Jefferson, Cassidy post wins

BATON ROUGE—Republican Bill Cas-sidy defeated Democratic Congressman Don Cazayoux on Tuesday, one of three congressional wins in Louisiana on an otherwise gloomy GOP night.
Cassidy’s victory returned to the Republicans a Baton Rouge-area congressional seat the party had held for decades until six months ago, when Cazayoux won it in a special election. Cassidy, a Baton Rouge state lawmaker, had 48 percent to 40 percent for Cazayoux, of New Roads, with 520 of 520 precincts reporting. Independent state lawmaker Michael Jackson of Baton Rouge had nearly 12 percent of the vote.
Both national parties spent heavily on the Cassidy-Cazayoux campaign, and money poured into advertising that attacked both men: Cazayoux for his ties to labor unions; Cassidy, a physician, for his connections to the pharmaceutical industry. Cassidy attributed his win to his conservative platform and his support for GOP presidential nominee John McCain, who won the district and Louisiana’s nine Electoral College votes easily.
“My political philosophy is in line with this district,” Cassidy said. “I think this district probably went for John McCain, I supported John McCain.”
As expected, Republican Congressmen Steve Scalise of Jefferson and Charles Boustany of Lafayette won re-election easily.
Boustany won a third term, beating Democratic state Sen. Don Cravins Jr. of Opelousas. The Lafayette Republican finished with 62 percent to 34 percent of the vote for Cravins in southwest Louisiana’s 7th Congressional District. Peter Vidrine of the Constitution Party had 4 percent.
Scalise, a freshman, led Democrat Jim Harlan 66 percent to 33 percent in the 1st District, which covers suburban New Orleans, in complete but unofficial returns.
Harlan, a Lacombe businessman, financed his own campaign in hopes that Barack Obama’s presidential campaign would help propel him to victory.
Acknowledging defeat, Harlan send out an e-mail message saying, “The winds of change are blowing in America tonight. But they did not blow quite strong enough across Lake Pontchartrain to carry us to victory.”
Two of the state’s congressional districts held party runoffs to determine candidates in general elections on Dec. 6. The 2nd and 4th districts’ election seasons were postponed by a month by Hurricane Gustav, which struck in September.
U.S. Rep. William Jefferson won a Democratic runoff against Helena Moreno, a former TV reporter in New Orleans’ 2nd District. With 491 of 492 precincts reporting, Jefferson had 56 percent of the vote, while Moreno garnered 44 percent. He will be heavily favored to defeat Republican Anh “Joseph” Cao in the general election.
Both major parties held runoffs in western Louisiana’s 4th District. Advancing to the Dec. 6 general election were Democrat Paul Carmouche of Shreveport and Republican John Fleming of Minden, who will be on the ballot along with two independents.
Carmouche, Caddo Parish’s longtime district attorney, led LaCamp lawyer Willie Banks, 62 percent to 38 percent, in complete but unofficial returns.
Fleming, a physician, defeated Shreveport trucking executive Jeff Gorman. Fleming had 56 percent of the vote to 44 percent for Gorman.
The 4th District seat is open because Republican U.S. Rep. Jim McCrery is retiring after two decades in office.
Louisiana’s other two congressmen have already been returned to office:
—Charlie Melancon, D-Napoleonville, was unopposed. Melancon returns to Congress for a third term representing south Louisiana’s 3rd District.
—Rodney Alexander, R-Quitman, won re-election against fellow Republican Andrew Clack of Rayville, his only opponent, in last month’s party primary. Alexander won a third term representing the 5th District, which covers central and northeast Louisiana.