy, "Political newcomer Vance McAllister wins 5th District special election", Times-Picayune, November 16, 2013. Retrieved November 17, 2013.
  8. ^ Crisp, Elizabeth (February 26, 2020). "Ex-governor candidate U.S. Rep. Ralph Abraham won't seek another term in Congress". The Advocate. Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Retrieved August 27, 2020.
  9. ^ Hutchinson, Piper (January 19, 2024). "Graves to lose U.S. House seat under Louisiana redistricting plan that adds minority seat". Louisiana Illuminator. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
  10. ^ "YOUNG, John Smith - Biographical Information". bioguide.congress.gov. Retrieved November 2, 2016.
  11. ^ "Samuel T Baird Dies - on Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved November 2, 2016.
  12. ^ "Wilson defeats Elder - on Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved November 2, 2016.
  13. ^ Crisp, Elizabeth (February 26, 2020). "Ex-governor candidate U.S. Rep. Ralph Abraham won't seek another term in Congress". The Advocate. Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
  14. ^ "Congressman-elect Luke Letlow dies from Covid complications days before being sworn in". NBC News. December 29, 2020. Retrieved December 30, 2020.

31°45′59″N 91°49′25″W / 31.7664°N 91.8236°W / 31.7664; -91.8236